Tetraconodont dental remains (Suidae, Tetraconodontinae) from the Middle Miocene site of Ca l’Almirall (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The suid dentognathic remains from the Middle Miocene (late Aragonian, MN6) site of Ca l’Almirall (formerly ‘Can Almirall’; Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula) were originally assigned to Hyotherium soemmeringi and subsequently to Conohyus steinheimensis (currently Versoporcus steinheimensis). However, such a taxonomic attribution is not backed by published descriptions or adequate iconography. Here we figure and describe the material to substantiate its taxonomic assignment and revisit the age of the site. We conclude that most of the material belongs to a tetraconodont that can be readily distinguished from Conohyus simorrensis and Parachleuastochoerus valentini in premolar size and proportions and shows greatest similarities with Versoporcus spp. Some authors have synonymised Versoporcus grivensis with Versoporcus steinheimensis, which overlaps in chronostratigraphic range and geographic distribution. However, based on size we tentatively support the distinction of the two species and assign the studied material to the former – while noting that the attribution of other Versoporcus remains from the Vallès-Penedès Basin is in need of revision. With an estimated age of ~14.0–13.5 Ma, the Ca l’Almirall material is roughly coeval with the oldest record of both Versoporcus spp., supporting the view that they are not successive chronospecies of a single evolving lineage.