Salamandra sp.

Vasilyan, Davit, Cernansky, Andrej, Szyndlar, Zbigniew & Moers, Thomas, 2022, Amphibian and reptilian fauna from the early Miocene of Echzell, Germany, Fossil Record 25 (1), pp. 99-145 : 99

Salamandra sp.

Fig. 5A-F

Material.

Five trunk vertebrae, HLMD-Ez 2029-2033.

Description.

The vertebrae are opistocoelous and dorsoventrally flattened. They are large in size (5-7 mm). In dorsal view, the neural arch is broad and has an outline of a rectangle (HLMD-Ez 2029, Fig. 5A ) or square (HLMD-Ez 2031, Fig. 5F ). The prezygapophyses have round outlines and project anterolaterally. The neural arch between the prezygapophysese is flat. The neural spine starts behind this short flat surface and posteriorly does not reach the posterior tip of the pterygapophysis. In lateral view, the neural spine is low. It is highest at its middle point. The posterior margin of the pterygapophysis can be bifurcated. Its posterior surface possesses two distinct notches of variable sizes and dimensions. In anterior view, the neural canal is dorsoventrally flattened. In HLMD-Ez 2029, the bases of the prezygapophyses are pierced by the subzygapophyseal (sensu Vasilyan et al. 2017) or anterior (sensu Tissier et al. 2015) foramen. Other vertebrae do not have this character. The arterial canal with large and/or smaller openings runs across the base of the transverse process. The latter is fully preserved only in HLMD-Ez 2029. It projects posterolaterally and is composed of dia- and parapophysis, which are connected with a thin lamina at their medial half (Fig. 5B ); otherwise, they are free laterally. Additionally, the parapophysis is connected with the centrum anteriorly and posteriorly by anterior and posterior alar processes, respectively. They build a triangular-shaped lamina (Fig. 5C ). In lateral view, a well-pronounced horizontal interzygapophyseal ridge connects the prezygapophysis with diapophysis, whereas the horizontal dorsal lamina connects the diapophysis with postzygapophysis. The centrum is flattened dorsoventrally and arched.

Remark.

The general morphology and large size of remains, including the dorsoventrally compressed ophistocoelous vertebrae, broad and low neural arch as well as arched vertebra centrum allow assigning the remains to the genus Salamandra ( Estes and Hoffstetter 1976). HLMD-Ez 2029 shows a slightly different morphology (presence of subprezygaphyseal foramen vs. its lack; square outline of the vertebra in dorsal view vs. rectangular outline) than the other available vertebrate. Comparable morphology is observable in the second vertebrae of Salamandra salamandra (see the morphosource link https://www.morphosource.org/concern/parent/000S44906/media/000165871). Thus, the HLMD-Ez 2029 can interpreted as an anterior vertebra.

Chelotriton Pomel, 1853

Figures

Figure 5. Vertebrae of Salamandra sp. (A-E. HLDM-Ez 2029; F. HLDM-Ez 2031) and (G-Z) cranial bones of Chelotriton sp. from the Echzell, including frontals (G, H. HLDM-Ez 2070; I-J. HLDM-Ez 2071; K, L. HLDM-Ez 2072), prefrontal (M, N. HLDM-Ez 2068), nasal (O, P. HLDM-Ez 2058), maxillae (Q-S. HLDM-Ez 2063; T-U. HLDM-Ez 2064), squamosals (X. HLDM-Ez 2067; V, W. HLDM-Ez 2066) and dentary (Y, Z. HLDM-Ez 2057). The bones are figures in dorsal (A, F, G, I, K, M, O, S, X, V) dorsal, (B) lateral, (C, H, J, L, N, P, W) ventral, (D) anterior, (E) posterior, (Q, Y) labial and (R, T, Z) lingual views. Scale bars: 1 mm.