Paraplacosauriops
Extinct genus of lizards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paraplacosauriops (near Placosauriops) is an extinct genus of anguid lizards from the middle Eocene of France.
| Paraplacosauriops Temporal range: middle Eocene | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Anguimorpha |
| Family: | Anguidae |
| Subfamily: | †Glyptosaurinae |
| Genus: | †Paraplacosauriops Auge and Sullivan, 2006 |
| Type species | |
| †Paraplacosauriops quercyi Filhol, 1882 | |
Taxonomy
Paraplacosauriops was originally named Plestiodon quercyi by Filhol (1882) on the basis of dentary remains from fissure fill deposits in Quercy, France.[1] Hoffstetter (1944) referred P. quercyi to the glyptosaurine genus Placosaurus, which is likewise endemic to Europe.[2] However, Auge and Sullivan (2006) recognized quercyi as belonging to the tribe Melanosaurini and not a Placosaurus-like glyptosaurin, so they erected Paraplacosauriops for P. quercyi.[3]
Description
Distinguishing features of Paraplacosauriops include a distinguishing heterodont dentition, especially the anterior teeth being extremely slender, pointed and not peg-like.[3]