Article: An immature specimen of the crocodilian Bernissartia from the Lower Cretaceous of Galve (Province of Teruel, Spain)
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume:
27
Part:
4
Publication Date:
December
1984
Page(s):
809
–
813
Author(s):
A. D. Buscalioni, E. Buffetaut and J. L. Sanz
Abstract
An almost complete skeleton of a small crocodilian has been found in the Barremian-Aptian of Galve (province of Teruel, Spain). Its well preserved skull is described here. Several cranial features are very reminiscent of Bernissartia fagesii Dollo, from the Wealden of Belgium: general outline, proportions of the snout and of the posterior region, anterior outline of the orbits, relative proportions of the orbits and supratemporal fenestrae, absence of a maxillary depression. A few features are different in the Spanish and Belgian specimens, such as the relative proportions of snout, orbits, and cranial table. However, these divergences are explainable by the immaturity of the Galve specimen, which we refer to the genus Bernissartia.