Archegosaurus, Rhineceps, Paracyclotosaurus, Mastodonsaurus, and Parotosuchus

Archegosaurus decheni (Goldfuss 1847; Early Permian, 290 mya; 21 cm skull length) is a long-snouted , alligator-like temnospondyl known from a complete skeleton. Here the manus is flipped to match sister taxa.

Rhineceps nyasaensis (Haughton 1926; Late Permian, 259 mya; SAM-PK-7866) is considered a mastodonsaur. Here it nests with Wantzosaurus between Neldasaurus and Trematosaurus. Overall larger and with a lower, flatter skull, Capitosaurus had a midline suture that was discontinuous between the nasals, frontals and parietals, an intranasal fenestra and horn-like tabulars. Note the curved jawline and deep tabulars.

Capitosaurus polaris (Münster 1836, Wiman 1914; Late Triassic, 235-200 mya )is another name sometimes applied to this specimen.

Parotosuchus haughtoni (originally Parotosaurus, Meyer 1858; Broili and Schröder 1937, Otschev and Shishkin, 1968; Early Triassic; up to 2m in length;BP/1/5673) was a capitosaur nesting with Rhinceps in the large reptile tree, but the pterygoid did not contact the vomer and several bones have slightly different shapes.

Paracyclotosaurus davidi (Watson 1958; Middle Triassic; 2.3m long) This semi-aquatic tetrpod probably had a crocodile-like lifestyle. The eyes and nose were atop the skull. Anterior dorsal ribs are robust and overlapping.

Mastodonsaurus jaegeri (Jaeger 1828; Schoch 1999; Middle Triassic; skull length 1.2m; overall length 6m) is the largest lepospondyl in the LRT. Traditionally it was considered a temnospondyl, but if so that would make all amniotes temnospondyls, too, which was not the intention of the definition. Anterior dentary tusks fit through new skull openings (in red above) anterior to the nares. Intercostal plates overlapped succeeding ribs. Mastodonsaurus inhabited swampy ponds.

Largest amphibians of all time - click here

Broili F and Schröder J 1937. Beobachtungen an Wirbeltieren der Karrooformation. XXVII. Über einen Capitosauriden aus der Cynognathus-Zone. Sitzungsberichte der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften München 1937, 98–117.

Goldfuss GA 1847. Beiträge zur vorweltlichen Fauna des Steinkohlegebirges. Verhandlungen des naturhistorischen Vereins für Rheinlande und Westphalen:1–27.

Haughton SH 1926. On Karroo vertebrates from Nyasaland. Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa 29:69-83.

Jaeger GF 1828. Über die fossile [sic] Reptilien, welche in Württemberg aufgefunden worden sind. 48 pp., 6 pls.; Stuttgart (Metzler).

Lehman 1961. Les Stégocéphales de Madagascar. Annales de Paléontologie, 47, 42–46.

Schoch RR 1999. Comparative osteology of Mastodonsaurus giganteus (Jaeger, 1828) from the Middle Triassic (Lettenkeuper: Longobardian) of Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Thüringen). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde Serie B. 278: 1–175. PDF

Watson D 1958. A New Labyrinthodont (Paracyclotosaurus) From Trias of New South Wales. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History).

Wiman C 1914. Über die Stegocephalen aus der Trias Spitzbergens. Bulletin of the Geological Institutions of the University of Uppsala 13:1-34.

wiki/Archegosaurus
wiki/Paracyclotosaurus
wiki/Capitosaurus
wiki/Rhineceps
wiki/Parotosuchus
wiki/Mastodonsaurus

Temnospondyli

Sclerothorax

Eryops - Edops

Saharastega - Nigerpeton

Rhineceps

Neldasaurus

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