NEW RECORD OF A SQUAMATE LIZARD (DIAPSIDA, LEPIDASAURIA) FROM THE LATE CRETACEOUS ADAMENTINA FORMATION, SAO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

NAVA, W.; CANDERIO, C.R.A.; MARTINELLI, A.G.; FORASIEPI, A.M.; SCANFERLA, A.C.; MUZZOPAPPA P.

Neuquen

Congreso; III Congreso Latinoamericano de Paleontología de Vertebrados; 2008

Universidad Nacional de Comahue

A new record of a non-ophidian squamate from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil is herein described. The specimen was found about 10km south of Marilia city (Sao Paulo State) in outcrops of the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Turonian-Santonian). The material consists of 10 articulated dorsal vertebrae with a total length of 14mm and seven right incomplete ribs. The vertebrae are slender, procelous, with a broad intervertebral foramen, without evidence of intercentra, and with a single synapophysis. The ribs are unicapitate. This material is assigned to Squamata due to the presence of procelous vertebrae, absence of intercentra in the dorsal vertebrae, and the presence of single-headed ribs. Despite an accurate taxonomic identification of the material was not possible, this represents the first non-ophidian squamate from the Adamantina Group, enlarging the record of squamates in the Bauru Group (Brazil), and indicating the presence of very small-sized non-ophidian squamate taxa, which are scarce in the South American fossil record.