Chenoprosopus lewisi, a new cochleosaurid amphibian (Amphibia: Temnospondyli) from the Permo-Carboniferous of north-central Texas

Abstract

A unique specimen from the Permo-Carboniferous of north-central Texas represents a new species of cochleosaurid temnospondyl, Chenoprosopus lewisi and the first occurrence of the genus outside the Lower Permian of New Mexico. Despite similarities between Chenoprosopus and Edops, the conventional assignment of cochleosaurids to the Edopoidea is supported by only one derived character, an elongate premaxilla that borders a small, inset external naris. Archegosaurid temnospondyls resemble cochleosaurids in the possession of elongate premaxilla and vomers but lack small, posteriorly positioned external nares. If cochleosaurids and archegosaurids prove to be closely related, several characters regarded presently as derived for eryopoid-grade temnospondyls were developed independently from a cochleosaurid stock. -from Author