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Fossil lizards and snakes (Diapsida, Squamata) from the Late Miocene hominid locality of Haritalyangar, India
The Late Miocene hominid-bearing locality in Haritalyangar, India, has yielded remains of fossil lizards and snakes. The material consists of the following taxa: Varanus and an indeterminate anguimorph, Python, a colubrid and a natricid. These squamates are documented from this region for the first...
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Published in: | Geobios 2022-12, Vol.75, p.41-51 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | The Late Miocene hominid-bearing locality in Haritalyangar, India, has yielded remains of fossil lizards and snakes. The material consists of the following taxa: Varanus and an indeterminate anguimorph, Python, a colubrid and a natricid. These squamates are documented from this region for the first time. A co-existence of Varanus and Python, two iconic squamates, is demonstrated. The overall fauna, which is dominated by both large and small semi-aquatic and terrestrial taxa, indicates seasonally wet sub-humid to semi-arid climate in the area during the Late Miocene, ∼9.1 Ma. Moreover, the mean annual temperature must have been high in the region at that time (not less than 15–18.6 °C, similar to the mean annual temperature in this area today), indicated by the occurrence of important thermophilic elements such as Varanus and Python. |
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ISSN: | 0016-6995 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.geobios.2022.10.003 |