Metridiochoerus sp.

Herries, AIR, Menter, CG & Adams, JW, 2015, First description of in situ primate and faunal remains from the Plio-Pleistocene Drimolen Makondo palaeocave infill, Gauteng, South Africa, Palaeontologia Electronica (Basel, Switzerland) 28 (6), pp. 1-21 : 15-16

Metridiochoerus sp.

Figure 7

Referred material. DNM 57, right maxillary third premolar.

Description. The DNM 57 premolar is an isolated complete crown with light occlusal wear and complete roots ( Figure 7.3–5 ). The tooth was refit from two separated pieces (mesial and distal halves) but the buccal contact surface displays no gap, and there is no apparent metric distortion. While occlusal wear has merged cusp elements (particularly distally), the crown displays a well-developed anterior cingulum and prominent paracone and metacone that are united through wear into an ectoloph. The small protocone is fused to the hypocone by a crest; the hypocone is similarly fused to the metacone through wear (likely representing an obliterated posterior cingulum).

Discussion. The morphological features of the DNM 57 crown align the specimen with early Metridiochoerus (alt. Potamochoeroides Dale, 1948 ; sensu Pickford, 2013) maxillary third premolar specimens. The Makondo specimen is directly comparable to the maxillary P 3 morphology of Metridiochoerus andrewsi (Stage I; sensu Harris and White, 1979) from Makapansgat Member 3 (e.g., M331, M353, M1780, M1957, M2000, M2007, and M8x51). The DNM P 3 (mesiodistal: 13.14 mm; buccolingual: 9.11 mm) is also within the range (or single standard deviation) of Makapansgat Member 3 P 3 specimens in both mesiodistal (12.20 mm; n = 6; s.d. 0.87; min.: 11.04, max.: 13.53) and buccolingual (9.88 mm; n = 7; s.d. 0.56; min.: 9.29 mm, max.: 10.92 mm) dimensions. Unfortunately, there are no maxillary third premolars recorded from early Pleistocene localities in the Cradle with later occurring South African Metridiochoerus andrewsi (e.g., Sterkfontein, Kromdraai, Swartkrans, Gondolin) to allow for comparisons of the Makondo specimen, either through lack of deposition/recovery/ identification, or the shedding of the anterior dentition in these later suids within the lineage.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla from the Drimolen Makondo assemblage. 1 and 2, DNM 143-1, Hippotragus sp. partial horn core; 1, lateral and 2, anterior views. 3–5, DNM 57, Metridiochoerus sp. right maxillary third premolar; 3, lingual, 4, occlusal, and 5, buccal views. 6 and 7, cf. Eurygnathohippus cornelianus left proximal fourth metatarsal; 6, medial and 7, posterior views. Scale bars equal 1 cm.