Middle Eocene vertebrate fauna from the Aridal Formation, Sabkha of Gueran, southwestern Morocco
Author
Zouhri, Samir
Author
Gingerich, Philip D.
Author
Khalloufi, Bouziane
Author
Bourdon, Estelle
Author
Adnet, Sylvain
Author
Jouve, Stéphane
Author
Elboudali, Najia
Author
Amane, Ayoub
Author
Rage, Jean-Claude
Author
Tabuce, Rodolphe
text
Geodiversitas
2021
2021-03-11
43
5
121
150
journal article
7746
10.5252/geodiversitas2021v43a5
e42658a2-0e15-4e90-9bc5-0d00cbcbd781
1638-9395
4605963
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:697FC553-E37B-4EF9-97A4-950E4DEE246C
Clade
EUSUCHIA Huxley, 1875
sensu
Brochu (2003)
Eusuchia indet.
EXAMINED MATERIAL. —
FSAC
Bouj-410, could be the (?) ninth cervical vertebra;
FSAC
Bouj-1b, anterior? cervical vertebra; 400, posterior dorsal vertebra; 1a, first caudal vertebra; 124, caudal vertebra; 96, two fragments of large dorsal osteoderms; 94, fragment of osteoderm.
DESCRIPTION
Numerous postcranial remains have been found in Gueran.These include five procoelous vertebrae and several fragments of osteoderms.FSAC Bouj-410 is a posterior cervical vertebra (
Fig.7A
). It bears a long hypapophysis, and the location of the diapophysis and parapophysis suggests that it could be the ninth cervical vertebra. Bouj-1b is a more anterior cervical (
Fig. 7B
), but it is not possible to determine its exact location in the vertebral column. FSAC Bouj-400 is an isolated procoelous centrum lacking most of the neural arch (
Fig. 7C
). The transverse process is high on the centrum, which indicates that it is a dorsal vertebra. A first caudal vertebra with a biconvex centrum is preserved (
Fig. 7D
). The osteoderm fragments have their dorsal surfaces densely ornamented with deep pits (
Fig.7
F-H). Bouj-96 is a fragment of large and thick osteoderm with a smooth anterior articular surface.