Reinterpretation of girdled lizard remains from Switzerland documents the first occurrence of the lacertid Janosikia outside of Germany

Occurrence of the European extinct cordylid genus ‘Bavaricordylus’ from the early middle Miocene of Switzerland was recently questioned. Reanalysis of the Swiss material supports its assignment to the lacertid genus Janosikia, the presence of which is, therefore, indicated for the first time outside from southern Germany. Based on dentary morphology, it seems that two Janosikia morphotypes were present in the Miocene, one with a smooth and a second with a rough lateral surface of the dentary. The lacertid genus Janosikia seems to be confined to Central Europe, thriving there through at least the first half of the Miocene (from ca. 22 Ma to ca. 15.7 Ma).