Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

AMPHIBIA (Amphibians) CAUDATA (Salamanders) AMBYSTOMATIDAE (Mole Salamanders)

Martin's Mole Salamander
†Lanebatrachus martini Taylor 1941

Conservation Status:
Extinct

Diagnosis:
The jaw consists of the major portion of the dentary attached to the posterior part of the angulare. There is evidence of 40 teeth along the remaining edge, 9 mm long, making a probable total number of more than 50 teeth for the complete jaw. Posteriorly the element is flattened and bent out at an angle. The greatest (vertical) width is at the point directly behind the last tooth, where there is a slight "coronoid" process.
Behind this point the element narrows rapidly. The posterior tip is missing. At a point near the middle, where the jaw begins to curve inward, there is an inflation or bulge on the outer face. At no point is the jaw much thickened. Where it seems to be thicker, one notes that on the inner face the Meckelian groove is deeper. There is no trace of a splenial.
The angulare shows considerable normal torsion. The anterior higher part is turned strongly inward, and when viewed from above, it displays much more surface than this same element in Ambystoma kansense. There is a distinct vertical groove on the thickened lower outer edge. There is no trace of the articulare.

Distribution:
Only known from the type locality in "Edson Beds" in Sherman County, Kansas.
(, Museum Voucher) (, Observation) (, Literature Record) (, iNat Record), ( Fossil)
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Occurrence Summary:
1
Records
1
Museum Vouchers
0
Other Observations

Some county occurrences indicated below may be too imprecise to map above.
County Breakdown: County Name (# occurrences):
Sherman (1);

Fossil History:
"Edson beds", Ogallala formation, middle Pliocene, Sherman County, Kansas.

Natural History:
Unknown

Remarks:
The genus is named in honor of H. H. Lane, Professor of Zoology and Director of Dyche Natural History Museum, University of Kansas.
The species is dedicated to the late Handel T. Martin, former Assistant Curator of the Kansas University Museum of Vertebrate Paleontology, who discovered the type specimen.

Bibliography:

1928	Ortenburger, Arthur I. The whip snakes and racers: Genera Masticophis and Coluber. Memiors of the University of Michigan Museum (1):1-247
1941	Taylor, Edward H. Extinct toads and salamanders from Middle Pliocene beds of Wallace and Sherman counties, Kansas. State Geological Survey of Kansas, Bulletin 38(6):177-196 Original descriptions of Anaxyrus hibbardi, Anaxyrus arenarius, Scaphiopus antiquus, Scaphiopus pliobatrachus, Ambystoma kansense, Plioambystoma kansense, Lanebatrachus martini, and Ogallalabatrachus horarium

Account Last Updated:
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