The upper Buntsandstein is Ansian in age. Ctenosauriscids are among the earliest archosaurs and represent the first global radiation of the group. Ctenosauriscus found in the Buntsandstein is related to the North American Arizonasaurus. Plagiosaurs like Gerrothorax are next most common amphibians.

Mastodonsaurus is a capitosaur and the most common amphibian. It characterized by their large body size and aquatic lifestyles. The head of Mastodonsaurus was triangular, reaching about 4.1 feet in the largest specimens. The total length of the largest individuals is about 13 to 20 feet.  Two large tusks project up from the end of the lower jaw, fitting through openings on the palate and emerging out from the top of the skull when the jaw is closed. It may have been unable to leave the water. 

Batrachotomus is a rauisuchian is reached 18 feet long. It preyed on Mastodonsaurus and other amphibians.

Tanystropheus lived along the shoreline, snatching fish and other marine life from the shallows with its long neck and sharp teeth. A marine life style like the contemporary Nothosaurus is purposed. The skin impressions show that it was covered in semi-rectangular, non-overlapping scales. It was 20 ft long. The elongated neck, measured 10 ft long - longer than its body and tail combined. Fossils have been found in Europe, the Middle East and China.

Theraspids are poorly know from the Erfurt. Cynodnts are known from traversodont teeth . Cynognathus was a meter-long predator closely related to mammals and had an almost worldwide distribution. Dicynodonts and rhynchosaurs are very rare. The descendants of cynodonts became mammals. They are one of the groups that survive the end Triassic extinction.  

Therapsids are the largest herbivores. In South America the dicynodont Dinodontosaurus is about 8 feet long and weighing a few hundred pounds with a beak corneum.