Eoconstrictor

Eoconstrictor Temporal range: Eocene, 48–33.9 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil of E. fisheri
Fossil of E. cf. fischeri
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Genus:	†Eoconstrictor Scanferla & Smith, 2020
Species:	†E. fischeri
Binomial name
†Eoconstrictor fischeri Scanferla & Smith, 2020
Other species
†E. barnesi Palci et al., 2023 †E. spinifer Georgalis, Rabi & Smith, 2021
Synonyms
Palaeopython fischeri Schaal, 2004 Paleryx spinifer Barnes, 1927

Eoconstrictor is an extinct genus of booid snake, from the Eocene of Germany (Messel Pit). The type species, E. fischeri is known from multiple well-preserved specimens found in the Messel Pit of Germany. It was originally named as Palaeopython fischeri by Stephan Schaal in 2004,^[1] but examination of the genus showed that it represented a distinct lineage; it was renamed as the new genus Eoconstrictor in 2020. Like modern boids, Eoconstrictor possessed pit organs on its upper jaw, which would have given it the ability to sense infrared radiation; however, all known fossils of Eoconstrictor’s stomach contents are of cold-blooded animals, suggesting that its infrared senses were unlikely to have been used for predation.^[2] In a subsequent study Georgalis, Rabi & Smith (2021) reinterpreted "Paleryx" spinifer from the Eocene Geiseltal Lagerstätte (Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) as the second species belonging to the genus Eoconstrictor.^[3] Palci et al. (2023) named the third species belonging to this genus, E. barnesi described on the basis of fossils from the Geiseltal Lagerstätte.^[4]

References

1. S. Schaal. 2004. Palaeopython fischeri n. sp. (Serpentes: Boidae), eine Riesenschlange aus dem Eozän (MP 11) von Messel. CFS Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 252:35-45
2. Scanferla, A.; Smith, K.T. (2020). "Exquisitely Preserved Fossil Snakes of Messel: Insight into the Evolution, Biogeography, Habitat Preferences and Sensory Ecology of Early Boas". Diversity. 12 (3): 100. Bibcode:2020Diver..12..100S. doi:10.3390/d12030100. hdl:11336/145425.
3. Georgalis, G. L.; Rabi, M.; Smith, K. T. (2021). "Taxonomic revision of the snakes of the genera Palaeopython and Paleryx (Serpentes, Constrictores) from the Paleogene of Europe". Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. 140 (1). 18. Bibcode:2021SwJP..140...18G. doi:10.1186/s13358-021-00224-0.
4. Palci, A.; Onary, S.; Lee, M. S. Y.; Smith, K. T.; Wings, O.; Rabi, M.; Georgalis, G. L. (2023). "A new booid snake from the Eocene (Lutetian) Konservat-Lagerstätte of Geiseltal, Germany, and a new phylogenetic analysis of Booidea". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 202 (2). doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad179.