Notocaiman
Encyclopedia
Notocaiman is an extinct genus
of alligatorid
crocodylian. A fragmentary and poorly preserved left dentary found from Argentina
that presumably dates back to the Paleocene
epoch is all that is known from the genus. It may be a junior synonym of Eocaiman
. Similarities between the remains of Notocaiman and comparable material from the alligatoroid
Listrognathosuchus have been observed, but have not been taken as evidence for synonymy. The type species
, N. stromeri, was named in 1937.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of alligatorid
Alligatoridae
Alligatoridae is a family of crocodylians that includes alligators and caimans.- True alligators :Alligators proper occur in the fluvial deposits of the age of the Upper Chalk in Europe, where they did not die out until the Pliocene age. The true alligators are now restricted to two species, A...
crocodylian. A fragmentary and poorly preserved left dentary found from Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
that presumably dates back to the Paleocene
Paleocene
The Paleocene or Palaeocene, the "early recent", is a geologic epoch that lasted from about . It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era...
epoch is all that is known from the genus. It may be a junior synonym of Eocaiman
Eocaiman
Eocaiman is an extinct genus of caiman from the Eocene of Argentina.-External links:* in the Paleobiology Database...
. Similarities between the remains of Notocaiman and comparable material from the alligatoroid
Alligatoroidea
Alligatoroidea is a superfamily of crocodilians that evolved in the Late Cretaceous period. Cladistically, it is defined as Alligator mississippiensis and all crocodylians more closely related to A. mississippiensis than to either Crocodylus niloticus or Gavialis gangeticus ....
Listrognathosuchus have been observed, but have not been taken as evidence for synonymy. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, N. stromeri, was named in 1937.