Early eocene snakes from Kutch, Western India, with a review of the palaeophiidae
Title
Early eocene snakes from Kutch, Western India, with a review of the palaeophiidae
Creator
Rage J C; Bajpai S; Thewissen J G M; Tiwari B N
Publisher
Geodiversitas
Date
2003
2003
Description
The early Eocene of Panandhro Mine (northwestern India) has produced a rich snake fauna largely dominated by palaeophiids. Three families are present: Palaeophiidae, ?Madtsoiidae or Boidae, and an indeterminate family of Colubroidea. The Palaeophiidae include two species: Pterosphenus kutchensis n. sp., that shows peculiar features, and Pt. biswasi n. sp. They are the earliest representatives of the genus. Madtsoiidae or Boidae are represented by only two specimens that do not permit distinction between these two families. If these fossils belong to the Boidae, then they might be the earliest representatives of that family in Asia. The colubroid from this site ranks among the earliest Cenozoic representatives of the group. The possibility that it belongs to n the Colubridae cannot be excluded; if this is the case, it would be the earliest known colubrid. Nearly all specimens belong to Pterosphenus Lucas, 1899, that was a highly aquatic genus. It lived in shallow water, probably in marine environment close to the coasts and/or in freshwater.
Subject
Boidae; Colubroidea; eocene; evolution; India; Madtsoiidae; new species; palaeoenvironment; Palaeophiidae; Paleontology; reptilia; serpentes; Ypresian
Identifier
n/a
Format
Journal Article
URL Address
n/a
Search for Full-text
Users with a NEOMED Library login can search for full-text journal articles at the following url: https://libraryguides.neomed.edu/home
Rights
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Pages
695-716
Issue
4
Volume
25
Citation
Rage J C; Bajpai S; Thewissen J G M; Tiwari B N, “Early eocene snakes from Kutch, Western India, with a review of the palaeophiidae,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed May 10, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/7842.