Vladlenosaurus

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Vladlenosaurus is an extinct amphibian from Russia that belonged to the capitosaurian group of temnospondyls. It lived in the Early Triassic, in lake-like environments. The type species is Vladlenosaurus alexeyevi, named in 2000. Unlike many capitosaurs with flat, rounded snouts, Vladlenosaurus had a wedge-shaped snout, a trait also seen in trematosaurians but developed independently. It looked similar to benthosuchids but was more closely related to mastodonsauroids. It shares several features with Wetlugasaurus, another Early Triassic Russian capitosaur, and in 2006 some scientists even considered V. alexeyevi to be a Wetlugasaurus. A 2011 analysis that included Vladlenosaurus found its closest relative to be Odenwaldia, and together they form a basal branch of capitosaurs, more derived than Wetlugasaurus.