On a small Cochleosaurus described as a large Limnogyrinus [Amphibia, Temnospondyli] from the Upper Carboniferous of the Czech Republic

Limnogyrinus elegans (Fritsch) is the most primitive micromelerpetontid temnospondyl from the Upper Carboniferous of Nýřany, Czech Republic. Arecent revision of the taxon by Werneburg (1994) attributed to this species a skull in dorsal aspect which was significantly larger than any previously reported and showed evidence of snout elongation. Restudy of this specimen demonstrates it to be a skull, visible in ventral aspect, of a juvenile of Cochleosaurus bohemicus, a more primitive edopoid temnospondyl, which is frequent in the Nýřany assemblage. Werneburg’s diagnosis of Limnogyrinusis revised and the problems of constructing ontogenetic series are discussed.