Alain Phélizon’s scientific contributions

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Publications (11)


fig. 2. -A-D, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, Dormaal, Belgium. Left maxilla, IRSNB R 393, in labial (A), ventral (B), lingual (C), and dorsal (D) views. Abbreviations: llf, last lateral foramen; mf, maxillary foramen; pl, plicidentine; st, supradental table. Scale bar: 5 mm.
fig. 3. -A-C, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, Dormaal, Belgium. Left dentary fragment, IRSNB R 394, in lingual (A), labial (B), and dorsal (C) views. Abbreviation: pl, plicidentine. Scale bar: 5 mm.
fig. 4. -A-C, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, Le Quesnoy, France. Parietal, MNHN.F.QNY2.1157, in posterior (A), dorsal (B), and ventral (C) views. Abbreviations: pfr, parietal foramen; pfs, parietal fossa. Scale bar: 5 mm.
fig. 6. -Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923. Caudal vertebrae: A-D, Dormaal, Belgium, IRSNB R 396, in posterior (A), dorsal (B), ventral (C), and right lateral views (D); E-H, Dormaal, Belgium, IRSNB R 397, in posterior (E), dorsal (F), ventral (G), and right lateral views (H); I-L, Le Quesnoy, France, MNHN.F.QNY2.1154, in posterior (I), dorsal (J), ventral (K) and right lateral views (L); M-P, Le Quesnoy, France, MNHN.F.QNY2.1156, in posterior (M), dorsal (N), ventral (O) and right lateral views (P). Abbreviations: ap, articulation process with the chevron bones; tp, transverse process. Scale bar: 5 mm.
fig. 7. -A, B, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, Dormaal, Belgium. Right distal humerus, IRSNB R 398, in ventral (A), and dorsal views (B). Abbreviations: ent, entepicondyle; ectc, ectepicondylar crest; ectf, ectepicondylar foramen; sf, small foramen. Scale bar: 5 mm.

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Revision of the oldest varanid, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, from the earliest Eocene of northwest Europe
  • Article
  • Full-text available

August 2022

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398 Reads

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8 Citations

Comptes Rendus Palevol

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Richard SMITH

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Saniwa is an extinct genus of varanid squamate from the Eocene of North America and Europe. Up to now, only one poorly known species, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, has been reported from Europe. Diagnostic material was limited to vertebrae with only preliminary description and no figure provided, except of one dorsal vertebra that was designated as the lectotype. New specimens from the earliest Eocene of Dormaal, Belgium and Le Quesnoy, France, including recently recovered skull material, are described and illustrated here. These fossils representing the oldest varanid squamate allow further comparisons with the type species, Saniwa ensidens Leidy, 1870, from the early and middle Eocene of North America and to propose a new diagnosis for S. orsmaelensis. Its arrival in Europe is probably linked to rapid environmental changes around the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). The occurrence of S. orsmaelensis is restricted to the early Eocene of northwest Europe and paleogeographic considerations regarding the distribution of the genus Saniwa Leidy, 1870 suggest an Asian origin, but an African origin cannot be completely excluded.

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The lizard (Reptilia, Squamata) assemblage from the Paleocene of Montchenot (Paris Basin, MP6)

September 2021

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120 Reads

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4 Citations

GEODIVERSITAS

Here we describe the lizard fauna from the locality of Montchenot (Paris Basin, late Paleocene, MP6). This material can be allocated to five major clades: Scincoidea, Lacertoidea (?Lacertidae), Amphisbaenia, Anguimorpha (?Anguidae and Shinisauridae). The assemblage from Monchenot is dominated by small lizard specimens and appears as highly sorted. Predation could produce such biased assemblages. The composition of the lizard fauna from Monchenot is rather similar to those of Cernay-lès-Reims and Rivecourt, two coeval localities (MP6) in the Paris Basin. However, these faunas sharply contrast (in diversity and composition) with the lizard fauna found in the early Eocene of the same area (Paris Basin and Belgian Basin). These differences highlight the impact of the Paleocene/Eocene transition on the lizard fauna of Europe.


