Attenosaurus subulensis

Attenosaurus subulensis is a fossil salamander of the order Anthracosauria ("coal lizards") which flourished during the Pennsylvanian subperiod of the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era (between 300 and 320 million years ago).

Attenosaurus subulensis was approximately the size of a large dog and was the largest terrestrial animal alive before the emergence of dinosaurs in the Mesozoic era.

Numerous fossil tracks of Attenosaurus subulensis have been found at the Steven C. Minkin Paleozoic Footprint Site, the former Union Chapel Mine near Sumiton in Walker County. At the time the area was part of an alluvial plain with tropical forests and tidal flats bordering the shore of an ocean which covered two thirds of the state.

References

• Hunt, Adrian P., Spencer G. Lucas and Nicholas D. Pyenson (2005) "The significance of the Union Chapel Mine Site: A Lower Pennsylvanian (Westphalian A) Ichnological Konzentrat-Lagerstätte, Alabama, USA." in Buta, R. J., Rindsberg, A. K., and Kopaska-Merkel, D. C., eds., Pennsylvanian Footprints in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama. Alabama Paleontological Society Monograph No. 1
• Spencer, Thomas (April 12, 2010) "Walker County woman finds ancient amphibian fossil." Birmingham News