Boine snake Bavarioboa from the Oligocene/Miocene of eastern Turkey with comments on connections between European and Asiatic snake faunas

Abstract

Fossil remains of the extinct boine snake Bavarioboa, thus far known exclusively from several localities of western and central Europe, are reported for the first time outside Europe. The new fossil record is from the Mendikdere Formation in easternmost Turkey, dated Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. The finding provides strong evidence of links connecting ophidian faunas of Europe and southwestern Asia in the past, and confirms the supposition that Anatolia may have had close terrestrial connections with Europe around the Oligocene/Miocene boundary.