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The salamandrid Chelotriton paradoxus from Enspel and Randeck Maars (Oligocene–Miocene, Germany)

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Abstract

The late Paleogene to early Neogene salamander Chelotriton paradoxus is redescribed on the basis of new and excellent material from two deposits, the late Oligocene Enspel locality and the Miocene Randeck Maar. C. paradoxus is characterised by the following features: (1) skull outline broad and parabolic, (2) snout abbreviated, with nasal only half the length of the frontal, (3) quadratojugal with a series of 3–5 spikes on the lateral margin, and (4) osteoderms larger than in other genera. Like extant Echinotriton, its trunk ribs bear extensive spikes (epipleural processes), with an elongated one on the 3rd rib. The Enspel sample of C. paradoxus shows greater variation in the size and number of quadratojugal spikes, whereas the best-preserved Randeck specimen bears exceptionally tall tubercles on all dermal bones and osteoderms and has a larger quadratojugal. Based on preliminary taphonomical data, we suggest that C. paradoxus probably led a predominantly aquatic life.

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Abbreviations

Ar:

Articular

Cb:

Ceratobranchial

D:

Dentary

Eo:

Exoccipital

F:

Frontal

Hb:

Hypobranchial

M:

Maxilla

N:

Nasal

P:

Parietal

Pm:

Premaxilla

Pra:

Prearticular

Prf:

Prefrontal

Ps:

Parasphenoid

pt:

Pterygoid

q:

Quadrate

qj:

Quadratojugal

sa:

Surangular

sq:

Squamosal

vo:

Vomer

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Acknowledgements

We thank Michael Wuttke (Mainz) for access to the Enspel material and Ronald Böttcher (SMNS) for much first-hand information. Andrew Milner and Nadia Fröbisch are thanked for their constructive reviews. Special thanks to Dr. Krister T. Smith, who helped to improve the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany

    Rainer R. Schoch & Alexander Kupfer

  2. Referat Landesarchäologie, Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe RLP, Große Langgasse 29, 55116, Mainz, Germany

    Markus Poschmann

Authors
  1. Rainer R. Schoch
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  2. Markus Poschmann
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  3. Alexander Kupfer
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Correspondence to Rainer R. Schoch.

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This article is a contribution to the special issue “The Fossil-Lagerstätte Enspel - reconstructing the palaeoenvironment with new data on fossils and geology”

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Schoch, R.R., Poschmann, M. & Kupfer, A. The salamandrid Chelotriton paradoxus from Enspel and Randeck Maars (Oligocene–Miocene, Germany). Palaeobio Palaeoenv 95, 77–86 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-014-0182-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-014-0182-8

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