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New finds of anguines (Squamata, Anguidae) from the Early Miocene of Northwest Bohemia (Czech Republic)

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Abstract

New material on anguines is described from two Lower Miocene localities in Northwest Bohemia in the Czech Republic: Merkur (MN 3) and Dolnice (MN 4). Although the material is disarticulated, it was possible to assign several elements to one species based on similar ornamentation of the skull roof bones and similar morphology of the teeth. Two new species, Ophisaurus holeci nov. sp. and Pseudopus rugosus nov. sp. are described. Pseudopus rugosus becomes the second species of the genus Pseudopus described from the Merkur locality. In addition to the new Ophisaurus species above, the species O. spinari is described on the basis of the parietal and Ophisaurus sp. 1 and Ophisaurus sp. 2 on the basis of the frontal bones. A further five anguines, designated Anguine morphotypes 1 to 6, are described on the basis of the marginal teeth bearing elements (premaxilla, maxilla and dentary) and on the pterygoid, the angular bone and elements forming the posterior portion of the lower jaw. The described specimens present a relevant contribution to our knowledge of the diversity of anguines in the Early Neogene of Europe.

Kurzfassung

Neues Material von Anguinen aus zwei untermiozänen Lokalitäten, Merkur (MN 3) und Dolnice (MN 4), im nordwestlichen Böhmen in der Tschechischen Republik wird beschrieben. Obwohl das Material disartikuliert ist, war es möglich, einige Elemente aufgrund ähnlicher Ornamentation der Schädeldachknochen und ähnlicher Morphologie der Zähne zu einer Art zuzuordnen. Zwei neue Arten, Ophisaurus holeci nov. sp. und Pseudopus rugosus nov. sp., werden beschrieben. Pseudopus rugosus ist die zweite Art der Gattung Pseudopus, die aus der Lokalität Merkur beschrieben wird. Abgesehen von der neue Art von Ophisaurus wird die Art O. spinari anhand von Parietalknochen beschrieben und Ophisaurus sp. 1 und Ophisaurus sp. 2 anhand der Frontalknochen. Fünf weitere Anguinen, bezeichnet als Anguine Morphotyp 1 bis 6, werden anhand von zahntragenden Elementen (Premaxillare, Maxillare und Dentale) sowie dem Pterygoid, dem Angulare und den Elementen des posterioren Unterkiefers beschrieben. Die beschriebene Anguinen präsentieren einen relevanten Beitrag zu unserer Kenntnis der Diversität von Anguinen in dem unteren Neogen von Europa.

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Acknowledgments

I am very indebted to Prof. Dr. O. Fejfar (Charles University in Prague), Dr. B. Ekrt (National Museum, Prague) and Mr. Z. Dvořák (Northbohemian Mine corp., Bílina) for the opportunity to study the material described in this paper. I thank Prof. Z. Roček for access to the Miocene anguine material deposited in his institution. The photographs (Figs. 1d, e, 11) were made by Mc. K. Dobiašová (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Bratislava). The photographs (Figs. 1a–c, 2, 3, 4, 6c, e, 8a, c, 10a, b) were made by Mr. P. Hurst (Natural History Museum, London). The SEM photographs (Figs. 5c–h, 6a, b, d, f, 9b–g, 10c) were made by Mr. P. Taylor (Natural History Museum, London) and Mc. K. Dobiašová (Figs. 5a, b, 8b, d, e, 9a). I also thank Prof. L. Kordos (Geological Museum of Hungary, Budapest) for all data regarding the deposition of Anguis polgardiensis from Hungary. I thank Dr. R. J. Marshall (Sydney, Australia) for grammar and stylistic corrections of the text. I thank two reviewers, Prof. J. Müller (Museum für Naturkunde) and Dr. J. Conrad (Stony Brook University, New York), for the improvements of the grammar and style and useful comments to various aspects of the manuscript. This project was supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of The Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Grant No. 1/0131/12.

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  1. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Ecology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina B-1, 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Jozef Klembara

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Klembara, J. New finds of anguines (Squamata, Anguidae) from the Early Miocene of Northwest Bohemia (Czech Republic). Paläontol Z 89, 171–195 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-014-0226-4

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