In Becetèn (Niger) represents one of the most diverse continental vertebrate faunas from the Late Cretaceous of Africa. Recently, anurans, in particular aquatic pipimorphs, have generated renewed interest, with the identification of four distinct pipimorph taxa. Here we describe the remaining anuran specimens from In Becetèn, which represent at least three new anuran taxa that cannot be assigned to pipimorphs (Anura indet, Neobatrachia and a ranoid). Among them, one taxon, documented by ornamented cranial material, is a large Neobatrachia incertae sedis, as suggested by our phylogenetic analyses. This marks only the third Mesozoic occurrence of neobatrachians in Africa. In addition, an isolated humerus is referred as a new unnamed ranoid and is not only the oldest known occurrence of the clade, but also the first known Mesozoic specimen of this cosmopolitan family from Africa. With at least seven anuran taxa identified, In Becetèn is the most diverse locality of Africa, and one of the most diverse localities across the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian or Santonian).
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RBINS Staff Publications 2026 OA
tIn Becetèn, in southeast Niger, is one of the few mid-Upper Cretaceous (Coniacian-Santonian) fossil-iferous localities in Africa where multiple anuran taxa are known. Two of them, Pachycentrata taquetiand Inbecetenanura ragei, have been described from In Becetèn. Both are pipids, a clade composed ofexclusively aquatic anurans. Beside these two pipids, numerous isolated bones have also been referredto anurans within the site, but never referred to any known less inclusive taxa. Here we describe severalidentified cranial and postcranial bones referable to Pipidae or its stem-group, which together constitutePipimorpha. Among these elements, three cranial elements are referred to two unnamed pipimorphs.One of these has gondwanomorph affinities (pipids + South American and African extinct pipimorphs).These conclusions are supported by our phylogenetic analyses. Numerous postcranial elements are notreferable to any of the four pipimorph taxa identified at In Becetèn, although some ilia might be tenta-tively referred to ?Pachycentrata sp. The presence of at least four distinct anuran taxa makes In Becetènthe most diverse anuran site in Mesozoic Africa. It is also the first site in the Mesozoic where four pipi-morph taxa are identified. The dominance of pipimorphs in the anuran diversity of the site suggests thatIn Becetèn was likely more lacustrine than previously thought.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025 OA
