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Our current knowledge on the crocodyliform evolution is strongly biased towards the skull morphology, and the postcranial skeleton is usually neglected in many taxonomic descriptions. However, it is logical to expect that it can contribute with its own phylogenetic signal. In this paper, the changes in the tree topology caused by the addition of the postcranial information are analysed for the family Allodaposuchidae, the most representative eusuchians in the latest Cretaceous of Europe. At present, different phylogenetic hypotheses have been proposed for this group without reaching a consensus. The results of this paper evidence a shift in the phylogenetic position when the postcranium is included in the dataset, pointing to a relevant phylogenetic signal in the postcranial elements. Finally, the phylogenetic relationships of allodaposuchids within Eusuchia are reassessed; and the internal relationships within Allodaposuchidae are also reconsidered after an exhaustive revision of the morphological data. New and improved diagnoses for each species are here provided., Competing Interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

Amphimoschus is an extinct Eurasian ruminant genus, mostly recorded in Europe, without a close living relative and, hence, an unknown systematic position. This genus is known from around 50 localities from the late early to the middle Miocene. Two species were described during 180 years, but since their first description during the late 19th century and early 20th century, hardly any detailed taxonomic work has been done on the genus. Over the years, extensive collecting and excavating activities have enriched collections with more and more complete material of this still rare and enigmatic animal. Most interestingly, a number of skull remains have been unearthed and are promising in terms of providing phylogenetic information. In the present paper, we describe cranial material, the bony labyrinth, the dentition through 780 teeth and five skulls from different ontogenetic stages. We cannot find a clear morphometric distinction between the supposedly smaller and older species Amphimoschus artenensis and the supposedly younger and larger species A. ponteleviensis. Accordingly, we have no reason to retain the two species and propose, following the principle of priority (ICZN chapter 6 article 23), that only A. ponteleviensis Bourgeois, 1873 is valid. Our studies on the ontogenetic variation of Amphimoschus does reveal that the sagittal crest may increase in size and a supraorbital ridge may appear with age. Despite the abundant material, the family affiliation is still uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe a partial cranium of a large canid dated at 406.5 ± 2.4 ka from the Middle Pleistocene of Ponte Galeria (Rome, Italy). The sample represents one of the few Middle Pleistocene remains of a wolf-like canid falling within the timeframe when the Canis mosbachensis–Canis lupus transition occurred, a key moment to understand the spread of the extant wolf (Canis lupus) in Europe. CT-based methods allow studying the outer and inner cranial anatomy (brain and frontal sinuses) of a selected sample of fossil and extant canids. Morphological and biometric results allowed to: (I) ascribe the cranium from Ponte Galeria to an adult Canis lupus, representing the first reliable occurrence of this taxon in Europe; (II) provide the content for a biochronological revision of the Middle Pleistocene record of European wolves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bony cranial ornamentation is developed by many groups of vertebrates, including ankylosaur dinosaurs. To date, the morphology and ontogenetic origin of ankylosaurian cranial ornamentation has primarily focused on a limited number of species from only one of the two major lineages, Ankylosauridae. For members of the sister group Nodosauridae, less is known. Here, we provide new details of the cranial anatomy of the nodosaurid Hungarosaurus from the Santonian of Europe. Based on a number of previously described and newly identified fragmentary skulls and skull elements, we recognize three different size classes of Hungarosaurus. We interpret these size classes as representing different stages of ontogeny. Cranial ornamentation is already well-developed in the earliest ontogenetic stage represented herein, suggesting that the presence of outgrowths may have played a role in intra- and interspecific recognition. Wefind no evidence that cranial ornamentation in Hungarosaurus involves the contribution of coossified osteoderms. Instead, available evidence indicates that cranial ornamentation forms as a result of the elaboration of individual elements. Although individual differences and sexual dimorphism cannot be excluded, the observed variation in Hungarosaurus cranial ornamentation appears to be associated with ontogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here describe the first fossil remains of a green lizard of the Lacerta group from the late Miocene (MN 13) of the Solnechnodolsk locality in southern European Russia. This region of Europe is crucial for our understanding of the paleobiogeography and evolution of these middle-sized lizards. Although this clade has a broad geographical distribution across the continent today, its presence in the fossil record has only rarely been reported. In contrast to that, the material described here is abundant, consists of a premaxilla, maxillae, frontals, parietals, jugals, quadrate, pterygoids, dentaries and vertebrae. The comparison of these elements to all extant green lizard species shows that these fossils are indistinguishable from Lacerta trilineata. Thus, they form the first potential evidence of the occurrence of this species in the Miocene. This may be also used as a potential calibration point for further studies. Together with other lizard fossils, Solnechnodolsk shows an interesting combination of survivors and the dawn of modern species. This locality provides important evidence for the transition of an archaic Miocene world to the modern diversity of lizards in Europe. In addition, this article represents a contribution to the knowledge of the comparative osteological anatomy of the selected cranial elements in lacertids. This study gives special emphasis to the green lizards, but new data are also presented for related taxa, e.g., Timon lepidus, Podarcis muralis or Zootoca vivipara. Although the green lizards include several cryptic species for which determination based on isolated osteological material would be expected to be difficult, our comparisons show several important morphological differences, although a high degree of variability is present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]