A brachyopid temnospondyl from the lower Cynognathus Assemblage Zone In the northern Karoo Basin, South Africa
Date
2002
Authors
Damiani, Ross J.
Jeannot, Ashleigh M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
A new brachyopid temnospondyl is described from the Early to Middle Triassic Cynognathus
Assemblage Zone of the upper Beaufort Group, Karoo Basin of South Africa. It is the fourth named
brachyopid from the Karoo and the first from the northern part of the basin. Despite the incomplete
nature of the holotype skull, the new brachyopid apparently shows closest affinities to Batrachosuchus
watsoni. However, differences in the width of the sensory sulci, the absence of a transverse occipital
sulcus, and the presence of a unique narial morphology, warrants separation at the species level. The
holotype skull also provides insight into the morphology of the ventral surface of the skull roof and
the configuration of the bones between the orbit and the nostril. A referred right mandibular ramus,
the most complete yet recovered of a brachyopid, also shows several unique features. A reconsideration
of the taxonomy of the brachyopid genus Batrachosuchus reveals that Batrachosuchus watsoni
possesses several characters distinct from the type species, Batrachosuchus browni, and is thus
transferred to a new genus. In addition, 'Batrachosuchus' henwoodi and Batrachosuchus concordi
probably do not pertain to the genus Batrachosuchus. Brachyopid diversity in the Karoo is exceeded
only by the Mastodonsauridae and Rhinesuchidae, and they may eventually prove to be important aids
in the biostratigraphy of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone.
Description
Main article
Keywords
temnospondyl; Cynognathus; Karoo
Citation
None