Bicuspidon aff. hatzegiensis (Squamata: Scincomorpha: Teiidae) from the Upper Cretaceous Csehbánya Formation (Hungary, Bakony Mts)

Abstract

The recently encountered Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) Iharkut terrestrial vertebrate locality has yielded several vertebrate taxa since its discovery. Scincomorphan lizards are also represented in this fauna by several jaw fragments. The most abundant of these is represented by seven dentary fragments and an indeterminate jaw fragment with characteristic teeth. The hypertrophied splenial, the heterodont dentition, the cementum deposition at the bases of the teeth, and the large subcircular resorption pits assign this type to the family Teiidae. The dentition is composed of conical, monocuspid teeth in the mesial region and transversely widened bicuspid teeth in the distal region. This morphology is well known in members of the subfamily Polyglyphanodontinae. Based on their dental morphology the Iharkut finds can be easily assigned to the genus Bicuspidon. This genus is known from two species, B. numerosus Nydam et Cifelli 2002 from the Albian-Cenomanian of Utah (North America) and B. hatzegiensis Folie et...