Mandibular dentition in the Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibian

• Main Author: Katarzyna Wawro
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Greenland
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.619.6675; http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app52/app52-213.pdf

The Temnospondyli are a large and diverse group of stem− tetrapods (sensu Laurin and Reisz 1997) known from the Early Carboniferous to the Early Cretaceous; their remains have been found on all continents, from Greenland to Antar− ctica. The Metoposauridae are a short−ranging temnospon− dyl group recorded only from the Late Triassic; they are characterized by an anterior position of the orbits, a broad parasphenoid and a large quadrate foramen. However, un− clear is the taxonomic value of the external location of tusks on the dentary. Our analysis of tooth rows in Metoposaurus diagnosticus krasiejowensis from the Triassic (Late Car− nian) of Krasiejów (Silesia, SW Poland) shows that the ex− ternal location of tusks on the dentary is not a synapo− morphy for Metoposauridae but a character of great intra− specific variability. Variability of the arrangement of the in− ternal tooth row on the upper jaw has also been observed.