SKULL MORPHOLOGY OF ARCHEGOSAURUS-DECHENI GOLDFUSS (AMPHIBIA, TEMNOSPONDYLI) FROM THE EARLY PERMIAN OF GERMANY

The Early Permian amphibian Archegosaurus decheni Goldfuss, originally reported from Germany, is described, based on a collection of thirtee n skulls housed in the Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia New an d previously poorly known features described include: the presence of an intermaxillary foramen, pterygoid-vomer contact, well developed add uctor flange of the pterygoid, very long choanae, absence of interchoa nal and parachoanal tooth rows, and development of paired anterior pal atal fossae. A scheme of cladistic relations between archegosauroid ge nera and other temnospondyl families is proposed.