| Lagerpetidae Temporal range: Triassic, 242–211.9Ma | |
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| Life Restoration of Ixalerpeton | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Avemetatarsalia |
| Clade: | †Pterosauromorpha |
| Family: | †Lagerpetidae Arcucci, 1986 |
| Genera | |
Lagerpetidae is a possibly paraphyletic family of Triassic reptiles. The family is the closest evolutionary relatives of pterosaurs, the flying reptiles.[1] Although historically considered valid, a 2025 study proposed that the family may actually represent an evolutionary grade, with pterosaurs being closer to certain lagerpetids.
Description[]
Lagerpetid fossils are known from Late Triassic of Argentina, Brazil, India, Madagascar and United States. They were typically small, although some lagerpetids, like Dromomeron gigas, Alickmeron maleriensis and a specimen from the Santa Rosa Formation attributed to Dromomeron, were able to get quite large. [2][3][4] Lagerpetid fossils are rare; the most common finds are bones of the hindlimbs, which possessed a number of unique features, especially within the hip, leg and ankle areas.