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Procaimanoidea ("Before Caiman-forms") is an extinctgenus of alligatorid from the Eocene of North America. It was named posthumously in 1946 by Charles W. Gilmore; the type species is P. utahensis, from the Uintan (middle Eocene) of Utah. It is based on USNM 15996, a nearly complete skull and partial left hind leg. A second species, P. kayi, was named in 1941 by C.C. Mook as a species of Hassiacosuchus, for remains from the Bridgerian (early Eocene) of Wyoming. It was reassigned to Procaimanoidea in 1967 by Wassersug and Hecht.
Description
Procaimanoidea was a small alligatorid, and slightly heterodont, the last four teeth on each side of the jaws having blunt tips.
Phylogeny
Recent studies have consistently resolved Procaimanoidea as a member of Alligatorinae, although its relative placement is disputed, as shown by the cladograms below.
Wassersug, R.J.; Hecht, M.K. (1967). "The status of the crocodylid genera Procaimanoidea and Hassiacosuchus in the New World". Herpetologica. 23 (1): 30–34.
