Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the late Miocene of Fălciu (Eastern Romania)

Palaeontologia Electronica

article

Vlad A. Codrea¹  Marian Bordeianu¹  Márton Venczel² 

[1] University Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca;University Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca and Țării Crișurilor Museum

关键词: aridification;    herpetofauna;    Moldova region;    Paratethys;    Turolian;   

DOI  :  10.26879/1156

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Palaeontologia Electronica

【 摘 要 】

A moderately diverse fossil amphibian and squamate reptile assemblage, consisting of various fragmentary cranial bones, vertebrae and appendicular elements, is reported from the late Miocene (Turolian, MN 11-12) of Fălciu-Prut 1 locality. The fossil assemblage represents a lacustrine taphonomic context, where the skeletal remains reached the burial place after a short transport from a terrestrial environment. The amphibians are represented by salamanders (Chelotriton sp., and Triturus sp.) and anurans (Latonia sp., Pelobates sp., Bufotes cf. viridis and Pelophylax sp.), whereas the squamates by lizards (Lacertidae sp. indet. 1 and 2; Anguinae sp. indet. 1 and 2) and snakes (Scolecophidia indet., Natrix sp., Colubridae indet. and Naja cf. romani). The fauna inhabited probably shrubberies and open woodlands amid mild temperate climate conditions; permanent water sources were present in the area. Zoogeographical links were possible along the northern margin of Paratethys for both the European and Asian faunal representatives. Compared to older and coeval faunas from that region the fauna suggests an environmental shift into a more open environment, resulted from climate aridification. The faunal turnover is highlighted by lack of amphibian groups permanently linked to large, well-oxygenated rivers (cryptobranchid salamanders and proteids) or marshlands (palaeobatrachid frogs) that were still present in older faunas.

【 授权许可】

CC BY|CC BY-NC-SA