Madtsoiidae Hoffstetter, 1961

Rage, Jean-Claude, Folie, Annelise, Rana, Rajendra S., Singh, Hukam, Rose, Kenneth D. & Smith, Thierry, 2008, A diverse snake fauna from the early Eocene of Vastan Lignite Mine, Gujarat, India, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 53 (3), pp. 391-403 : 391-392

Family? Madtsoiidae Hoffstetter, 1961

Remarks.—The Madtsoiidae are primarily Gondwanan and they entered southernmost Europe during the latest Cretaceous. From Gondwana, they are known from the Late Cretaceous–Eocene of South America and Africa, the latest Cretaceous of Madagascar, and the Eocene–Pleistocene of Australia ( Rage 1998); in India, they were formerly reported from the latest Cretaceous ( Rage et al. 2004) and perhaps the early Eocene ( Rage et al. 2003).

? Madtsoiidae indet.

Fig. 2A .

Material.—One incomplete trunk vertebra (VAS 1049) from the continental beds of the early Eocene Cambay Formation, Vastan Lignite Mine, Gujarat, India.

Description and comparisons.—This vertebra is short and wide and its zygosphene is comparatively narrow and thick. Such morphology occurs in booids and madtsoiids. The lack of any trace of prezygapophyseal processes and the marked lateral protrusion of the diapophyses suggest referral to the Madtsoiidae . Unfortunately, the posterior part of the neural arch, which bears an apomorphic character of the group, is broken away. Therefore, referral to madtsoiids cannot be definitely confirmed. However, if this specimen really belongs to madtsoiids, comparisons within this family are of interest. VAS 1049 is very short, which clearly distinguishes it from the small madtsoiids except for Rionegrophis (latest Cretaceous of South America), which is referred to this family with reservation ( Albino 1987). The pronounced shortening is reminiscent of all large madtsoiids and Rionegrophis . The large madtsoiids are Wonambi (Plio−Pleistocene of Australia; Scanlon 2005), Yurlunggur (Oligocene and Miocene of Australia; Scanlon 2006), and the species of the Madtsoia –Gigantophis assemblage (Late Cretaceous of Africa, Madagascar and southeasternmost Europe; Paleocene and Eocene of South America, Eocene of Africa; Rage 1998). However, aside from its size, VAS 1049 differs from these large forms in having a markedly broader section of neural canal and more laterally projecting prezygapophyses. Finally, in addition to vertebral shortness, VAS 1049 shares two characters with Rionegrophis , namely the triangular section of the neural canal and the marked dorsal position of the subcentral ridges with regard to the haemal keel. These three features may suggest affinities between these two snakes. Unfortunately, they are represented each by a single, poorly preserved vertebra, which prevents reliable inference. VAS 1049 differs from the madtsoiids formerly reported from India in being markedly shortened.

Figures

Fig. 2. Snakes from the early Eocene of Vastan (Cambay Formation, Gujarat, western India). A.?Madtsoiidae indet., VAS 1049, trunk vertebra, anterior (A1) and right lateral (A2) views. B. Palaeophiidae, Palaeophis sp., VAS 1037, trunk vertebra, anterior (B1) and left lateral (B2) views. C. Palaeophiidae, Pterosphenus sp., VAS 1009, trunk vertebra, posterior (C1) and left lateral (C2) views. D. Boidae indet., VAS 1010, trunk vertebra, anterior (D1) and right lateral (D2) views. E.?Russellophiidae indet., VAS 1050, trunk vertebra, anterior (E1) and right lateral (E2) views. F. Caenophidian snake, gen. et sp. indet. A, VAS 1021, trunk vertebra, anterior (F1) and ventral (F2) views. G. Caenophidian snake, gen. et sp. indet. B, VAS 1051, trunk vertebra, anterior (G1) and ventral (G2) views.