Kwatisuchus, a new temnospondyl from the Triassic of Brazil

[Halichoeres]

So far we only have (most of) a skull, but it's a pretty good-looking one. Part of the Sanga do Cabral formation, the same formation that the stem-archosaur Teyujagua was described from several years ago.

The skull:


Art by Márcio Castro:


Paper (paywall, but pm me if you'd like the pdf): https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ar.25384

[Faelrin]

I've been researching some temnospondyls for my Koolasuchus review, so it is nice to see yet another one described. That reminds me, and it isn't specific to this particular genus, but since it also features it as well, it doesn't hurt to ask about it here. I've noticed while researching them is that a lot of them have those similar looking pits and grooves on the skull, including the CollectA Koolasuchus figure. Do you or anyone else have any idea on what those are for? Would they be visible like on that figure?

[Halichoeres]

I've been researching some temnospondyls for my Koolasuchus review, so it is nice to see yet another one described. That reminds me, and it isn't specific to this particular genus, but since it also features it as well, it doesn't hurt to ask about it here. I've noticed while researching them is that a lot of them have those similar looking pits and grooves on the skull, including the CollectA Koolasuchus figure. Do you or anyone else have any idea on what those are for? Would they be visible like on that figure?

That's a good question. Some of those would have housed pressure receptors or electroreceptors, and those would have been visible. I would expect a pretty thin layer of connective tissue on the head, so the other texturing--probably visible? But I am not certain.