Fossil lizards and snakes (Diapsida, Squamata) from the Late Miocene hominid locality of Haritalyangar, India

Abstract

The Late Miocene hominid-bearing locality in Haritalyangar, India, has yielded remains of fossil lizards and snakes. The material consists of the following taxa: Varanus and an indeterminate anguimorph, Python, a colubrid and a natricid. These squamates are documented from this region for the first time. A co-existence of Varanus and Python, two iconic squamates, is demonstrated. The overall fauna, which is dominated by both large and small semi-aquatic and terrestrial taxa, indicates seasonally wet sub-humid to semi-arid climate in the area during the Late Miocene, ∼9.1 Ma. Moreover, the mean annual temperature must have been high in the region at that time (not less than 15–18.6 °C, similar to the mean annual temperature in this area today), indicated by the occurrence of important thermophilic elements such as Varanus and Python.