Odenwaldia

{{Short description|Extinct genus of temnospondyls}} {{Italic title}} {{Automatic_taxobox | fossil_range = [[Middle Triassic]] | image = Odenwaldia heidelbergensis 01.jpg | image_caption = Fossil of ''Odenwaldia heidelbergensis'' in [[Heidelberg University]] | taxon = Odenwaldia | authority = Morales and Kamphausen, 1984 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * '''''Odenwaldia heidelbergensis''''' <small>Morales and Kamphausen, 1984 ([[Type species|type]])</small> }}

'''''Odenwaldia''''' is an extinct [[genus]] of [[Mastodonsauroidea|mastodonsauroid]] [[temnospondyl]] within the [[Family (taxonomy)|family]] [[Heylerosauridae]].<ref>Damiani, R.J. (2001) [https://archive.today/20120629171526/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120802305/abstract A systematic revision and phylogenetic analysis of Triassic mastodonsauroids (Temnospondyli: Stereospondyli)]. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 133: 379-482.</ref>

== History of study == ''Odenwaldia'' is only known from one species, ''O. heidelbergensis'', and was named by Morales & Kamphausen (1984).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Morales |first=Michael |last2=Kamphausen |first2=Donat |date=1984-12-07 |title=Odenwaldia heidelbergensis, a new Benthosuchid Stegocephalian from the Middle Buntsandstein of the Odenwald, Germany |url=http://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpm/detail/1984/93393/Odenwaldia_heidelbergensis_a_new_Benthosuchid_Steg?af=crossref |journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Monatshefte |language=en |volume=1984 |issue=11 |pages=673–683 |doi=10.1127/njgpm/1984/1984/673 |issn=0028-3630|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The holotype, a skull roof and counterpiece cast, were collected from the Middle Bundsandstein (Oberes Konglomerat) near [[Heidelberg]], Germany and were first described by Wilhelm Simon in 1961, who thought that the specimen belonged to the [[Trematosauria|trematosaur]] ''[[Trematosaurus]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Simon |first=Wilhelm |date=1961 |title=Ein Riesenlurch aus dem Odenwald: Fundbericht von Waldkatzenbach am Katzenbuckel |journal=Der Aufschluß |volume=12 |pages=128–130}}</ref> It was then redescribed by Schoch (2008).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schoch |first=Rainer R. |date=2008-12-30 |title=The Capitosauria (Amphibia): characters, phylogeny, and stratigraphy |url=http://www.palaeodiversity.org/pdf/01/Palaeodiversity_1_13_189-226.pdf |journal=Palaeodiversity |volume=1 |pages=189–226}}</ref>

== Description == The holotype is the only uncontroversial specimen of this taxon, although others have been referred to the species.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Schoch |first=Rainer R. |date=2011-07-01 |title=How diverse is the temnospondyl fauna in the Lower Triassic of southern Germany? |url=http://www.schweizerbart.de/papers/njgpa/detail/261/76168/How_diverse_is_the_temnospondyl_fauna_in_the_Lower?af=crossref |journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen |language=en |volume=261 |issue=1 |pages=49–60 |doi=10.1127/0077-7749/2011/0147 |issn=0077-7749|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ''Odenwaldia'' is diagnosed by several autapomorphies, including (1) small orbits combined with broad interorbital distance; (2) preorbital region slender, with nasals and lacrimals narrower than frontals; and (3) dermal ornament consists of small, similarly sized polygons, but no elongated ridges.<ref name=":0" /> In contrast to most other capitosaurs, it has a laterally extensive postorbital and a contact between the prefrontal and the postfrontal.

== Classification == Morales and Kamphausen originally proposed that ''Odenwaldia'' represented an intermediary form between ''[[Benthosuchus]]'' and ''[[Eocyclotosaurus]]'', but this was in part based on the outdated concept of [[Capitosauria]] (''Benthosuchus'' is now regarded as a trematosaur) and did not involve a phylogenetic analysis. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses recover ''Odenwaldia'' securely within Capitosauria and perhaps within [[Mastodonsauroidea|Capitosauroidea]] specifically, as an early diverging taxon in either instance.

Below is the phylogeny of Fortuny et al. (2011):<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fortuny |first=Josep |last2=Galobart |first2=Àngel |last3=Santisteban |first3=Carles De |date=2011 |title=A New Capitosaur from the Middle Triassic of Spain and the Relationships within the Capitosauria |url=http://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app20100025.html |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |language=en |volume=56 |issue=3 |pages=553–566 |doi=10.4202/app.2010.0025 |issn=0567-7920|doi-access=free }}</ref> {{Clade|{{clade |1=''[[Lydekkerina huxleyi]]'' |label2=[[Rhinesuchidae]] |2={{clade |1=''[[Rhineceps nyasaensis]]'' |2=''[[Uranocentrodon senekalensis]]''}} |3={{clade |label1=Capitosauria |1={{clade |1=''[[Wetlugasaurus angustifrons]]'' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1='''''[[Odenwaldia heidelbergensis]]''''' |2=''[[Vladlenosaurus alexeyevi]]''}} |2={{clade |1={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Edingerella madagascariensis]]'' |2=''[[Watsonisuchus]] spp.''}} |2={{clade |1=''[[Xenotosuchus africanus]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Cherninia denwai]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Paracyclotosaurus crookshanki]]'' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Stanocephalosaurus pronus]]'' |2=''[[Stanocephalosaurus birdi]]''}} |2={{clade |1=''[[Procyclotosaurus stantonensis]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Eocyclotosaurus]] spp.'' |2=''[[Quasicyclotosaurus campi]]''}} }} }} }} }} }} }} |2={{clade |1=''[[Parotosuchus orenburgensis]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Calmasuchus acri]]'' |2={{clade |1={{clade |1=''[[Cyclotosaurus robustus]]'' |2=''[[Tatrasuchus wildi]]''}} |2={{clade |1=''[[Eryosuchus garjainovi]]'' |2=''[[Mastodonsaurus giganteus]]''}} }} }} }} }} }} }} |label2=[[Trematosauria]] |2={{clade |1=''[[Benthosuchus sushkini]]'' |label2=[[Trematosauroidea]] |2={{clade |1=''[[Thoosuchus yakovlevi]]'' |2={{clade |1=''[[Angusaurus]] spp.'' |2=''[[Trematosaurus brauni]]'' }} }} }} }} }}}}

==See also== {{Portal|Paleontology}} * [[Prehistoric amphibian]] * [[List of prehistoric amphibians]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Capitosauria]] [[Category:Triassic temnospondyls]] [[Category:Fossils of Algeria]] [[Category:Fossils of Germany]]