| Cryobatrachus Temporal range: Early Triassic
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|---|---|
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| Life restoration of Cryobatrachus kitchingi | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Temnospondyli |
| Suborder: | †Stereospondyli |
| Family: | †Lydekkerinidae |
| Genus: | †Cryobatrachus Colbert and Cosgriff, 1974 |
| Type species | |
| †Cryobatrachus kitchingi Colbert and Cosgriff, 1974
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Cryobatrachus (from Greek, κρύος (krýos, "cold") and βάτραχος (batrakhos, "frog")) is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Early Triassic of Antarctica. The type species is Cryobatrachus kitchingi. It is known from a partial skull and an imprint of the skull roof, both found in the Fremouw Formation of the Transantarctic Mountains at about 85° south latitude and described in 1974.[1] Many small bone fragments have also been identified, although they cannot be attributed with certainty to C. kitchingi. Cryobatrachus has been classified in the family Lydekkerinidae, as it is similar in appearance to the genus Lydekkerina from South Africa.[a] Because only a small number of features distinguish it from other lydekkerinids, Cryobatrachus kitchingi has more recently been considered a nomen dubium, meaning that its distinction from other better-known species may be unwarranted.[2]
- ^ Colbert, E.H.; Cosgriff, J.W. (1974). "Labyrinthodont amphibians from Antarctica". American Museum Novitates (2552): 1–30. hdl:2246/2750.
- ^ Schoch, R. R.; Milner, A. R. (2000). "Stereospondyli". In P. Wellnhofer (ed.). Handbuch der Paläoherpetologie. Vol. 3B. Munich: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil. p. 203.