Editing Reptile (section)

===Permian reptiles===
With the close of the [[Carboniferous]], the amniotes became the dominant tetrapod fauna. While primitive, terrestrial [[reptiliomorpha|reptiliomorphs]] still existed, the synapsid amniotes evolved the first truly terrestrial [[megafauna]] (giant animals) in the form of [[pelycosaurs]], such as ''[[Edaphosaurus]]'' and the carnivorous ''[[Dimetrodon]]''. In the mid-Permian period, the climate became drier, resulting in a change of fauna: The pelycosaurs were replaced by the [[therapsids]].<ref name="autogenerated2001">[[Edwin Harris Colbert|Colbert, E.H.]] & Morales, M. (2001): ''[[Evolution of the Vertebrates|Colbert's Evolution of the Vertebrates: A History of the Backboned Animals Through Time]]''. 4th edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York. {{ISBN|978-0-471-38461-8}}.</ref>

The parareptiles, whose massive [[skull roof]]s had no postorbital holes, continued and flourished throughout the Permian. The [[pareiasaur]]ian parareptiles reached giant proportions in the late Permian, eventually disappearing at the close of the period (the turtles being possible survivors).<ref name="autogenerated2001"/>

Early in the period, the modern reptiles, or [[Sauria|crown-group reptiles]], evolved and split into two main lineages: the [[Archosauromorpha]] (forebears of [[turtle]]s, [[crocodile]]s, and [[dinosaur]]s) and the [[Lepidosauromorpha]] (predecessors of modern [[lizard]]s and [[tuatara]]s). Both groups remained lizard-like and relatively small and inconspicuous during the Permian.