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Procaimanoidea

Procaimanoidea
Temporal range: Eocene,
46.2–41.2 Ma[1]
Fossil specimen of P. utahensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Archosauria
Order: Crocodilia
Superfamily: Alligatoroidea
Family: Alligatoridae
Subfamily: Alligatorinae
Genus: Procaimanoidea
Gilmore, 1946
Species
  • 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.[2] 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.[3] It was reassigned to Procaimanoidea in 1967 by Wassersug and Hecht.[4]

Description

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Procaimanoidea was a small alligatorid, and slightly heterodont, the last four teeth on each side of the jaws having blunt tips.[2]

Phylogeny

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Recent studies have consistently resolved Procaimanoidea as a member of Alligatorinae, although its relative placement is disputed, as shown by the cladograms below.[5][6][7]

Cladogram from 2018 Bona et al. study:[5]

Alligatorinae

Cladogram from 2019 Massonne et al. study:[6]

Cladogram from 2020 Cossette & Brochu study:[7]

References

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