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Earliest known crown-group salamanders

Author

Listed:
  • Ke-Qin Gao

    (Peking University
    University of Chicago)

  • Neil H. Shubin

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

Salamanders are a model system for studying the rates and patterns of the evolution of new anatomical structures1,2,3,4. Recent discoveries of abundant Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous salamanders are helping to address these issues5,6,7,8. Here we report the discovery of well-preserved Middle Jurassic salamanders from China, which constitutes the earliest known record of crown-group urodeles (living salamanders and their closest relatives). The new specimens are from the volcanic deposits of the Jiulongshan Formation (Bathonian)9,10,11,12,13, Inner Mongolia, China, and represent basal members of the Cryptobranchidae, a family that includes the endangered Asian giant salamander (Andrias) and the North American hellbender (Cryptobranchus). These fossils document a Mesozoic record of the Cryptobranchidae, predating the previous record of the group by some 100 million years14,15,16,17. This discovery provides evidence to support the hypothesis that the divergence of the Cryptobranchidae from the Hynobiidae had taken place in Asia before the Middle Jurassic period. Amphibia Linnaeus, 1758 Lissamphibia Haeckel, 1866 Caudata Scopoli, 1777 Urodela Dumeril, 1806 Cryptobranchoidea Dunn, 1922 Cryptobranchidae Fitzinger, 1826 Chunerpeton tianyiensis gen. et sp. nov.

Suggested Citation

  • Ke-Qin Gao & Neil H. Shubin, 2003. "Earliest known crown-group salamanders," Nature, Nature, vol. 422(6930), pages 424-428, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:422:y:2003:i:6930:d:10.1038_nature01491
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01491
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