Carolinidae a new family of xenosaurid-like lizards from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia
Magdalena Borsuk-Białynicka
Two lizards, Carolina intermedia gen. et sp. n, and Shinisauroides latipalatum gen. et sp. n, from the Late Cretaceous (?Middle Campanian) of the Gobi Desert are assigned to the new family Carolinidae. A hypothesis of a scincomorphan affiliation of this family is supported by two synapomorphies: the dentary overlap on the lateral surface of the coronoid, and the finger-like descensus parietalis, as well as by some other characters which best correspond with this affiliation. Xenosaurid characters displayed by the described lizards: the hour-glass shaped frontals and the diffuse osteodermal skull covering, are considered as homoplasy .
Key words: Cladistics, Reptilia, Sauria, Cretaceous, Mongolia.
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