FIGURE 1. Lacertids from France. A-C, Lacertidae indet. from the lower Eocene Mutigny locality, ULB-IV-A15(h), left frontal, in A, dorsal, B, ventral, and C, lateral views. D-F, ? Lacertidae indet. from the upper Paleocene Cernay, ULB-IV-A15(g), right frontal, in D, dorsal, E, ventral, and F, lateral views.
Dawn of Lacertids (Squamata, Lacertidae): New Finds from the Upper Paleocene and the Lower Eocene

July 2020

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367 Reads

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8 Citations


New species of micromammals from the late Paleocene of the Paris Basin

September 2019

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196 Reads

The Paris Basin has delivered important faunas of fossil mammals from the Thanetian. A rich sample of Late Paleocene mammals has recently been collected from the Marnes de Montchenot in the Montagne de Reims (Marne, France). Study of the new fauna and comparisons with collections from other localities (Cernay, Berru) result in the identification of at least four previously undescribed species of eutherian micromammals in the Late Paleocene of the Paris Basin. A new small-sized species of the genus Phakodon, member of the endemic European family Pseudorhyncocyonidae (order Leptictida), is documented from Montchenot and Cernay in addition to the type species P. levei; a third species of large size may be present at Cernay. The genus Adapisorex (Adapisoricidae, Macroscelidea?) is represented at both localities not only by the type species A. gaudryi, but also by a new species about 25% smaller in size. A new species of the Euro-African and possibly Indian family Adapisoriculidae (Euarchonta?) is identified on the basis of new material from Montchenot, Cernay and the Lentille de Berru, including all molar positions and P4. The new taxon is not closely related to Nosella europaea from Tremp (Spain), to which part of the material had previously been assigned, but identified instead as a large species of Afrodon. Finally, a maxillary fragment from Montchenot and isolated upper molars from Cernay are evidence of the first European species of the pantolestid genus Bessoecetor (order Pantolesta), hitherto known only from North America. The new species is the largest known for the genus, and documents an additional case of intercontinental mammalian dispersal from North America to Europe in the Late Paleocene. The newly identified species show that several groups were more diversified in the Late Paleocene of the Paris Basin than previously recognized, and highlight important faunal similarities between Montchenot and Cernay, supporting close correlation of those faunas in age. The authors thank all persons involved in the study of the Montchenot fauna, including C. Argot, E. Gheerbrant, E. Herbomel, E. Zoukouba, B. Marguet, and residents of Villers-Allerand.


New paroxyclaenid mammals from the early Eocene of the Paris Basin (France) shed light on the origin and evolution of these endemic European cimolestans

February 2019

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275 Reads

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8 Citations

We present new species of an enigmatic family of mammals, which is endemic to Europe, the Paroxyclaenidae: Merialus bruneti sp. nov., Fratrodon tresvauxi gen. et sp. nov., Paraspaniella gunnelli gen. et sp. nov., and Sororodon tresvauxae gen. et sp. nov. The fossils described come from six localities of the Ypresian of the Paris Basin (France): Pourcy (MP7), Mutigny, Avenay, Condé-en-Brie (MP8 + 9), Grauves and Prémontré (MP10). They allow the description of three new genera and four new species belonging to the subfamilies Merialinae and Paroxyclaeninae. Two of these new species represent the earliest occurrence of each subfamily. Fossils from Mutigny, Avenay and Condé-en-Brie indicate that merialines were more abundant than paroxyclaenines during the Ypresian. Surprisingly, merialines disappeared from the fossil record at the end of the Ypresian – the youngest records are close to MP10 – while the paroxyclaenines were present in Europe until the end of the middle Eocene. Based on comparison with the data presently available for European mammals during the Ypresian, we suggest the existence of two periods of faunal turnover that must be more extensively studied in the future in order to be fully characterized: the ‘Intra-Ypresian Mammal Turnover’ and the ‘Ypresian–Lutetian Mammal Turnover’. Finally, because the oldest paroxyclaenids appear morphologically closer to cimolestids such as Procerberus than to pantolestans, it is suggested that similarities between paroxyclaenids and pantolestans could be due to convergence.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8A3B21A0-6945-4CE4-975C-402736E92C51


Reassessment of the morphology and taxonomic status of the varanid lizard Saniwa orsmaelensis from the early Eocene of Northwest Europe

