A new metatherian (Mammalia) from the Itaboraí basin (Early Eocene), Brazil: Implications to trophic niche partitioning between large-sized “didelphoid-like” metatherians

Abstract

The Itaboraí Basin, municipality of Itaboraí, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, preserved an Early Eocene vertebrate assemblage. Among its representatives, Metatheria comprises its most diverse clade, with a minimum of 29 genera and 43 species. Considering this diversity, large-sized taxa (based on didelphid standards, i.e., between 1 kg and 3.3 kg) are represented by Didelphopsis, Protodidelphis and Patene, each considered to have explored different trophic niches. However, the discovery of a new large-sized metatherian from this locality, here named Xenocynus crypticus gen. et sp. nov., indicates that the trophic complexity of Itaboraí’s metatherians could not be so well-defined. Xenocynus crypticus gen. et sp. nov. is identified by the presence of its reduced StD, long postmetacrista, short protocone, talonid's area much smaller than the one of trigonid, spaced paraconid and metaconid (bases are not in contact), molar series increasing in size from m1 to m4, deep maxillary pits between upper molars, and robust symphysis. We included Itaboraidelphys camposi, X. crypticus gen. et sp. nov. and other large-sized taxa in two PCA analyses, the first considering morphometric measurements and the second considering some morphofunctional indexes, to test their placement in morphospace. Our analyses indicated that these taxa exhibit distinctive morphometric and morphofunctional patterns, suggesting low trophic niches overlapping between them. The results indicate that X. crypticus gen. et sp. nov. was a generalized carnivore (insectivory-carnivory), more specialized than the insectivorous/omnivorous Itaboraidelphys camposi, but less specialized than the larger Patene simpsoni, a carnivorous taxon.