Diplocaulidae

The Diplocaulidae ("double cauls") is an extinct family of "nectridean" tetrapodomorphs that arose during the Late Carboniferous and died out in the Late Permian. ^[1] They are distinguished by the presence of strange, horn-like protrusions jutting out from the rear of their skulls; in some genera said protrusions gave their heads an almost boomerang-like outline.

Diploceraspis burkei

Diplocaulidae Temporal range: Late Carboniferous - Late Permian
A skeletal diagram of Diplocaulus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	†Nectridea
Family:	†Diplocaulidae Cope, 1881
Subgroups
See text.
Synonyms
Keraterpetontidae Jaekel, 1903

Phylogeny

Below is a cladogram modified from Germain (2010):^[1]

Nectridea	Ptyonius Urocordylidae Sauropleura Urocordylus Scincosaurus Diplocaulidae Keraterpeton Diceratosaurus Batrachiderpeton Peronedon Diplocaulus magnicornis Diploceraspis Diplocaulus minimus