Abstract
Maofelis cantonensis gen. and sp. nov. is described based on a complete cranium from the middle-upper Eocene Youganwo Formation of Maoming Basin, Guangdong Province, China. The new taxon has characters diagnostic for Nimravidae such as a short cat-like skull, short palate, ventral surface of petrosal dorsal to that of basioccipital, serrations on the distal carina of canine, reduced anterior premolars, and absence of posterior molars (M2-3). It is plesiomorphic nimravid taxon similar to Nimravidae indet. from Quercy (France) in having the glenoid pedicle and mastoid process without ventral projections, a planar basicranium in which the lateral rim is not ventrally buttressed, and P1 present. The upper canine is less flattened than in other Nimravidae. Maofelis cantonensis gen. and sp. nov. exemplifies the earliest stage of development of sabertooth specialization characteristic of Nimravidae. This taxon, together with other middle-late Eocene nimravid records in South Asia, suggests origin and initial diversification of Nimravidae in Asia. We propose that this group dispersed to North America in the late Eocene and to Europe in the early Oligocene. The subsequent Oligocene diversification of Nimravidae took place in North America and Europe, while in Asia this group declined in the Oligocene, likely because of the earlier development of open habitats on that continent.
Highlights
Maofelis cantonensis gen. and sp. nov. is described based on a complete cranium from the middleupper Eocene Youganwo Formation of Maoming Basin, Guangdong Province, China
This taxon, together with other middle-late Eocene nimravid records in South Asia, suggests origin and initial diversification of Nimravidae in Asia. We propose that this group dispersed to North America in the late Eocene and to Europe in the early Oligocene
Nimravidae were traditionally divided into the late Eocene – late Oligocene Nimravinae and the middle-late Miocene Barbourofelinae[1,11], but the recent data suggest that these two groups are not closely related[12,13,14]
Summary
Maofelis cantonensis gen. and sp. nov. is described based on a complete cranium from the middleupper Eocene Youganwo Formation of Maoming Basin, Guangdong Province, China. Exemplifies the earliest stage of development of sabertooth specialization characteristic of Nimravidae This taxon, together with other middle-late Eocene nimravid records in South Asia, suggests origin and initial diversification of Nimravidae in Asia. We propose that this group dispersed to North America in the late Eocene and to Europe in the early Oligocene. The subsequent Oligocene diversification of Nimravidae took place in North America and Europe, while in Asia this group declined in the Oligocene, likely because of the earlier development of open habitats on that continent. We report the first nimravid skull from Asia This specimen was found by a local amateur collector in the upper Eocene Youganwo (=Youkanwo) Formation exposed in an oil shale quarry near Maoming, Guangdong Province, China. We provide a preliminary description of this specimen, establish the first nimravid taxon endemic to Asia, and discuss its significance for understanding the evolutionary history of Nimravidae
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