November 2018

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159 Reads

Saniwa is an extinct genus of varanid lizard from the Eocene of North America and Europe. It is the sister taxon to the crown-group Varanus. Up to now, only one poorly known species is recognized from Europe, Saniwa orsmaelensis from the earliest Eocene of Dormaal, Belgium. This species originally named by Louis Dollo nearly a century ago, is the earliest varanid of Europe. Unfortunately, the material was limited to vertebrae with only preliminary description and no figure provided, except for one dorsal vertebra that later has been designated as the lectotype. Here we describe and illustrate new fossil specimens collected from Dormaal and other early Eocene localities of the Paris Basin, France, including dentary and maxilla fragments as well as skull material, allowing to reassess the validity of the European taxon. These fossils allow further comparisons with the type-species, Saniwa ensidens, from the late early Eocene Bridger and Green River formations of Wyoming and to propose a new diagnosis for S. orsmaelensis. The occurrence of S. orsmaelensis is restricted to the early Eocene of Northwest Europe and its geographic origin is unresolved because the earliest record of Saniwa in North America is also from the earliest Eocene. The brief presence of varanid lizards in the European Paleogene could result from two major climatic events. At the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum, large biotic interchanges occurred in the northern hemisphere allowing new dispersals into Europe. However, at the end of the Eocene, thermophilic lizards disappeared due to cooler conditions. Another hypothesis for their disappearance could be the competition that occurred with other anguimorph lizards. Grant Information: This abstract is a contribution to the Belspo Brain network project BR/121/A3/PalEurAfrica funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office.




Evolution of plesiadapid mammals (Eutheria, Euarchonta, Plesiadapiformes) in Europe across the Paleocene/Eocene boundary: implications for phylogeny, biochronology and scenarios of dispersal

August 2018

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675 Reads

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7 Citations

Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments

Plesiadapid mammals (Eutheria, Euarchonta, Plesiadapiformes) are well represented in the late Paleocene to early Eocene of Europe (reference levels MP6, MP7 and MP8+9), but relationships among the described species and their links to North American plesiadapids remain disputed. To better understand the evolution of the group in Europe, to explore its potential for biochronological dating and to test hypotheses on plesiadapid phylogenies and dispersal patterns between Europe and North America, a morphometric analysis was performed for a succession of plesiadapid assemblages bracketing the Paleocene/Eocene boundary (PEB) in the Paris Basin, including recently made collections from Montchenot (MP6) and Le Quesnoy (MP7). Both dental size and shape were analysed for nearly all positions of the permanent plesiadapid dentition. Size variation at Cernay (MP6) is consistent with the presence of at least two species of Plesiadapis. A morphological succession is found in European large-sized Plesiadapis, continuing beyond the PEB but showing no clear continuity with Eocene Platychoerops. Large-sized Plesiadapis from Berru (MP6) is distinctly different from P. tricuspidens, justifying the definition of a new species, P. berruensis. Species of Plesiadapis confirm the temporal succession of the localities Cernay, Berru, Le Quesnoy and Meudon, allowing definition of a refined biochronology in the Paris Basin, with Montchenot correlated approximately to Cernay. Comparisons between plesiadapids from Europe and North America indicate a separation from at least the terminal Tiffanian, suggesting correlation of the European reference level MP6 with the North American biozones Ti-5b and Ti-6. Convergent evolution in those lineages and in Platychoerops seems to be linked mainly to trends towards folivory.



Citations (6)


... Lizards from Dormaal were only briefly discussed by Hecht and Hoffstetter (1962) and, moreover, the specimens were never figured by these authors. However, squamate specimens from Dormaal have been described and figured since the 1990s (Augé 1990, 1992, Augé and Smith 1997, Sullivan et al. 2012, Folie et al. 2013, Augé et al. 2022, Čerňanský et al. 2022a, 2023a. ...

Reference:

Timing of intercontinental faunal migrations: Anguimorph lizards from the earliest Eocene (MP 7) of Dormaal, Belgium
Revision of the oldest varanid, Saniwa orsmaelensis Dollo, 1923, from the earliest Eocene of northwest Europe

Comptes Rendus Palevol

... Labails et al. 2010), whereas the evolution of closely related allopatric species of one genus in general requires a relatively short time (Yang et al. 2021, Enriquez-Urzelai et al. 2022. It can be expected that the long time of separation (time of the split over 100 Myr) would lead to an accumulation of many significant differences among lineages; (ii) the current, although limited data suggest that the palaeodiversity of squamates from Palaeocene localities, such as Walbeck in Germany, is low (Folie et al. 2013, Rage 2013, Augé et al. 2021, Čerňanský and Vasilyan 22 • Čerňanský et al. 2024). The Palaeocene faunas are different in many aspects (diversity, types, etc.) relative to the faunas described from slightly younger, earliest Eocene localities, such as Dormaal, Cos (Čerňanský et al. 2023a, b), and localities in Spain (Bolet 2017). ...

