Fig. 1. Generalized palaeogeography of Europe during the Miocene epoch (after Rögl and Steininger 1983). The extent of Paratethyan and Mediterranean realms marked with light-blue and light-green, respectively.
Fig. 2. Prevailing environments of the main palaeogeographic units of the Central Paratethys and adjoining areas in the Early–Middle Miocene time. Crocodylian-bearing sites marked with abbreviations, location of the discussed findings marked with asterisks. Abbreviations: AL, Aleksinac, Serbia; AT, Ahníkov and Tušimice, Czechia; BL, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina; BS, Břešťany and Skyřice, Czechia; CR, Crnika beach, Croatia; CU, Čučale, Serbia; DE, Devínska Nová Ves, Slovakia; DZ, Džepi, Bosnia and Herzegovina; EC, Egercsehi, Hungary; EG, Eggenburg, Austria; ER, Erdősmecske, Hungary; GR, Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina; HA, Himesháza, Hungary; HI, Hidas, Hungary; IP, Ipolytarnóc, Hungary; IV, Ivančice, Czechia; JE, Jehličná near Sokolov, Czechia; KA, Kaisersteinbruch, Austria; KB, Korneuburg Basin, Austria; KI, Kienberg, Czechia; KR, Kraljevo, Serbia; MA, Máriahalom, Hungary; ML, Mannersdorf am Leithagebirge, Austria; MS, Mátraszőlős, Hungary; MU, Müllendorf, Austria; MZ, Maustrenk, Austria; NA, Nagyvisnyó, Hungary; OB, Obritzberg, Austria; OR, Orfű-Bános, Hungary; PE, Pécs-Danitzpuszta and Pécsvárad, Hungary; PL, Poljanska, Croatia; PO, Popovac, Serbia; SA, Sámsonháza, Hungary; SE, Serényfalva, Hungary; SU, Subpiatră, Romania; TA, Tavnik, Serbia; TV, Vârciorog and Tăşad, Romania; VA, Várpalota, Hungary; VH, Vienna, Austria; VK, Veľký Krtíš, Slovakia; WI, Wies, Austria; ZP, Žitni Potok, Serbia. Compiled after: Rzehak (1912); Kordos and Solt (1984); Młynarski (1984); Zapfe (1984, 1989); Kordos (1985); Böhme and Ilg (2003); Stefanović and Mijovic (2004); Bulić and Jurišić-Polšak (2009); Jipa and Olariu (2009); Alaburić and Marković (2010); Kováčová et al. (2011); Krstić et al. (2012) ; Gibbard and Lewin (2016); Hír et al. (2016, 2024); Neubauer et al. (2016); Wysocka et al. (2016); Sant et al. (2018); Luján et al. (2019); Vasilyan (2020); Chroust et al. (2021); Botfalvai et al. (2023); Hajek-Tadesse et al. (2023); Weydt et al. (2023); Březina et al. (2024); Sebe et al. (2024); and Harzhauser et al. (2025).
Fig. 3. Simplified geologic maps of the discussed localities. A. Židlochovice. B. Pińczów. C. Szczerców. Compiled after Buday (1963), Danel and Gałązka (2007), Haisig (2011), and Górka (2019).
Fig. 4. Stratigraphic chart of the Miocene of the Central Paratethys. The stratigraphic position of the sites discussed in the text is indicated on the right hand side. Black bands denote the most certain age of the material described in the present study; grey band denotes possible age; white bands corre spond to the total stratigraphic range recorded in the sites. Compiled after: Harzhauser and Piller 2004; Kováč et al. 2005, 2007, 2018; Piller et al. 2007; Hohenegger et al. 2009, 2014; Pezelj et al. 2013; Doláková et al. 2014; Neubauer et al. 2015; Luján et al. 2019; Březina et al. 2021; and Ivanov 2022.
Fig. 5. The discussed remains of Crocodylia indet. from the Miocene of Fore-Carpathian Basin and its foreland. A. ÚGV E1093, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Židlochovice, Czechia; lingual (A1), mesial/distal (A2), basal (A3), distal/mesial (A4), and labial (A5) views. B. MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland (previously referred to as Tomistoma sp.); labial (B1), mesial/distal (B2), basal (B3), distal/mesial (B4), and lingual (B5) views. C. MWGUW/ZI/113/064, a dorsal osteoderm from Karpatian–?lower Badenian (Burdigalian ?Langhian) of Szczerców mining field, Poland, the world’s northernmost recorded Neogene crocodilian; dorsal (C1) and ventral (C2) views.
