On<i>Pelobates decheni</i>Troschel, 1961, and<i>Zaphrissa eurypelis</i>Cope, 1866 (Amphibia: Pelobatidae) from the early Miocene of Rott near Bonn West Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACT The type specimen of Pelobates decheni Troschel, 1861, from Rott near Bonn, has been reinvestigated and described. It is shown to be identical with the type (and only) specimen of Zaphrissa eurypelis Cope, 1866, described from the same locality. The latter name thus must be regarded as a junior synonym of the former. This also implies the reassignment of Zaphrissa from Discoglossidae to Pelobatidae. Some unique plesiomorphic characters of P. decheni not known in Recent frogs are pointed out.