Parotosuchus (Amphibia,Temnospondyli) from the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone (Early Triassic) of South Africa: cranial morphology and relationships

A partial ‘capitosaurid’ amphibian skull from the lowest subzone of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone of South Africa is referred to Parotosuchus haughtoni, a species previously known only from a fragmentary skull from the same horizon. The description includes a full account of the braincase and otic capsule, structures not hitherto well documented for Parotosuchus. A detailed comparison is provided between P. haughtoni and all other valid members of the genus, and it is argued that P. haughtoni is most closely related to P. orenburgensis from Russia. P. haughtoni represents the only undoubted occurrence of Parotosuchus in Gondwana, since other valid species of ‘capitosaurids’ from Gondwana previously assigned to Parotosuchus have elsewhere been removed from that taxon.