A complete mandible of a new Amphisbaenian reptile (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) from the late Middle Eocene (Bartonian, Mp 16) of France

ABSTRACTA new genus of amphisbaenian reptile, <i>Cuvieribaena carlgansi</i>, is decribed from the late middle Eocene of France. This material from the locality of Le Bretou (Phosphorites du Quercy) is an almost completely preserved mandible. The dentary bears six teeth, with the anterior-most one the largest. The anterior teeth are blunt and enlarged (‘amblyodont’), and their size and amblyodonty decrease posteriorly. The presence of well-developed amblyodont teeth indicates a durophagous diet. Durophagy has already been recognized in some amphisbaenids, and their high skull, short jaws, and robust tooth morphology predispose them to this durophagous lifestyle. Several other amphisbaenid specimens have also been recovered from Le Bretou, mainly trunk vertebrae and two incomplete dentaries. This material and the complete mandible show unambiguous morphological features tying them to Blanidae. <i>Cuvieribaena</i> is the earliest secure record of blanid lizards in the fossil record, confirmed by phylogenetic analysis.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:17454922-A121-447F-9D01-E4992ADB7D60SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP