A review of the South African temnospondyl amphibian record

Abstract

The Karoo of South Africa preserves a near-unbroken sequence of sedimentary rocks and associated vertebrate fauna from the Late Carboniferous to the Middle Jurassic periods. These rocks host a rich temnospondyl amphibian record from the Late Permian to the Early Jurassic. This record is amongst the most diverse temnospondyl record in the world and comprises 10 higher-level taxa, most of which occur in the Triassic part of the sequence and which is dominated by members of the Stereospondyli, with lesser representation by two Palaeozoic lineages. This paper presents a synthesis of the South African temnospondyl amphibian record and highlights the most recent advances in their taxonomy and biostratigraphic placement.