Procaimanoidea

Taxobox
name = "Procaimanoidea"


image_caption =
fossil_range = Eocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Crocodilia
familia = Alligatoridae
subfamilia = Alligatorinae
genus = "Procaimanoidea"
genus_authority=Gilmore, 1946
subdivision_ranks=Species
subdivision=
*"P. utahensis" Gilmore, 1946 (type)
*"P. kayi" (Mook, 1941 [originally "Hassiacosuchus kayi"] )

"Procaimanoidea" ("Before Caiman-forms") is an extinct genus of alligatorid from the Eocene of North America. It was named posthumously in 1946 by Charles W. Gilmore; the type species is "P. utahensis", from the Uintan (middle Eocene) of Utah. It is based on USNM 15996, a nearly complete skull and partial left hind leg.cite journal |last=Gilmore |first=Charles W. |authorlink=Charles W. Gilmore |title=A new crocodilian from the Eocene of Utah |journal=Journal of Paleontology |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=62–67] A second species, "P. kayi", was named in 1941 by C.C. Mook as a species of "Hassiacosuchus", for remains from the Bridgerian (early Eocene) of Wyoming.cite journal |last=Mook |first=C.C. |year=1941 |title=A new crocodilian, "Hassiacosuchus kayi", from the Bridger Eocene beds of Wyoming |journal=Annals of the Carnegie Museum |volume=28 |pages=207–220] It was reassigned to "Procaimanoidea" in 1967 by Wassersug and Hecht.cite journal |last=Wassersug |first=R.J. |coauthors=and Hecht, M.K. |year=1967 |title=The status of the crocodylid genera "Procaimanoidea" and "Hassiacosuchus" in the New World |journal=Herpetologica |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=30–34] "Procaimanoidea" was a small alligatorid, and slightly heterodont, the last four teeth on each side of the jaws having blunt tips.

References

External links

* [http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=38432 "Procaimanoidea"] in the Paleobiology Database