O. G. Dely szerk.: Vertebrata Hungarica 21. (Budapest, 1982)
Čkhikvadze, V.M.: On findings of fossil Cryptobranchidae in the USSR and Mongolia 63-68. o.
Genus: Zaissanuru s Cernov, 1959 Type species of the genus - Zaissanurus beliajeva e Cernov, 1959. From the Lower Oligocene, East Kazakhstan, Zaisan hollow. Diagnosis. Body length 1.25 m or more. Dorsal appendix of maxillare large, the hinder one - relatively short and narrow. Nostril large. Vomeral teeth have relatively short row (resemblance with Andrias davidianus ). Body of atlas sharply bent in and from below has a deep fovea divided by longitudinal cross-beams (indication for onthogenetic underdevelopment). Comparison. Differs from Cr.yptobranchu s by larger mass and longer body. Nostril is larger. From the genus Andria s as well as from Cryptobranchu s differs by more marked onthogenetic underdevelopment of vertebrae and narrower and shorter posterior processes of maxillare . (Plate I: Fig. 1-3; Plate II: Fig. 4-6; Plate III: Fig. 7-8) Holotype - anterior half of the left lower Jaw; collection of PIN N416-1; Lower Oligocene; location Konur-Kura, Residues of Belyaeva (Zaisan hollow, east Kazakhstan). E.I, BELYAEVA's collection of 1946. Description, A large salamander, body length with tail included about 1,25 m. Upper jaw bone (maxillare) elongated with wide anterior and narrow posterior parts; on the internal surface a continous row of pleurodontal teeth (about 60 teeth). The teeth, except for very few, are not preserved. In the posterior part, on the ventro-internal surface there is a hole for canal, probably ramus maxillaris of trigeminal nerve. In the anterior part on the external surface there are several minor holes. External surface of the posterior part of the upper jaw bone consists of parallelly knitted plates of various lengths; the majority of these plates are sharply interrupted just behind the tooth row. Extreme anterior region of the upper jaw provides the postero-lateral edge of the nostril. On its anterior edge, the vomer has the crest with dental arc; number of vomeral teeth up to 25. Arcs of vomeral teeth medially contiguous and almost parallel with dental row of upper jaw. Length of the last five vomerals decreases sharply towards the edge. Parasphenoid has the shape of an elongated trapezium with slightly bent lateral edges. The suture with the pterigoideum is relatively well marked. In the anterior part the parasphenoide has a well marked suture with the vomerals; the latter are leaning on the parasphenoide. Ventral surface of the parasphenoide smooth with very slightly marked longitudinal eminence. Dorsal surface of the parasphenoid has a sharply separated rostral surface which is uniformly bent in along the long axis. Lower jaw with the shape of a gentle arc, the steepness of which increases in the anterior part. Height of the jaw body at symphysis about half of the height in its posterior parts. External surface of the bone smooth and only anterior parts have lengthwise streamy surface. The holotype represents anterior half of the jaw of the largest possible specimen. Length of the fragment through the straight line - 8 cm, the maximal height at symphysis regie» - 17 mm, the width in posterior part - 7 mm, in anterior part - 9 mm. Groove for cartilago Meckelii narrow and wedge-shaped. Close to the symphysis there is a deep but narrow longitudinal gap, which at the symphysis regie» submerges into the bone body (this feature is especially well marked in the holotype, while in the other specimens it is developed more poorly). Symphysis region thickened. Lower edge of the jaw rounded but in the anterior part blantly pointed. The labial side has a lengthwise streamy surface. In the anterior part there are mental holes. Teeth pleurodontal, long. Cavity of the lower jaw has internal longitudinal canal-like cavities, which have anastomoses with mental holes. Atlas opisthocoelous; the central of vertebra with powerful parapophyses which bear anteriorly beveled joint surfaces. In the anterior part, a large process for articulation with the skull. The joint surfaces of this process and the parapophyses contiguous without sharp interruption. Axis of atlas centrum sharply curved - its postero-ventral region significantly displaced downwards. On the lower surface two deep cotyles divided by narrow crosspiece. The other vertebrae amphycoelous, the vertebrae centra elongated. Their ventro-lateral surfaces covered with trabeculae which consist of disorderly oriented osseous cross-beams creating deep pockets. These pockets are sometimes anasthomosing. There are two types of body vertebrae. Posterior ones with well marked ventral keel, while transversal processes diverge from the upper part of the vertebrae centrum. Anterior body vertebrae have two lengthwise keels on ventral surface between which there are osseous cross-beams, while the transversal processes diverge from the middle of the vertebra centrum. The analogous upward displacement of vertebral
