Abstract
A new genus and species of fossil salamander, Opistho- triton kayi, from Niobrara County, Wyoming, Lance formation, Upper Cretaceous, is described. On the basis of the structure of the centrum, Opisthotriton is, at present, best regarded as a salamandrid. However, certain features of the available vertebrae exhibit peculiarities encoun- tered in this family as represented at the present time. The genus may eventually be assigned to the Plethodontidae, or to an extinct family. Most important is that the recognition of this genus and species estab- lishes the presence of the suborder Salamandroidea in the New World during the Mesozoic. An additional specimen from the Eagle Coal Mine, Bear Creek, Montana, Lower Paleocene is referred to the same genus. During the past few years several distinctive opisthocoelous sala- mander vertebrae from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic of North America have come to my attention. Comparison with other known fossil and Recent salamanders indicate sufficient dissimilarity to warrant the description of a new genus. The material constitutes one of the earlier records of fossil salamanders in the world, and provides addi- tional information regarding the composition of the urodele fauna of the Cretaceous of North America.
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