A previously unknown specimen of the temnospondyl amphibian Parotosuchus bogdoanus (Woodward, 1932) from the Lower Triassic of Eastern Europe

I.V. Novikov ^a,b*, A.V. Uliakhin ^c,a**, V.V. Silantiev ^b***

^aBorissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117647 Russia

^bKazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia

^cMoscow State University, Moscow, 119991 Russia

E-mail: ^*inovik@paleo.ru, ^**ulyakhin@paleo.ru, ^***vsilant@gmail.com

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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DOI: 10.26907/2542-064X.2021.4.581-590

For citation: Novikov I.V., Uliakhin A.V., Silantiev V.V. A previously unknown specimen of the temnospondyl amphibian Parotosuchus bogdoanus (Woodward, 1932) from the Lower Triassic of Eastern Europe. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Estestvennye Nauki, 2021, vol. 163, no. 4, pp. 581–590. doi: 10.26907/2542-064X.2021.4.581-590. (In Russian)

Received April 28, 2021

Abstract

This article reports on the results of a study of a sample from the collection of the Shtukenberg Geological Museum of Kazan Federal University. The sample is the preorbital part of the skull of a large temnospondyl amphibian previously identified as Wetlugasaurus sp. and known from the Triassic of the Volga region. On the basis of the morphology of the palatal surface, it was concluded that the sample belongs to the genus Parotosuchus of the Late Olenekian. The analysis of the host rock helped to determine more precisely its locality (Akhtubinsk district of the Astrakhan region, Bolshoye Bogdo II locality). The specimen under study most likely belongs to P. bogdoanus (Woodward, 1932), first described from this locality, thus making it possible to complete the diagnosis of the species.

Keywords: Lower Triassic, temnospondyl amphibians, Bolshoye Bogdo locality, Eastern Europe

Figure Captions

Fig. 1. Skull fragment of the Parotosuchus bogdoanus specimen (GM KFU KP no. 1051/P 681). Dorsal (a) and ventral (b) view. Schematic drawing of the dorsal (c) and ventral (d) views. Abbreviations: ch – choana, fl – flexura lacrimalis, fpa – foramen palatinum anterior, fv – fodina vomeralis, L – lacrimale, Mx – maxillare, N – nasale, na – naris, pc – processus cultriformis parasphenoidei,, Pl – palatinum, Pmx – premaxillare, Prf – prefrontale, V – vomer. Scale 20 mm.

Fig. 2. Photos of the thin sections of the host rock from specimen GM KFU KP no. 1051/P 681 (a–c) and three control specimens of bone-bearing limestone of the Bogdinskaya Formation of the Bolshoye Bogdo II locality (d–f).

Fig. 3. Geographical location of the Bolshoye Bogdo II locality.

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