It is known from Oligocene to Pliocene aged deposits primarily from Central Europe, but possibly as far east as Western Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan.

The fossil was about 1 m (3 ft) long, lacked its tail and hind legs, and could thus be interpreted as showing some resemblance to the remains of a violently trampled human child.

In 1787 Petrus Camper thought it was a lizard (Lacerta); at that time, scholars and the scientific community generally did not differentiate between reptiles and amphibians.

[5] Some reports have claimed that Andrias scheuchzeri was distributed as far east as Western Siberia and the Zaissan Basin on the border between China and Kazakhstan.

[6] Among the youngest and easternmost remains of Andrias in Europe, which are indeterminate to species, are known from the Northern Caucasus of Russia, dating to the latest Pliocene.