First report of the giant snake Gigantophis (Madtsoiidae) from the Paleocene of Pakistan: Paleobiogeographic implications |
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Authors: | Jean-Claude Rage,Gré goire Mé tais,Annachiara Bartolini,Imdad A. Brohi,Rafiq A. Lashari,Laurent Marivaux,Didier Merle,Sarfraz H. Solangi |
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Affiliation: | 1. Sorbonne universités - CR2P - MNHN, CNRS, UPMC-Paris6, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, 57, rue Cuvier, CP 38, 75005 Paris, France;2. Centre for Pure and Applied Geology, Allama I.I, Kazi Campus, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan;3. UMR-CNRS 5554, Cc 064, Institut des Sciences de l’Évolution de Montpellier, Université Montpellier 2, place Eugène-Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France |
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Abstract: | We report here the discovery of madtsoiid snake remains from the early Paleocene Khadro Formation (Ranikot Group, Sindh, Southern Pakistan). These specimens consist of vertebrae and are referred to Gigantophis. This is the first report of Gigantophis from outside of Africa. The problem of the generic distinction between Gigantophis and Madtsoia is stressed. The specimens from Pakistan slightly differ from the single species (G. garstini) referred to the genus Gigantophis, but the available material does not allow further considerations and the fossil is referred to as Gigantophis sp. However, Gigantophis sp. from the Khadro Formation is more closely related to G. garstini, that is known only from the middle and late Eocene of northern Africa, than to any other species, thus suggesting dispersal between these two areas during the Paleocene or earlier. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of intermittent dispersals between the Indo-Pakistan Plate and Africa suggested by other fossil evidences. |
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Keywords: | Snakes Madtsoiidae Indo-Pakistan Plate Africa Cretaceous Paleocene |
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