Page 17 - Prehistoric Animals

An-dra-us shok-zera

Andrias scheuchzeri*

Andrias scheuchzeri is an extinct species of giant salamander. Fossil records are the only
evidence of its existence. Today, however, it shares its genus with the living Asian giant salaman-
der. The first fossil found, of the then unknown Andrias scheuchzeri, was unearthed in central
Europe. It was discovered in the soil lairs known as the Oligocene and Pliocene; these lairs cover
a time period spanning some 2 to 50 million years.

In 1726, Johann Jakob Scheuchzer described the fossil as Homo diluvii testis, (Latin for
evidence of a diluvian human) The fossil, 3ft long, lacking a tail, and still partly covered in stone
could, to the casual observed, be mistaken for a crushed child. Scheuchzer, believed just that and
claimed it to be the remains of a squashed child drowned in the biblical deluge.

Others however, had their doubts, and in 1758, Johannes Gessner, published a paper
claiming the fossil was that of a catfish. Then in, 1787, Petrus Camper claimed it was the fossilize
remains of a lizard.

In the early 1800, Georges Cuvier, frustrated by the claims and counter claims, decided
to gently chip away the stone that partially cover the fossil. He soon uncovered forelimbs that
clearly showed the fossil to be that of an unknown species of Giant salamander.

In 1831, Friedrich Holl, renamed the fossil, Salamandra scheuchzeri. Then around 1837,
Johann Jakob von Tschudi, chipped in, giving the fossil the genus Andrias, which means, image
of man, and renaming the specimen, Scheuchzeri, in honour of Johann Jakob Scheuchzer. Today
Andrias Scheuchzeri is the universally accepted name for this somewhat controversial fossil.

*Note
Andrias—is the name of the genus or group
scheuchzeri—is the unique name assigned to that