Fig. 6. Northernmost occurrences of crocodylians in Europe in succeeding stages of Paleogene and Neogene. A. Paleogene occurrences. Paleocene: Danian: 1, Faxe Quarry, Denmark; 2, Limhamn quarry near Malmö, Sweden; Selandian: 3, Walbeck near Weferlingen, Germany; 4, Gemmas Allé, Denmark; Thanetian: 5, Jeumont, France. Eocene: Ypresian: 6, Warden Point, Sheppey Island, England; Lutetian: 7, Stolzenbach near Borken, Germany; 8, Geiseltal, Germany; Bartonian: 9, Kučlín, Trupelník Hill, Czechia; 10, Creech Barrow Hill, England, UK; Priabonian: 11, Roudníky, Czechia; 12, Hordle Cliff near Milford on Sea, England, UK. Oligocene: Rupelian: 13, Bouldnor Cliff, Isle of Wight, England, UK; 14, Bechlejovice near Děčín, Czechia; 15, Hoogbutsel near Leuven, Belgium; 16, Seifhennersdorf, Germany; 17, Altenburg III and IV pit-mines, Borken, Germany; 18, Böhlen and Espenheim near Leipzig, Germany; Chattian: 19, Enspel near Marienberg, Germany; 20, Gusternhain, Germany; 21, Rott near Hennef, Germany; 22, Breitenfeld near Leipzig, Germany. B. Neogene occur rences. Miocene: Aquitanian: 1, Mombach and Weisenau, Mainz, Germany; 2, Biebrich and Mainz-Kastel, Wiesbaden, Germany; Aquitanian–Burdigalian: 3, Kaltennordheim, Germany; Burdigalian: 4, Ivančice, South Moravian Region, Czechia; 5, Wackersdorf near Schwandorf, Germany; 6, Jehličná near Sokolov, Czechia; 7, Ahníkov and Tušimice, Czechia; 8, Břešťany and Skyřice, Czechia; Burdigalian–?Langhian: 9, Szczerców, Poland; Langhian: 10, Kienberg near Mikulov, Czechia; 11, Appertshofen and Denkendorf near Ingolstadt, Germany; 12, Undorf near Regensburg, Germany; 13, Židlochovice, Czechia; 14, Pińczów, Poland; 15, Hambach, Germany; ?Langhian–Serravallian: 16, Kirrberg near Balzhausen, Germany; Serravallian: 17, Tășad and Vârciorog, Romania; 18, Subpiatră, Romania; 19, Anwil, Switzerland; 20, Devinská Nová Ves, Slovakia; 21, Vienna, Austria; Tortonian: 22, Casteani and Ribolla, Italy; Messinian: 23, Montebamboli, Italy; 24, Radicondoli, Italy; 25, Cava di Monticino, Italy; 26, Moncucco Torinese, Italy. Miocene–Pliocene transition: latest Messinian–earliest Zanclean: 27, Gargano, Italy. Pliocene: Zanclean: 28, Puerto de la Cadena, Spain. For references see Table 2.
Fig. 7. The northermost occurrences of crocodylians throughout the Cenozoic. Records with black symbols indicate the world’s northernmost occurrences. Occurrences in Europe marked with circles, in North America with squares, in eastern Asia with triangles. Note the relatively stable location of the northern limit of crocodylian distribution in Europe at approx. the present-day 51°N parallel throughout the Thanetian to Langhian timespan. For references see Table 2.
Fig. 4 Židlochovice. Crocodile tooth from Židlochovice used in Figure 5 with different backgrounds.
P1010114. Photograph of the MWGUW/ZI/113/064, a dorsal osteoderm from Karpatian–?lower Badenian (Burdigalian ?Langhian) of Szczerców mining field, Poland in ventral view.
P1010117. Photograph of the MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland in labial view.
P1010124. Photograph of the MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland in lingual view.
P1010128. Photograph of the MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland in distal/mesial view.
P1010131. Photograph of the MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland in mesial/distal view.
P1010136. Photograph of the MWGUW/ ZI/113/067, an isolated tooth from the lower Badenian (Langhian) of Pińczów, Poland in basal view.
P1010262. Photograph of the MWGUW/ZI/113/064, a dorsal osteoderm from Karpatian–?lower Badenian (Burdigalian ?Langhian) of Szczerców mining field, Poland in dorsal view.
P1010263. Another photograph of the MWGUW/ZI/113/064, a dorsal osteoderm from Karpatian–?lower Badenian (Burdigalian ?Langhian) of Szczerców mining field, Poland in dorsal view.
Dane wykorzystane w publikacji:
Górka, M., Březina, J., Chroust, M., Kowalski, R., López-Torres, S., & Tałanda, M. (2025). Crocodylian remains from the Miocene of the Fore-Carpathian Basin and its foreland--including the world's northernmost Neogene crocodylian. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 70(2): 225–251.
