A potential record of a procolophonid parareptile from the Triassic of the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Cranial and postcranial remains from the Middle Triassic of the Northeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula are reported and tentatively assigned to Procolophonidae. The finding is the first occurrence of a procolophonid parareptile in the Iberian Peninsula, representing the southernmost record of the group in Europe. The fossilbearing locality is dated as Anisian (Middle Triassic) and includes three tooth-bearing bones, two cranial bone fragments and one interclavicle. The mandible described herein includes nine teeth. No cusps or complete crowns are preserved, but sections of the teeth are available. The three anterior teeth progressively decrease in size from front to back, whereas the teeth from the fourth to the eighth position present the opposite trend. The last tooth (the ninth) is clearly reduced in comparison to the previous ones. A close relationship with Anomoiodon-Kapes is suggested, however, more material is required in order to assess the exact taxonomical determination of the Iberian remains. This finding is expected to shed some light on the geographical distribution of procolophonines.