Crocodyliform affinities for Kemkemia auditorei Cau & Maganuco, 2009 from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco

Abstract

Kemkemia auditorei Cau & Maganuco, 2009 was recently described as a new genus and species of theropod dinosaur on the basis on an isolated distal caudal vertebra. The holotype and only known specimen comes from Kem Kem beds (Upper Cretaceous) of Morocco. In the present paper we review the phylogenetic position of Kemkemia and we conclude that this taxon belongs to Crocodyliformes. It shares with crocodyliforms the presence of a concavity at the posterolateral margin of neural spines, an inflated neural canal, and reduced prezygapophyses, among other traits. This combination of characters clearly distinguishes Kemkemia from theropod dinosaurs. In this way, Kemkemia is here considered as a Crocodyliformes incertae sedis, and based on the absence of unique characters, the genus and species Kemkemia auditorei is proposed as a nomen dubium.

Keywords

• Kemkemia
• Crocodyliformes
• Cretaceous
• Morocco