# Trematosaurus

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Extinct genus of amphibians

Trematosaurus Temporal range: Early Triassic, ~251.902–246.7 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N I O An. La. Carn. Norian Rh. T. brauni skull Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapoda Order: †Temnospondyli Suborder: †Stereospondyli Family: †Trematosauridae Subfamily: †Trematosaurinae Genus: †Trematosaurus Burmeister, 1849 Species †T. brauni Burmeister, 1849 (type) †T. thuringiensis Werneburg, 1993 †T. galae Novikov, 2010

***Trematosaurus*** is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) [genus](/source/Genus) of [trematosaurid](/source/Trematosauridae) [temnospondyl](/source/Temnospondyl) [amphibian](/source/Amphibian) found in [Germany](/source/Germany) and [Russia](/source/Russia).[1] It was first named by Hermann Burmeister in 1849 and the type species is *Trematosaurus brauni*.[1][2]

## History of study

*Trematosaurus* was one of the first temnospondyls to be described. The type locality, called Merkel's Quarry, is in east-central [Germany](/source/Germany) at [Bernburg an der Saale](/source/Bernburg_an_der_Saale) within the Bausandstein ([Olenekian](/source/Olenekian)) and was collected for several decades from the 1840s into the early 20th century, producing extensive cranial remains, although the majority of these are preserved as internal molds (steinkerns) or natural molds. The name *Trematosaurus* was in fact coined in 1842 by Carl von Braun, a frequent collector who used the Greek suffix *trema* ('hole') in reference to the [pineal foramen](/source/Pineal_foramen) to form the generic epithet, but as he provided no formal description, the name was not considered valid until the work of Burmeister,[2] who named the type species after Braun. Burmeister's work was largely reconstructive and frequently omitted references to which specimens were being described, and as a result, it remains unknown which specimens exactly were covered in his description. This was remedied by subsequent workers who provided specimen illustrations for material reposited at numerous museums across Europe.[3][4][5][6][7] However, the complete osteology and ontogeny of this taxon remained poorly documented until the work of Schoch (2019).[8]

Two other species were described from equivalent horizons in [Thuringia](/source/Thuringia), *T. fuchsi* and *T. thuringiensis*.[9][10] *Trematosaurus fuchsi* is widely regarded as a junior synonym of *T. brauni,* while *T. thuringiensis* is tentatively considered to be valid with the caveat that poor preservation of the single specimen may account for some of the purported differences.[11][1] *Trematosaurus madagascariensis* was synonymized with *[Tertremoides ambilobensis](/source/Tertremoides)* from the same horizon in [Madagascar](/source/Madagascar) by Schoch & Milner (2000), with the species epithet of the former (named first) taking precedence by priority and the genus epithet of the latter taking precedence by distinction from *Trematosaurus*.[11] *Trematosaurus sobeyi* from [Cynognathus Assemblage Zone](/source/Cynognathus_Assemblage_Zone) of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa) was placed in the novel genus *[Trematosuchus](/source/Trematosuchus)* by Watson (1919).[6] *Trematosaurus kannemeyeri* from the same zone is thought to belong to *[Aphaneramma](/source/Aphaneramma)*,[1][11] but other workers do not consider it to be diagnostic and thus to be invalid.[12][13] *Trematosaurus yakovlevi* from Russia was placed in the novel genus *[Thoosuchus](/source/Thoosuchus)* by Efremov (1940).[14] *Trematosaurus weidenbaumi* was first removed to *Thoosuchus* and then placed in the novel genus *[Angusaurus](/source/Angusaurus)* by Getmanov (1989).[15] Various reports of *Trematosaurus* sp. from [Russia](/source/Russia) belong to *[Inflectosaurus](/source/Inflectosaurus)*,[11] but *Trematosaurus galae* is a recently described Russian species that remains valid to date.[1]

## Description

*T. brauni*

The overwhelming majority of specimens of *T. brauni* are partial to complete skulls, with 75 such specimens known (size range from 10.9 to 41 cm in length). Postcrania are restricted to the clavicle and interclavicle, two large plate-like elements of the pectoral girdle. In part, this relates to the occurrence of other large [stereospondyls](/source/Stereospondyli) at the type locality such as the [capitosaur](/source/Capitosauria) *[Parotosuchus nasutus](/source/Parotosuchus)*, but postcrania are generally scarce, which may be due to either collection bias or taphonomic bias. Therefore, all diagnostic features of *T. brauni* are based on the skull. [Autapomorphies](/source/Autapomorphy) include (1) temporal sulcus of lateral line with two portions, (2) occipital sulcus continuous, (3) pre-orbital region slightly shorter than half skull length (0.43–0.49), and (4) interorbital distance wide (interorbital distance/ skull length: 0.15–0.2).[8] The description is based only on referred specimens, as no [holotype](/source/Holotype) was ever designated and the [syntypes](/source/Syntype) described by Burmeister cannot be identified based on the scant details of his description; however, because they may exist, either within public or private collections, no [neotype](/source/Neotype) designation is warranted at present. *Trematosaurus galae* differs from *T. brauni* in (1) presence of well-pronounced lacrimal and zygomatic flexures of canals of the lateral line, (2) connection of both branches of the temporal groove at the ossification center of the supratemporal, and (3) in the presence of a supplementary groove (sulcus buccalis transversus) on the squamosal.[1] The more questionably valid *T. thuringiensis* differs only in having larger orbits and a narrower skull table than the type species.[11]

Given the large sample size of *T. brauni*, its ontogeny can be characterized, exhibiting features such as decreased orbit size and skull width but not other features such as broadening of the interorbital region or increased preorbital length, which occur in other temnospondyls.[8] Observations of more fragmentary material of *T. galae* indicate that specifically the prenarial region and the postorbital regions become longer, along with increased development of other features such as the basioccipital and ornamentation on the parasphenoid replacing a shagreen of denticles.

## Classification

Below is a cladogram from Steyer (2002) showing the [phylogenetic](/source/Phylogenetic) relationships of trematosaurids:[16]

Trematosauridae Trematosaurinae Tertrema Lyrocephaliscus Platystega Luzocephalus Trematosaurus Trematosuchus Lonchorhynchinae Aphaneramma Erythrobatrachus Cosgriffius Stoschiosaurus Wantzosaurus

*Trematosaurus* in a cladogram after Novikov (2018) with only Early Triassic Eastern Europe taxa included:[17]

Trematosauridae Prothoosuchus Thoosuchus Trematotegmen Angusaurus Inflectosaurus Trematosaurus

