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By oilshale
Constrictor
Kingdom: Animalia
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Paleogene
Sub Period: None
Epoch: Eocene
International Age: Lutetian, Geiseltalian (early)
Messel Formation
Acquired by: Purchase/Trade
Diameter: 20 cm
Messel Pit
Darmstadt - Dieburg (District)
Hessen
Germany
Originally described by Schaal 2004 as Eopython fischeri, the snake was transferred to the newly created genus Eoconstrictor by Scanferla and Smith 2020.
Taxonomy from Fossilworks.org
Emended diagnosis from Scanferla & Smith 2020: "Medium-sized boid snakes, over 2 m in total length, differing from all other snakes in having the following combination of derived features: edentulous premaxilla with bifid vomerine processes; maxilla bearing four labial foramina and 15–18 maxillary teeth; palatine with five teeth and a long maxillary process; 11 pterygoid teeth; dentary with 18–19 teeth; sharp sagittal keel along the basioccipital; the vertebral column with up to 369 vertebrae, of which up to 72 are postcloacal vertebrae.
References:
Schaal, S. (2004) Palaeopython fischeri n. sp. (Serpentes: Boidae), eine Riesenschlange aus dem Eozän (MP 11) von Messel. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, 252, 35–45.
Smith, K.T. & Scanferla, A. (2016) Fossil snake preserving three trophic levels and evidence for an ontogenetic dietary shift. Palaeobiodiv. Palaeoenv. 96, 589–599.
Scanferla, A. & Smith, K.T. (2020) "Exquisitely Preserved Fossil Snakes of Messel: Insight into the Evolution, Biogeography, Habitat Preferences and Sensory Ecology of Early Boas". Diversity. 12 (3): 100. doi:10.3390/d12030100
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