ALBANERPETONTID AMPHIBIANS FROM THE CRETACEOUS OF SPAIN

ALBANERPETONTIDS are a group of enigmatic salamander-like fossil amphi bians known from deposits of middle Jurassic to Miocene age across Eur america and Central Asia. Throughout a long history they remained rema rkably conservative but can be diagnosed by a suite of unique derived character states, including an anterior peg-and-socket joint between t he mandibles, nonpedicellate tricuspate teeth, a distinctive polygonal dermal sculpture pattern, and a two-part craniovertebral joint analog ous to that of amniotes. Previous interpretations have placed albanerp etontids within salamanders(1,2) or as a separate amphibian group(3,4) . We report here on the recovery of the first complete albanerpetontid specimens (including traces of skin and possible male courtship gland s) from the early Cretaceous of Spain. The new material supports the i nterpretation of albanerpetontids as predominantly terrestrial animals . Albanerpetontids resemble salamanders only in retaining an unspecial ized tailed body form; cladistic analysis suggests they represent a di stinct lissamphibian lineage.