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Hylonomus

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iHylonomus
Fossil range: Early Pennsylvanian (early Late Carboniferous)

The primitive sauropsid, Hylonomus lyelli

Conservation status

Extinct (fossil)

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Superclass:	Tetrapoda
Class:	Sauropsida
Subclass:	Anapsida
Order:	Captorhinida
Family:	Protorothyrididae
Genus:	Hylonumus
Species:	H. lyelli

Binomial name

Hylonomus lyelli

Hylonomus
Type	basal reptile
Length	8 in (20 cm)
Movement	quadruped
Age	315 million years ago
Diet	carnivore
Environment	forests
Distribution	Canada

Hylonomus lyelli was an early reptile. It lived 315 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. As of 2006 it is the earliest confirmed reptile (Westlothiana is older but may be an amphibian). It was 20 cm long (including the tail) and probably would have looked rather similar to modern lizards. It had small sharp teeth and probably ate millipedes and early insects. It is a precursor of later reptiles. Its predators were the giant dragonflies, large arthropods, and other tetrapods such as Eryops, and Archaeothyris.

Fossils of Hylonomus have been found in the remains of fossilized tree stumps in Joggins, Nova Scotia. They were discovered by Sir William Dawson in the 1800s. The name comes from the Greek word for wood(Forest dweller), and the name of the geologist, and Dawson's teacher, Sir Charles Lyell.