Bothriceps was once considered to be a brachyopid within Brachyopoidea, but is now placed on the brachyopoid stem closer to Brachyopoidea than to Rhytidosteidae due to the presence of several plesiomorphies (ancestral characters). The probable presence of a tabular horn in Bothriceps also suggests that it is a basal brachyopomorph rather than a brachyopid.[1]
^ abDamiani, R. J.; Kitching, J. W. (2003). "A new brachyopid temnospondyl from the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone, Upper Beaufort Group, South Africa". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 23 (1): 67–78. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2003)23[67:ANBTFT]2.0.CO;2.