Stereospondyli

Stereospondyli is an extinct clade of temnospondyl amphibians distinguished by vertebral centra formed mainly from the intercentra. Many members were aquatic predators.

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Temnospondyli: Temnospondyli is a large, diverse clade of extinct tetrapods that includes many amphibian-like forms. Stereospondyli is nested within this broader extinct tetrapod clade.
Temnospondyl vertebral column: The temnospondyl vertebral column comprises vertebrae assembled from multiple ossified elements. Stereospondyls are distinguished within temnospondyls by the composition of these vertebrae.
Permian: The Permian Period lasted from about 299 to 252 million years ago, ending with Earth's largest mass extinction. Stereospondyls originated during this period, before their major Triassic radiation.
Dissorophoidea: Dissorophoidea is a temnospondyl clade that includes forms often considered close to the ancestry of modern amphibians. Its members contrast with stereospondyls in anatomy and commonly proposed evolutionary affinities.
Intercentrum: An intercentrum is a ventral element of a vertebra, positioned between adjacent neural arches. Its enlargement and dominance in the vertebral centrum define the clade's name and anatomy.
Lateral-line system: The lateral-line system detects water movement through sensory organs in aquatic vertebrates. Canals on many stereospondyl skulls indicate sensory adaptations to life in water.
Triassic: The Triassic Period lasted from about 252 to 201 million years ago, following the Permian mass extinction. Stereospondyls diversified widely in Triassic freshwater and coastal environments.
Lepospondyli: Lepospondyli is a diverse group of extinct Paleozoic tetrapods traditionally classified separately from temnospondyls. Its vertebral construction differs from the intercentrum-dominated condition defining stereospondyls.
Vertebral centrum: The vertebral centrum is the central structural body of a vertebra. Stereospondyl vertebrae are recognized by how their centra formed.
Pedomorphosis: Pedomorphosis is the retention of juvenile traits in an adult organism. Some aquatic stereospondyls retained features associated with aquatic juvenile stages.