The lizard (Reptilia, Squamata) assemblage from the Paleocene of Montchenot (Paris Basin, MP6)

GEODIVERSITAS

... Besides lizards, Kuhn (1940a) also documented the earliest Cenozoic occurrence of Constrictores from Europe [this material is not included here, but Georgalis et al. (2021a) remarked on the size of these snakes]. In any case, the collection was considered to be lost for many years (Estes 1983;Rage and Augé 1993) but mentioned and discussed in the literature for decades due to its importance to our knowledge of the Paleocene (e.g., Estes 1983;Rage and Augé 1993;Augé 2005;Čerňanský and Augé 2013;Čerňanský et al. 2020a;Georgalis et al. 2021b). This material sheds new light on the early evolution of some lizard taxa and demonstrates the palaeodiversity of archaic members of lizard lineages in the late Paleocene of Europe. ...

Dawn of Lacertids (Squamata, Lacertidae): New Finds from the Upper Paleocene and the Lower Eocene

... Formation (see below) (Louis & Laurain 1983;Lecomte 1994;Escarguel 1999 Crochet 1979Crochet , 1980Dégremont et al. 1985;Erfurt & Sudre 1996;Escarguel 1999;Fischer 1977;Franzen 1988;Franzen & Haubold 1986;Franzen & Habersetzer 2017;Franzen et al. 2009;Gingerich 1976;Gingerich 1977;Godinot 1998;Godinot et al. 1992Godinot et al. , 2018Haubold 1989;Hand & Sigé 2018;Hellmund 2013;Hlawatsch & Erfurt 2007;Hooker 1996Hooker , 2010Kurtz 2005;Lange-Badré & Haubold 1990;López-Torres & Silcox 2018;Louis & Laurain 1983;Marandat 1986;Morlo et al. 2004Morlo et al. , 2010Russell et al. 1967Russell et al. , 1973Russell et al. , 1975Russell et al. , 1979Russell et al. , 1982Savage et al. 1965;Sigé 1976;Smith 2001;Smith et al. 2012;Solé 2014;Solé et al. 2015Solé et al. , 2018Solé et al. , 2019Solé et al. , 2020Solé et al. , 2021Sudre et al. 1983;Sudre & Erfurt 1996;Sudre & Lecomte 2000;Theodor et al. 2007;Thewissen 1990;Vautrin et al. 2020 (Russell et al. 1979) - (Russell et al. 1979 To conclude, all the combined data exposed above strongly favour to attribute MGL/NAP to the level MP10a. Such a result also supports the idea that, during the late Ypresian, the West European mammal faunas are quite homogeneous. ...

New paroxyclaenid mammals from the early Eocene of the Paris Basin (France) shed light on the origin and evolution of these endemic European cimolestans
  • Citing Article
  • February 2019

... P. cookei from Twelvemile Gulch tends to be larger than P. cookei from the Clarks Fork Basin and elsewhere, and it is further distinguished in having a metacone on P3, which is plausibly interpreted as an autapomorphic character. Whether these distinctions eventually warrant taxonomic recognition must await the recovery of additional specimens, but they emphasize the tenuous nature of the morphological boundaries of P. cookei, a situation that is equally applicable to other species of Plesiadapis (e.g., Jehle et al., 2019;Secord, 2008). ...

Evolution of plesiadapid mammals (Eutheria, Euarchonta, Plesiadapiformes) in Europe across the Paleocene/Eocene boundary: implications for phylogeny, biochronology and scenarios of dispersal

Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments

... M. Barbatodon oardaensis, right p4 UBB Ng2-01, Negoiu (site RM2), Rusca Montană Basin (from Codrea et al., 2017a). N. Barbatodon transylvanicus, left Jehle et al., 2012), or else multituberculates disappeared altogether with the advent of the more derived, modern placental orders (e.g., Smith et al., 2014), following an important dispersal-related faunal turnover near the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (e.g., Hooker and Collinson, 2012;De Bast and Smith, 2017). ...

A new late Paleocene micromammal fauna from Montchenot (Paris Basin). Preliminary results

Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments