Diplocynodon

Diplocynodon


Nephrozoa

Diplocynodon
Temporal range: Paleocene–Middle Miocene
Diplocynodon darwini
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Superorder: Crocodylomorpha
Order: Crocodylia
Superfamily: Alligatoroidea
Subfamily: 2010
  • D. gervaisi
  • D. hantoniensis (Wood, 1846)
  • D. muelleri (Kälin, 1936)
  • D. ratelii Pomel, 1847 (type)
  • D. tormis
  • D. ungeri (Prangner, 1845)
  • Synonyms
    • Caimanosuchus
    • Enneodon Pranger, 1845
    •  ?Hispanochampsa Kälin, 1936
    • Saurocainus

    Diplocynodon is an extinct genus of alligatoroid that lived during the Paleocene to middle Miocene 49 million years ago in Europe. It looked very similar to the modern caiman in that it was small and had bony armour scutes covering its neck, back, belly, and tail. The longest Diplocynodon recovered was 4 feet in length and probably fed on fish, animal flesh, and took insects when young.

    In the nineteenth century, D. steineri was named from Styria, Austria and D. styriacus was named from Austria and France. A third Austrian species, Enneodon ungeri, was placed in its own genus. The Austrian and French species of Diplocynodon were synonymized with E. ungeri in 2011, and because the name Diplocynodon has priority over Enneodon, the species is now called D. ungeri. [1]

    Well preserved specimens have been found in the Messel Pit in Germany. In the Eocene epoch, the pit was a swampy freshwater lake that was perfect for preserving fossils due to anoxic conditions at its bottom.

    Contents

    Species

    Species
    Species Age Location Unit Notes Images

    D. dalpiazi

    Late Rupelian

     Italy

    Monteviale

    Skeleton from Messel pit, Hesse, Germany, 48 million years old
    Illustration of the rostrum of Diplocynodon hantoniensis, 1889
    Diplocynodon cf. ratelii

    D. darwini

    Lutetian

     Germany

    Messel pit

    All specimens are from Messel pit of Germany. Synonyms are: Caimanosuchus brevirostris, D. ebertsi and D. hallense.

    D. elavericus[2]

    Middle Priabonian

     France

    Domérat

    All specimens came from Allier, Massif Central of France.

    D. gervaisi

    Earliest Rupelian

     France

    Ronzon

    Synonyms are: Saurocainus gervaisi.

    D. hantoniensis

    Early Priabonian

     United Kingdom

    Headon Hill Formation

    All specimens came from Hordwell, southern England. D. cf. hantoniensis is known from the Oligocene of Dordogne, France.

    D. muelleri[3]

    Middle Rupelian

     Spain

    El Talladell

    More than 100 are known, all from Lleida Province, Catalonia. Synonyms are: Hispanochampsa muelleri, D. guerini and D. marini.

    D. ratelii

     France

    Saint-Gérand-le-Puy*

    D. ratelii is the type species of Diplocynodon. Most of the specimens came from Allier, Massif Central of France. Synonyms are: D. gracile.

    D. tormis

    Late Bartonian

     Spain

    Salamanca

    D. ungeri[1]

    Middle Miocene

    Synonyms are: Enneodon ungeri, D. steineri, and D. styriacus (see text).

    *Locality and/or horizon of the type specimen.

    Phylogeny

    Cladogram based on Martin, 2010:[2]

    Alligatoroidea

    Leidyosuchus




    Globidonta


    Diplocynodontidae

    Baryphracta


    Diplocynodon

    D. darwini





    D. hantoniensis



    D. ratelii





    D. elavericus




    D. muelleri



    D. tormis









    References

    • Fossils (Smithsonian Handbooks) by David Ward (Page 243)

    External links