Chunerpeton chianyiensis
Amphibia, Caudata, Cryptobranchidae
Geological Time: Middle/Late Jurassic
Size (25.4 mm = 1 inch): 135 mm long (tip of nose to tip of tail along backbone). Matrix: 163 mm by 130 mm
Fossil Site: Daohu Valley, Ningcheng County, Neimenggu (Inner Mongolia), China
Fossil Code: TF157
Price: $495.00 - sold
 Description:
The Daohuguo Beds on Inner Mongolia have yielded several Mesozoic
salamanders related to those extant today. This one is a member of
the Cryptobranchidae, the family to which the modern-day Asian giant
salamander Andrias, and the Hellbender Cryptobranchus of the southern
United States belong. Chunerpeton is the first Mesozoic salamander
from this family which was previously only known as a fossil from
the Paleocene. The fossil salamanders from the se deposits go a long
way to answering questions about the evolution of these remarkable
amphibians. Note the fine details preserved here in the skull which
is complete with teeth, the vertebral column, and the outline of the
body. Few such examples are ever available. |
