Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the late early Miocene (MN 4) of Béon 1 (Montréal-du-Gers, southwestern France) Rage, Jean-Claude Bailon, Salvador Geodiversitas 2005 27 3 413 441 82N2 Rafinesque 1815 [115,208,1292,1317] Amphibia Salamandridae Triturus Animalia Caudata 3 416 Chordata genus  MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 21 trunk vertebrae (Béon 2004 LT 2-4).  COMMENTS This species is represented by tiny vertebrae (average length of centrum: 1.47 ± 0.13 mm). The neural spine is long, high, thin, and sometimes slightly forked posteriorly. The median notch in the posterior border of the neural arch is moderately deep and wide. The neural arch is vaulted; the ratio neural arch height/vertebra height is 0.43 ± 0.03. The size of the ventral crests shows variation. The subcentral foramina are generally large. The height of the neural spine and the clearly vaulted neural arch show that these vertebrae belong to the subgenus usually named “  Palaeotriton” ( sensu Bolkay 1928). The overall v e r t e b r a l m o r p h o l o g y i s s i m i l a r t o t h a t o f  Triturusaff.  T. helveticusreported from the middle Miocene (MN 6) of Sansan by Rage & Hossini (2000). This  Triturusfrom Béon 1 appears to be the earliest representative of the  T. helveticusgroup.