Skull morphology of Archegosaurus decheni Goldfuss (Amphibia, Temnospondyli) from the Early Permian of Germany

Abstract

The Early Permian amphibian Archegosaurus decheni Goldfuss, originally reported from Germany, is described, based on a collection of thirteen skulls housed in the Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. New and previously poorly known features described include: the presence of an intermaxillary foramen, pterygoid-vomer contact, well developed adductor flange of the pterygoid, very long choanae, absence of interchoanal and parachoanal tooth rows, and development of paired anterior palatal fossae. A scheme of cladistic relations between archegosauroid genera and other temnospondyl families is proposed.