## References

- [Paleontology portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Paleontology)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Novikov_1-5) I. V. Novikov (2010). "New data on trematosauroid labyrinthodonts of Eastern Europe: 2. *Trematosaurus galae* sp. nov.: Cranial morphology". *Paleontological Journal*. **44** (4): 457–467. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2010PalJ...44..457N](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010PalJ...44..457N). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1134/S003103011004012X](https://doi.org/10.1134%2FS003103011004012X). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [85353510](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:85353510).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) Burmeister, Hermann (1849). *Die Labyrinthodonten aus dem bunten Sandstein von Bernburg: zoologisch geschildert / von Hermann Burmeister*. Berlin: G. Reimer. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5962/bhl.title.5493](https://doi.org/10.5962%2Fbhl.title.5493).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Fraas, Eberhaard (1913). "Neue Labyrinthodonten aus der schwäbischen Trias". *Palaeontographica*. **60**: 275–294.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Drevermann, Friedrich E. (1914). "Über einen Schädel von Trematosaurus brauni Burmeister". *Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie*. **1914**: 627–628.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Drevermann, Friedrich E. (1920). ["Über einen Schädel von Trematosaurus brauni Burmeister"](http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/year/2009/docId/6680). *Senckenbergiana*. **2**: 83–110.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) Watson, David Meredith Seares (1919). ["I. The structure, evolution and origin of the amphibia. - The "orders' rachitomi and stereospondyli"](https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frstb.1920.0001). *Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character*. **209** (360–371): 1–73. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1098/rstb.1920.0001](https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frstb.1920.0001). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0264-3960](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0264-3960).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** von Huene, Friedrich (1921). "Über einen wohlerhaltenen Gaumen von Trematosaurus brauni". *Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie*. **1921**: 502–504.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:2_8-2) Schoch, Rainer R. (2019-05-24). ["Osteology of the temnospondyl *Trematosaurus brauni* Burmeister, 1849 from the Middle Buntsandstein of Bernburg, Germany"](https://doi.org/10.18476%2Fpale.v12.a4). *Palaeodiversity*. **12** (1): 41. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.18476/pale.v12.a4](https://doi.org/10.18476%2Fpale.v12.a4). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1867-6294](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1867-6294). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [181970743](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:181970743).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Seidlitz, Wilfred von. (1920). "Trematosaurus fuchsi, ein Labyrinthodont aus dem thüringischen Buntsandstein". *Palaeontographica*. **63**: 87–96.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Werneburg, Ralf (1993). "Trematosaurus (Amphibia) aus dem Mittleren Buntsandstein (Untertrias) von Thüringen". *Er- öffentlichungen des Naturhistorischen Museums*. **7/8**: 17–29.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:3_11-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:3_11-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:3_11-4) Schoch, Rainer R.; Milner, Andrew R. (2000). *Handbuch der Paläoherpetologie Part 3B. Stereospondyli*. Stuttgart: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil. pp. 1–220. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-931516-26-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-931516-26-0). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [580976](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/580976).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Fortuny, Josep; Gastou, Stéphanie; Escuillié, François; Ranivoharimanana, Lovasoa; Steyer, J.-Sébastien (2017-06-29). ["A new extreme longirostrine temnospondyl from the Triassic of Madagascar: phylogenetic and palaeobiogeographical implications for trematosaurids"](https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/A_new_extreme_longirostrine_temnospondyl_from_the_Triassic_of_Madagascar_phylogenetic_and_palaeobiogeographical_implications_for_trematosaurids/5155366). *Journal of Systematic Palaeontology*. **16** (8): 675–688. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/14772019.2017.1335805](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14772019.2017.1335805). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1477-2019](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1477-2019). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [134191156](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:134191156).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Hancox, P.J.; Neveling, J.; Rubidge, B.S. (2020-06-01). "Biostratigraphy of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone (Beaufort Group, Karoo Supergroup), South Africa". *South African Journal of Geology*. **123** (2): 217–238. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2020SAJG..123..217H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020SAJG..123..217H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.25131/sajg.123.0016](https://doi.org/10.25131%2Fsajg.123.0016). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1996-8590](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1996-8590). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [225828531](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:225828531).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Efremov, Ivan A. (1940). "Preliminary description of the new Permian and Triassic Tetrapoda from U.S.S.R.". *Trudy Paleontologicheskogo Instituta* (in Russian). **10**: 1–140.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Getmanov, S. N. (1989). "Triassic amphibians of the East European platform (family Benthosuchidae Efremov)". *Trudy Paleontologicheskogo Instituta*. **236**: 1–102.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-SJS02_16-0)** Steyer, J. S. (2002). "The first articulated trematosaur 'amphibian' from the Lower Triassic of Madagascar: implications for the phylogeny of the group". *Palaeontology*. **45** (4): 771–793. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2002Palgy..45..771S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002Palgy..45..771S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/1475-4983.00260](https://doi.org/10.1111%2F1475-4983.00260). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [83515233](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83515233).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Novikov2018_17-0)** Novikov A.V. (2018). [*Early Triassic amphibians of Eastern Europe: evolution of dominant groups and peculiarities of changing communities*](https://new.ras.ru/upload/iblock/7de/j85vtubof3mlf81izrqq9u9oh9eb5lrh.pdf) (PDF) (in Russian). Moscow: RAS. p. 138. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-5-906906-71-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-5-906906-71-7).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: publisher location ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_publisher_location)) ["Archive copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231208092959/https://new.ras.ru/upload/iblock/7de/j85vtubof3mlf81izrqq9u9oh9eb5lrh.pdf) (PDF). December 8, 2023. Archived from [the original](https://new.ras.ru/upload/iblock/7de/j85vtubof3mlf81izrqq9u9oh9eb5lrh.pdf) (PDF) on 2023-12-08.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

