Gen. indet

Zouhri, Samir, Gingerich, Philip D., Khalloufi, Bouziane, Bourdon, Estelle, Adnet, Sylvain, Jouve, Stéphane, Elboudali, Najia, Amane, Ayoub, Rage, Jean-Claude & Tabuce, Rodolphe, 2021, Middle Eocene vertebrate fauna from the Aridal Formation, Sabkha of Gueran, southwestern Morocco, Geodiversitas 43 (5), pp. 121-150 : 134

Gen. et sp. indet .

EXAMINED MATERIAL. — FSAC Bouj-350 ( Fig. 5M ), pelvis fragment.

DESCRIPTION

FSAC Bouj-350 ( Fig.5M ) is the lateral pubic process of a right pelvis. Its distal extremity is robust and shows an irregularly lentoid epiphysis.

REMARKS

The morphology of this elongate process corresponds to that of the pubic process of the extant Dermochelys Blainvillle, 1816 , in which this struture is longer than the median main body of pubis, while the pubic process is shorter and wider at its base in cheloniids. Compared with Dermochelys , in Bouj-350 the process is slightly shorter than its basal width, the epiphysis is anterolaterally shorter and the lateroexternal border is slightly curved. The presence of a dermochelyid associated with a cheloniid in Gueran is not strange, since the same association occurs in the Priabonian of Ad-Dakhla ( Morocco) and Fayum (Qasr-el-Sagha) ( Egypt) ( Andrews 1906; Zouhri et al. 2017). Scarce remains of these two taxa in the three localities, and absence of preserved pubic processes in Ad-Dakhla and Fayum do not provide further information.

Figures

FIG. 5. — Actinopterygii and Testudines from the Sabkha of Gueran: A-G, Actinopterygii: Cylindracanthus sp., FSAC Bouj-356, rostrum in (A1) lateral and (A2) transversal views; B-E, Percomorpha indet.: B, FSAC Bouj-369,vertebra in (B1) lateral and (B2) transversal views; C, FSAC Bouj-363, vertebra in (C1) lateral and (C2) transversal views; D, FSAC Bouj-370, basioccipital in left lateral view; E, FSAC Bouj-371, fin spine in anterior view; F, Scombridae indet., FSAC Bouj-358, incomplete jawbone in labial view; G, Siluriformes indet., FSAC Bouj-372, right pectoral spine in anterior view; H-P, Testudines: H-L, Cheloniidae indet., FSAC Bouj-109,fragmentary costal in (H1) lateral transection, (H2) ventral, (H3) dorsal and (H4) medial transection views; I, FSAC Bouj-352,fragmentary lateral process of right hyoplastron in (I1) ventral and (I2) dorsal views; J, FSAC Bouj-351, subcomplete right hypoplastron in (J1) ventral and (J2) dorsal views; K, FSAC Bouj- 353, fragment of dermal plate, unlocated on the carapace, in dorsal view; L, FSAC Bouj-354, fragment of dermal plate, unlocated on the shell in (L1, L2) both faces; M, Dermochelyidae indet., FSAC Bouj-350, lateral pubic process of right pubis in (M1) ventral and (M2) dorsal views; N,? Podocnemidoidea indet., FSAC Bouj-196, fragment of right hypoplastron in (N1) dorsal and (N2) ventral views; O, Indeterminata (? Podocnemidoidea indet.), FSAC Bouj-95, fragment of dermal plate of carapace in (O1) dorsal and (O2) ventral views; P, Gueran turtles, pieces of the four fragments of Figure 5I, J, L and M, as preserved in view of conjunction in situ. Scale bars: 20 mm.