Hynerpeton

From water to land with eight legs

It was Hynerpeton, a primitive amphibian that dared to take what was probably the decisive step in the history of the earth: from water to land. There were some arthropods, such as giant scorpions, that could also already survive on land. However, unlike Hynerpeton, they developed neither lungs nor kidneys, which are organs that are crucial for life on land.

Hynerpeton, like today's amphibians, breathed through its skin, but already possessed a lung-like organ. It also developed kidneys to remove waste products like nitrogen and carbon dioxide from the blood. The breakthrough for life on land was achieved.

To this day, it is disputed whether Hynerpeton is the direct ancestor of all terrestrial vertebrates, including reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. After all, the fact that the amphibian had eight and not five fingers suggests that it is simply a close evolutionary relative.

Nevertheless, Hynerpeton was a widespread animal around the globe 360 million years ago. Fossils and footprints have been found in both Greenland and Australia.