Researchers report fossil evidence of what they describe as the first fully marine amphibian, dated to about 237 million years ago. The animal, Gerrothorax maritimus, is portrayed as an armored, giant-salamander-sized creature that lives on the seafloor, based on findings from the University of California, Davis, Peking University, and the Geological Museum of Guizhou.
Both outlets frame the discovery around how unlike living amphibians the species appears to be. Phys.org emphasizes the animal’s armored build and bottom-dwelling, ocean-only lifestyle, positioning it as an early fully marine form. Courthouse News similarly highlights its “unique” nature and describes the species as likely spending its life in the ocean full-time, underscoring what makes it different from modern amphibians.
