New hyaenodonts (Mammalia) from the late Ypresian locality of Prémontré (France) support a radiation of the hyaenodonts in Europe already at the end of the early Eocene - 06/05/21
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Abstract |
We describe three new hyaenodonts from the late Ypresian locality of Prémontré (Aisne, France; close to MP10 reference level). The new species – Lesmesodon gunnelli nov. sp., Cynohyaenodon smithae nov. sp., and Eurotherium mapplethorpei nov. sp. – represent the oldest occurrences of these three European genera. Lesmesodon gunnelli nov. sp. is also reported from the locality of Cuis (Marne, France; Ypresian, ~MP 10). We further present the dentition of two specimens of Lesmesodon edingeri from Messel (Hessia, Germany; type locality of the genus) based on µCT scans. Cynohyaenodon smithae nov. sp. and Lesmesodon gunnelli nov. sp. support the presence of small (300–400 g) hyaenodonts in the late Ypresian of the Paris Basin. Estimates of dental indices indicate that these hyaenodonts had an insectivorous diet. The third species – referred to Eurotherium – may have weighed 4–5 kg and, based on dental indices, likely incorporated more vertebrate prey into its diet. We also performed a phylogenetic analysis in order to test the relationships of these new taxa. These newly discovered species imply that the Proviverra/Allopterodon, Cynohyaenodon, and Eurotherium clades appeared in Europe earlier than previously known (i.e., Lutetian, MP 11). They reinforce the hypothesis that the hyaenodonts radiated during the middle-late Ypresian (MP 8/9–10) in Europe and adapted at that time to diverse ecological niches that they still occupied in the Priabonian (MP 13–14).
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Ecology, Carnivory, Diet preference, Body mass, Eocene
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☆ | Corresponding editor: Thierry Smith. |
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