CROCODYLIA Gmelin, 1789

Vianey-Liaud, Monique, Comte, Bernard, Marandat, Bernard, Peigné, Stéphane, Rage, Jean-Claude & Sudre, Jean, 2014, A new early Late Oligocene (MP 26) continental vertebrate fauna from Saint-Privat-des-Vieux (Alès Basin, Gard, Southern France), Geodiversitas 36 (4), pp. 565-622 : 570

Order CROCODYLIA Gmelin, 1789

Crocodylian indet.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — About 200 complete and incomplete, isolated teeth ( SPV 744 [conical teeth], SPV 745 [globular teeth]) and five fragments of skull bones ( SPV 746).

DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION

Almost all teeth are conical, comparatively elongate and slightly curved lingually. However, rare teeth are short and globular; they come from the posterior portion of the tooth row. Ŋe longest tooth reaches 12 mm. Longitudinal striae appear to be present on some teeth. Some specimens bear mesial and distal, non-serrated carinae. Such teeth were often referred to as Diplocynodon Pomel, 1847 , an alligatoroid endemic to Europe. Five fragments of skull bones bearing relatively large pits likely belong to the same taxon.

Diplocynodon is known from the early Eocene to the middle Miocene ( Delfino & Smith 2012; Martin & Gross 2011); it is the most common crocodylian from the Cenozoic of Europe. However, although the specimens from Saint-Privat-des-Vieux are consistent with Diplocynodon , the available material does not permit secure referral at genus level.