A “preglacial” giant salamander from Europe: new record from the Late Pliocene of Caucasus

Abstract

Disarticulated cranial and postcranial bones of a giant salamander (Cryptobranchidae: Andrias sp.) were found in the Upper Pliocene deposits of the Belorechensk locality in the Northern Caucasus. These remains probably belonged to one individual that died during a stage of rapid growth and had a total length of about 90-100 cm. The giant salamander from Belorechensk is among the geologically youngest and the easternmost known in Europe.