Abstract
BackgroundThe rich rodent assemblages from the Eocene–Oligocene deposits of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Fayum Depression, Egypt) have important implications for our understanding of the origin and paleobiogeography of Hystricognathi, a diverse clade that is now represented by the Afro-Asiatic Hystricidae, New World Caviomorpha, and African Phiomorpha.MethodsHere we present previously undescribed material of the enigmatic hystricognath clade Phiocricetomyinae, from two stratigraphic levels in the lower sequence of the Jebel Qatrani Formation—a new genus and species (Qatranimys safroutus) from the latest Eocene Locality 41 (~34 Ma, the oldest and most productive quarry in the formation) and additional material of Talahphiomys lavocati from that species’ type locality, early Oligocene Quarry E (~31–33.2 Ma).ResultsThe multiple specimens of Qatranimys safroutus from L-41 document almost the entire lower and upper dentition, as well as mandibular fragments and the first cranial remains known for a derived phiocricetomyine. Specimens from Quarry E allow us to expand comparisons with specimens from Libya (late Eocene of Dur at-Talah and early Oligocene of Zallah Oasis) that have been placed in T. lavocati, and we show that the Dur at-Talah and Zallah specimens do not pertain to this species. These observations leave the Fayum Quarry E as the only locality where T. lavocati occurs.
Highlights
Hystricognathi is a diverse clade of rodents that is characterized by a mandibular angular process situated lateral to the long axis of the lower incisor, multiserial Hunter-Schreger bands of incisor enamel, and enlarged infraorbital foramina, among other featuresHow to cite this article Al-Ashqar SF, Seiffert ER, de Vries D, El-Sayed S, Antar MS, Sallam HM. 2021
Taxonomy The electronic version of this article in Portable Document Format (PDF) will represent a published work according to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), and the new names contained in the electronic version are effectively published under that Code from the electronic edition alone
With the new information provided by Qatranimys safroutus, we do not consider the specimen identified by Jaeger et al (2010; p. 206; Fig. 6M) as an M2 of T. lavocati (DT-2-103) to be an M2 or to belong to T. lavocati
Summary
Hystricognathi is a diverse clade of rodents that is characterized by a mandibular angular process situated lateral to the long axis of the lower incisor, multiserial Hunter-Schreger bands of incisor enamel, and enlarged infraorbital foramina, among other featuresHow to cite this article Al-Ashqar SF, Seiffert ER, de Vries D, El-Sayed S, Antar MS, Sallam HM. 2021. Hystricognaths likely originated in the middle Eocene (Marivaux & Boivin, 2019), and in a short time window diversified and radiated across three continents: Asia, South America, and Afro-Arabia (Marivaux & Boivin, 2019) Each of these epicenters housed a distinctive clade—Hystricidae (Old World porcupines), Caviomorpha (New World hystricognaths), and Phiomorpha (African cane, dassie, and mole rats), respectively (Singleton, Dickman & Stoddart, 2006). The rich rodent assemblages from the Eocene–Oligocene deposits of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Fayum Depression, Egypt) have important implications for our understanding of the origin and paleobiogeography of Hystricognathi, a diverse clade that is represented by the Afro-Asiatic Hystricidae, New World Caviomorpha, and African Phiomorpha.
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