Journal article
A gavialoid crocodylian from the lower Miocene of Venezuela
Special papers in palaeontology (London), Vol.71(71), pp.61-79
03/2004
Abstract
Siquisiquesuchus venezuelensis gen. et sp. nov. is based on a skull and jaw with associated postcranial fragments from the Lower Miocene Castillo Formation of western Venezuela. It differs from other South American gharials in having a comparatively broader interfenestral bar on the skull deck and a splenial symphysis extending as far forward as the fourteenth dentary alveolus. It shares with Gryposuchus colombianus a long, tall crest on the dorsal surface of the retroarticular process, and shares other similarities (elongate posterolateral processes of the squamosal, a constricted splenial symphysis between the dentaries) with G. colombianus and other South American gavialoids. Few sutural details are visible, but the nasals were evidently rather long and may have contacted the long dorsal processes of the premaxillae. Phylogenetic analysis provides modest support for a clade of derived gavialoids in South America, but this requires more rigorous testing. Siquisiquesuchus is the oldest known gavialoid from South America, and its presence in marginal marine deposits and close phylogenetic relationship with Old World gavialoids support the hypothesis that gavialoids dispersed across a marine barrier to the Neotropics during the Tertiary.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A gavialoid crocodylian from the lower Miocene of Venezuela
- Creators
- Christopher A Brochu - University of IowaAscanio D RinconMarcelo R Sanchez-Villagra - Universitaet Tuebingen, Zoologisches Institut Tubingen DEU Federal Republic of GermanyJennifer A Clack
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Special papers in palaeontology (London), Vol.71(71), pp.61-79
- Publisher
- Palaeontological Association
- ISSN
- 0038-6804
- Alternative title
- Fossils of the Miocene Castillo Formation, Venezuela; contributions on neotropical palaeontology
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2004
- Academic Unit
- University College Courses; Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Record Identifier
- 9984229180602771
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