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 [315,444,1516,1541] Reptilia Varanidae Varanus Animalia Squamata 12 425 Chordata species undetermined  MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 1 axis (Béon 2004 LT 53), 2 trunk (Béon 2004 LT 54, 55) and 1 sacral (Béon 2004 LT 56) vertebrae.  COMMENTS The referral of these vertebrae to the Varanidaeis based on the following features: axis elongate and provided with a robust hypapophysis; extremity of the hypapophysis somewhat expanded and bearing two articular surfaces; trunk vertebrae with a well demarcated pars tectiformison the anterior part of the neural arch; ventral surface of centrum widened anteriorly and convex ventrally in cross section; condyle strongly depressed, its articular surface facing mainly dorsally (Hoffstetter 1969; Hoffstetter & Gasc 1969; Estes 1983). In Western Europe, two varanid genera have been reported from the Miocene:  IberovaranusHoffstetter, 1969, from the late early, and perh a p s e a r l y m i d d l e M i o c e n e o f t h e I b e r i a n Peninsula (Hoffstetter 1969; Antunes & Rage 1 9 7 4; R a g e & A u g é 1 9 93) a n d t h e e x t a n t  Varanusknown from the early Miocene (MN 4, see below) to the early/late Pliocene (Hoffstetter 1969; Estes 1983; Bailon 1991, 1992; Rage & Augé 1993).  Iberovaranusdiffers from  Varanusin having more elongate neural arches, narrower condyles, and less pronounced precondylar constriction (Hoffstetter 1969). The vertebrae from Béon 1 show the typical morphology of  Varanus; more specifically, the precondylar constriction is very characteristic. Remains of  Varanusfound in the Miocene of Western Europe have been either allocated to  Varanus hofmanni Roger, 1898(MN 6, middle Miocene of Germany; Roger 1898; Hoffstetter 1969) or doubtfully referred to this species (early to late Miocene of Spain and France; Hoffstetter 1969; Alférez Delgado & Brea López 1981). But these varanids have not been really studied. Specimens from Béon 1 are approximately similar to those from Artenay (early part of MN 4, France) that represent the oldest  Varanusin Europe (see below). However, trunk vertebrae from Artenay are slightly larger than those from Béon 1 and anterior trunk vertebrae have slightly less concave subcentral ridges in ventral aspect. The paucity of the material does not permit us to draw definite conclusions. Pending a revision of  Varanus hofmanni, the specimens from Béon 1 are referred to as  Varanussp.  FIG. 5. —  Varanussp., trunk vertebra (Béon 2004 LT 54), in anterior ( a), dorsal ( d), left lateral ( l), posterior ( p), and ventral ( v) views. Scale bar: 5 mm. REMARKS ON THE OLDEST RECORDS OF  VARANUS  Varanussp.from Béon 1 is one of the oldest representatives of the genus in Europe. Artenay (MN 4, France), that is slightly older than Béon 1, produced the earliest European  Varanus. Hoffstetter (1969) reported that the latter appears to be morphologically close to the vertebrae from Vieux-Collonges (MN 4/5, France) and La Grive (MN 7+8, France) referred to as  Varanuscf.  V. hofmanni.  Varanuswas also reported (as V.?  hofmanni) from Córcoles, Spain, a locality that is approximately contemporaneous with Béon 1 ( Alférez Delgado & Brea López 1981); but it should be noted that the identification of the Spanish fossil rests on a single caudal vertebra. Since no other  Varanushas been reported from the Orleanian of the Iberian Peninsula, while  Iberovaranusis known from this stage and in this area, it may be entertained whether the specimen from Córcoles really belongs to  Varanus. In Africa also,  Varanusis present in the early Miocene. According to Hoffstetter (1969) and Estes (1983), the genus is present in the early Miocene (without precision) of Kenya, but Clos (1995)and Rage (2003a)reported  Varanusfrom levels that may be equated with the European Agenian or Orleanian (approximately the Aquitanian and Burdigalian in terms of international reference stages). The oldest African locality that yielded  Varanusis Songhor ( Kenya). According to Clos (1995), the specimens from this locality are reminiscent of  V. rusingensis Clos, 1995, from Rusinga ( Kenya), a slightly younger locality. Songhor is located at about 19.5- 19.9 Ma; therefore, according to Pickford & Senut (1999)it would correlate to the upper part of the European zone MN 2, i.e. to the late Agenian (= late Aquitanian). In Australia, a varanid (probably  Varanus) was present as early as the latest Oligocene in the Hiatus A locality (Scanlon pers. comm.). That Australian fossil, if really  Varanus, is the earliest known representative of the genus. Since it seems doubtful that  Varanusoriginated in Australia, this suggests that older  Varanusare probably present in Asia. But, in Asia, all pre-Miocene reports of  Varanusare questionable. The genus was doubtfully reported from the middle Eocene (now regarded early Eocene; Averianov & Godinot 1998) of Kyrgyzstanby Reshetov et al. (1978). But, this genus only appears in a faunal list, without any description. Zerova & Ckhikvadze (1986)rightly questioned this report; they identified the fossil as a “vertebra of a large lizard, probably related to Varanidae”. Alifanov (1993)reported  Varanussp.from the middle Eocene and early Oligocene of Mongolia. Figures of the dorsal and ventral faces of a vertebra from the middle Eocene are given but the specimens from the early Oligocene are not described. The figures do not demonstrate that the fossil from the Eocene belongs to  Varanus. Therefore, the oldest confirmed remains of  Varanusfrom Asia are vertebrae of  V. pronini Zerova & Ckhikvadze, 1986, from the middle Miocene (without more precision) of Kazakhstan( Zerova & Ckhikvadze 1986).