Two new Species of Lepospondyl Batropetes From Permian Germany

Two new species of the genus Batropetes (Tetrapoda, Lepospondyli) from the Central European Rotliegend (basal Permian) in Germany

Author:

Glienke

Abstract:

Two new species of Batropetes are described from the Lower Rotliegend of the Saar-Nahe Basin in western Germany. Batropetes palatinus, sp. nov., is characterized by a narrow, anteriorly elongated prefrontal, a slender postfrontal without an anterolateral process, a trapezoid postorbital, and a large quadrate in exterior view. Batropetes appelensis, sp. nov., is characterized by a high angular, ‘Z’-shaped angular-dentary suture, no indentation between stem and plate of interclavicle, and scapulocoracoid without ossified coracoid. The genus Batropetes is characterized by an average length of almost 8 cm, a short trunk with 17 or 19 presacrals depending on the species, large orbit with a raised rim, a large pineal foramen, three pits on the frontal, tricuspid teeth, a toothless palate, four short robust limbs, and completely ossified pectoral and pelvic girdles (except for the coracoids of B. appelensis and B. fritschi). Batropetes belongs to the Brachystelechidae, together with Carrolla and Quasicaecilia. Cladistic analysis reveals for the monophyletic genus Batropetes that B. appelensis forms a sister group to the remaining three species in the genus, and B. niederkirchensis is the sister group to B. palatinus and B. fritschi. The functional interpretation of the appendicular skeleton and the skull morphology suggest that all Batropetes species were terrestrial, living near the lakes in which they were preserved. They appear to have fed on small arthropods in the leaf litter or in the upper zone of the soil.