Colubrinae " indet.

Vasilyan, Davit, Cernansky, Andrej, Szyndlar, Zbigniew & Moers, Thomas, 2022, Amphibian and reptilian fauna from the early Miocene of Echzell, Germany, Fossil Record 25 (1), pp. 99-145 : 99

" Colubrinae " indet.

Fig. 18F-J

Material.

Seventy trunk vertebrae HLMD-Ez 2159 and HLMD-Ez 2159a.

Description.

Vertebrae: All vertebrae classified here as " Colubrinae " are preserved in more or less fragmentary state; most are badly preserved. The largest vertebra, coming from the middle trunk portion of the column HLMD-Ez 2159 (Fig. 18F-J ), belonged to a relatively small-sized snake (centrum length measures 4.5 mm, centrum width - 3.6, centrum length / centrum width ratio equals 1.25). It lacks both prezygapophyseal processes and right postzygapophysis. The centrum of most vertebrae is subtriangular in ventral view and slightly longer than wide in the largest vertebrae. In a number of smaller vertebrae, interpreted as posterior trunk vertebrae, the centrum is more elongated. The subcentral ridges are well developed. The haemal keel is distinct and slightly widening before reaching the condyle base. The neural arch is moderately vaulted, not accompanied by any epizygapophyseal spine. The neural spine (partly preserved in few vertebrae only) is twice longer than high approximately. The zygosphenal roof (preserved in few vertebrae) is roughly straight or consisting of three indistinct lobes. The prezygapophyseal articular facets are oval (Fig. 18G ), the postzygapophyseal facets are usually subsquare in shape (Fig. 18H ). The prezygapophyseal processes are damaged in all vertebrae. Remnants of the processes preserved in one (?posterior) vertebra indicate that the apophyses may have been slender and relatively long (as long or almost as long as the prezygophyseal articular facets). The paradiapophyses (usually eroded) are moderately developed, with the dia- and parapophyseal portions of roughly equal length (Fig. 18I ). The cotyle and condyle are slightly depressed dorso-ventrally. The lateral, subcentral and paracotylar foramina are small but distinct.

Remarks.

Owing to the bad preservation state of the aforementioned remains, we refrain from identifying the fossil snake to the genus level. The remains resemble roughly those of a number of small “colubrines” (i.e., " Colubridae " devoid of hypapophyses throughout the column) reported from several early Miocene sites ( Szyndlar 2012). We cannot exclude the possibility that the fossils belonged to more than one taxon, but it cannot be proved.

Figures

Figure 18. Snakes from the Echzell. A-E. Bavarioboa cf. hermi (HLMD-Ez 2148), middle trunk vertebra; F-J. " Colubrinae " indet. (HLMD-Ez 2159), middle trunk vertebra; K, L. Naja cf. romani (HLMD-Ez 2151), middle trunk vertebra. All vertebrae in (A, F, K) lateral, (B, G, L) dorsal, (C, H, M) ventral, (D, I, N) anterior and (E, J, O) posterior views.