Anoualerpeton

Anoualerpeton is an extinct genus of lissamphibian in the family Albanerpetontidae. It is the oldest and most primitive albanerpetontid known. Fossils have been found of two different species, Anoualerpeton priscus from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) aged Forest Marble and Kilmaluag formations of England and Scotland, and Anoualerpeton unicus from Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (Tithonian-Berriasian) Ksar Metlili Formation of Morocco. A. unicus is the only named albanerpetontid from Gondwana.

== Etymology == The name "Anoualerpeton" is composed of Anoual, the name of a city in the eastern High Atlas (Morocco), in whose relative proximity the type material of the type species Anoualerpeton unicus was found, and the ancient Greek word ἑρπετόν herpeton, which means 'creeping animal" and is often used in the generic names of fossil amphibians. The epithets "priscus" and "unicus" mean 'old' and 'unique', which refers to the fact that Anoualerpeton priscus is geologically the oldest albanerpetontid and Anoualerpeton unicus the only albanerpetontid that occurs on the former large southern continent of Gondwana. left|thumb|Anoualerpeton priscus holotype premaxilla