v t e Stereospondyli Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapodomorpha Order: Temnospondyli Tetrapodomorpha see Tetrapodomorpha Temnospondyli see Temnospondyli Stereospondyli see below↓ Stereospondyli Stereospondyli Arachana Capulomala Peltobatrachus Lapillopsidae Lapillopsis Manubrantlia Rhigerpeton Rotaurisaurus Rhinesuchidae Australerpeton? Broomistega Laccosaurus Parapytanga? Rastosuchus Rhineceps Rhinesuchoides Rhinesuchus Uranocentrodon Lydekkerinidae Chomatobatrachus Cryobatrachus Deltacephalus Eolydekkerina Indobenthosuchus Luzocephalus? Lydekkerina Capitosauria Antarctosuchus Bukobaja Calmasuchus Capitosaurus Cherninia Cyclotosaurus Edingerella Eocyclotosaurus Eryosuchus Heptasaurus Huangfuchuansuchus Jammerbergia Kestrosaurus Kupferzellia Mastodonsaurus Meyerosuchus Odenwaldia Paracyclotosaurus Parotosuchus Quasicyclotosaurus Procyclotosaurus Promastodonsaurus Rhadalognathus Samarabatrachus Sassenisaurus Sclerothorax Selenocara Stanocephalosaurus Stenotosaurus Subcyclotosaurus Tatrasuchus Vladlenosaurus Volgasaurus Volgasuchus Warrenisuchus Watsonisuchus Wellesaurus Wetlugasaurus Xenotosuchus Yuanansuchus Trematosauria see below↓ Trematosauria Trematosauria Almasaurus Bothriceps Callistomordax Chinlestegophis Keratobrachyops Laidleria Latiscopus Qantas Rileymillerus Syrtosuchus Uruyiella Benthosuchidae Benthosuchus Kwatisuchus Trematosauridae Angusaurus Aphaneramma Cosgriffius Erythrobatrachus Gonioglyptus Hyperokynodon Icanosaurus Indolyrocephalus Inflectosaurus Lyrocephaliscus Microposaurus Panchetosaurus Platystega Prothoosuchus Stoschiosaurus Tertrema Tertremoides Thoosuchus Tirraturhinus Trematolestes Trematosuchoides Trematosaurus Trematosuchus Trematotegmen Wantzosaurus Metoposauridae Anaschisma Apachesaurus Arganasaurus Buettnererpeton Dutuitosaurus Metoposaurus Panthasaurus Rhytidosteidae Boreopelta Mahavisaurus Nanolania Peltostega Pneumatostega Rhytidosteus Sangaia Trucheosaurus Derwentiinae Arcadia Acerastia Deltasaurus Derwentia Indobrachyops Rewana Chigutisauridae Arenaerpeton Chigutisaurus Compsocerops Koolasuchus Pelorocephalus Siderops Brachyopidae Banksiops Bathignathus Batrachosaurus Batrachosuchoides Batrachosuchus Blinasaurus Brachyops Gobiops Hadrokkosaurus Notobrachyops Platycepsion Sinobrachyops Vanastega Vigilius Xenobrachyops Plagiosauridae Gerrothorax Megalophthalma Plagiobatrachus Plagiorophus Plagiosaurus Plagioscutum Plagiosternum Plagiosuchus See also: Trematosauroidea Metoposauroidea Rhytidosteoidea Brachyopomorpha Brachyopoidea Plagiosauroidea Category

Taxon identifiers Trematosaurus Wikidata: Q3776858 Wikispecies: Trematosaurus GBIF: 4815910 IRMNG: 1023977 Paleobiology Database: 37138

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Trematosaurus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trematosaurus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trematosaurus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.