A new early Late Oligocene (MP 26) continental vertebrate fauna from Saint-Privat-des-Vieux (Alès Basin, Gard, Southern France)
Author
Vianey-Liaud, Monique
Author
Comte, Bernard
Author
Marandat, Bernard
Author
Peigné, Stéphane
Author
Rage, Jean-Claude
Author
Sudre, Jean
text
Geodiversitas
2014
2014-12-26
36
4
565
622
http://dx.doi.org/10.5252/g2014n4a4
journal article
6390
10.5252/g2014n4a4
8bc26961-9853-4113-a63d-4cf691aa7100
1638-9395
4538625
Krokolithes
sp.
MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Seven small fragments (from
1 to 3 mm
2); thickness
=
0.33, 0.35, 0.38, 0.39, 0.40, 0.42,
0.45 mm
;
SPV
750.
DESCRIPTION (
Fig. 3A
)
Two fragments of eggshells from this locality are figured in
Bonnet
et al.
(2011
: pl. II, figs B, C).
Ŋe size of fragments does not allow to infer the shape of the egg.Like in
Krokolithes wilsoni
Hirsch, 1985
the outer surface is rough, and shows erosion craters and circular pore openings(diameter = 0.09 and
0.13 mm
) with stepped erosion rings;therefore there are low blunt anastomosed and irregular ridges.Basal knobs are well distinct on two fragments and worn on the others. Ŋus, the radiating wedges are visible. Ŋe units are relatively wide (as wide as high, or wider than high) and display the typical wedge pattern of crocodylian eggshells.Ŋere are deep insterstices between the units. Ŋe fragments are thinner than in the Eocene
K. wilsoni
Hirsch, 1985
and much more than the Miocene crocodylian indet. (
Hirsch & Kohring 1992
).
DISCUSSION
Ŋe small size of our fragments does not allow to make a precise identification. Ŋe general ultrastructure – coarse wedges and tabular crystalline structure –, the figures of erosion, the arrangement of units and their width allow an assignment to
Krokolithes
. Ŋis ootaxon was formerly recovered from the Eocene of North America (
Hirsch 1985
) and from the Eocene and Miocene of
Germany
.
Kohring & Hirsch (1996)
suggested that at least part of the material assigned to
Krokolithes
may represent eggs of
Diplocynodon
.