Researchers in Australia have identified a rare fossil of a giant predatory amphibian dating back approximately 240 million years. The specimen, named Arenaerpeton supinatus, was discovered embedded in a garden retaining wall after stones were collected from a quarry in the 1990s. It was later transferred to the Australian Museum in Sydney, where recent analysis revealed its exceptional preservation—an almost complete skeleton with rare traces of skin and soft tissue.

The extinct species lived during the Triassic period in freshwater environments of what is now the Sydney Basin. Measuring about 1.2 meters in length, Arenaerpeton supinatus resembled a giant modern salamander with sharp teeth and prominent fangs, making it one of the dominant predators of its ecosystem. It likely fed on ancient fish and adapted to significant environmental changes of the time.

This find is considered one of the most important temnospondyl discoveries in Australia in recent decades. It contributes valuable data to understanding prehistoric biodiversity and the evolutionary history of amphibians before the rise of dinosaurs.