FIRST SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LABYRINTHODONT: A POSSIBLE CHIGUTISAURID STEREOSPONDYL AMPHIBIAN FROM THE LATE TRIASSIC AT LEIGH CREEK

Labyrinthodont fossils are recorded from most Australian states (Warren 2006), most particularly from Queensland (Bowen Basin; Warren idem), Western Australia (Canning Basin; Cosgriff 1965) and the Tasmanian Basin (Cosgriff 1974). The oldest is Metaxygnathus from the Devonian of New South Wales, and most have been of early to middle Triassic age, but some have been younger: Siderops kehli (Warren & Hutchinson 1983) is from the early Jurassic of Queensland, and Koolasuchus cleelandi (Warren et al. 1997) is from the early Cretaceous of Victoria. Few species are known in Australia between the early Triassic and the early Jurassic, so any Late Triassic find is noteworthy. This note records the presence of an unidentified, possible chugutisaurid, stereospondyl from the upper Triassic coal measures at Leigh Creek, northern Flinders Ranges, noted in passing by Warren (2006:233). The specimen comprises the compressed anterior torso of an individual estimated to be roughly 2 m. long, preserved in a block of carbonaceous oil-shale. Extremities were not found.