We describe dentognathic remains of four individuals of the poorly known mustelid CircamustelaPetter, 1967 from the late Miocene sites of Batallones-3 and 5 (MN10, Torrejon de Velasco, Madrid, Spain). These new fossils allow us to describe Circamustela peignei n. sp., a more primitive species than Circamustela dechaseauxiPetter, 1967 from Can Llobateres (MN9, Vallès Penedès Basin, Spain). Circamustela peignei n. sp. shows, among other features, an M1 with a more developed metacone, a smaller metastylar area, a mesially located protocone, and a more developed m1 metaconid compared to that of C. dechaseauxi. The new taxon differs from most Euroasian Miocene marten-like mustelids, such as the middle Miocene martens “Martes” sansaniensis (Lartet, 1851), and “Martes” filholiDepéret, 1887, the vallesian Martes melibullaPetter, 1963 and the Turolian/Ventian Martes woodwardiPilgrim, 1931, Martes ginsburgi Montoya, Morales & Abella, 2011, Pekania palaeosinensis (Zdansky, 1924), and Paramartes pocockiKretzoi, 1952, in smaller size, a reduced lingual platform of the M1 and a more reduced m1 talonid and m2. However, C. peignei n. sp. is closer to the Chinese and Greek hypercarnivorous Sinictis dolichognathusZdansky, 1924. Circamustela spp., and SinictisZdansky, 1924 can be interpreted as adapted to a more carnivorous diet than those of the more generalist martens, such as Martes spp., ParamartesKretzoi, 1952 and Pekania spp.
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2 April 2020
A new hypercarnivorous mustelid (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae) from Batallones, late Miocene (MN10), Torrejón de Velasco, Madrid, Spain
Alberto Valenciano,
Alejandro Pérez-Ramos,
Juan Abella,
Jorge Morales
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Geodiversitas
Vol. 42 • No. 8
April 2020
Vol. 42 • No. 8
April 2020