New crocodiles from the Early Miocene of Kenya
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An almost complete crocodile skull was found by the British-Kenya Miocene Expedition in the Fossil Bed Member of the Hiwegi Formation, at Kaswanga, Rusinga Island, Kenya in 1948. This is the most complete specimen from the Early Miocene deposits of East Africa. This skull, which superficially resembles that of Crocodylus niloticus, actually belongs to a new, relatively small species of Crocodylus. Fragmentary material of a crocodile similar to C. niloticus occurs at almost all of the Early Miocene sites in East Africa. Although disarticulated skull and postcranial remains from the same stratigraphic horizon and a partial skull from the Kulu Formation of Rusinga Island can be referred to this new species with some assurance, the remaining material cannot.A mandibular fragment of a long-snouted form, cf. Euthecodon sp., is known from the Early Miocene Gumba Red Beds of Rusinga Island, and elongate teeth, possibly referrable to this genus, are known from the Early Miocene Karungu Beds. These represent the earliest appearance of the genus Euthecodon and are the only longirostrine crocodiles known from any Early Miocene deposits in Africa.
Palaeontology - Volume 21 Part 4 Pages 857-867Palaeontology - Volume 21 Part 4 Pages 857-867
Citations
TCHERNOV, E., COUVERING, J. A. H. 1978. New crocodiles from the Early Miocene of Kenya. Palaeontology, 21, 4, 857–867.