A brachyopid temnospondyl from the lower Cynognathus Assemblage Zone In the northern Karoo Basin, South Africa

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorDamiani, Ross J.
dc.contributor.authorJeannot, Ashleigh M.
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-09T12:44:15Z
dc.date.available2015-01-09T12:44:15Z
dc.date.issued2002
dc.descriptionMain articleen_ZA
dc.description.abstractA 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.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipPalaeo-Anthropology Scientific Trust; French Embassy in South Africa; Co-operation and Cultural Service;en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNoneen_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0078-8554
dc.identifier.issn0078-8554
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/16352
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherBernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Researchen_ZA
dc.relation.ispartofseriesNone;
dc.subjecttemnospondyl; Cynognathus; Karooen_ZA
dc.titleA brachyopid temnospondyl from the lower Cynognathus Assemblage Zone In the northern Karoo Basin, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
2002.V38.DAMIANI_AND_JEANNOT.BRACHYOPID LOWER CYNOGNATHUS ZONE.pdf
Size:
5.81 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Main article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Volume 38 2002