Echinerpeton and Archaeothyris are among the oldest known synapsids. They mark the mammal-side branch of amniotes, recognized by the single temporal opening behind the eye. UCMP frames Synapsida as a 300-million-year-old group with mammals as one surviving branch, while Archaeothyris is commonly treated as one of the oldest undisputed synapsids.
STORY
First Synapsids
By Michael Alan Prestwood
Thu 21 May 2026
Published 18 hours ago.
Updated 17 hours ago.
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First Synapsids
~308 Million years ago
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— map / TST —
Prestwood writes on science-first philosophy, with particular attention to the convergence of disciplines. Drawing on his TST Framework, his work emphasizes rational inquiry grounded in empirical observation while engaging questions at the edges of established knowledge. With TouchstoneTruth positioned as a living touchstone, this work aims to contribute reliable, evolving analysis in an emerging AI era where the credibility of information is increasingly contested.
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