Myocricetodon eskihisarensis

Antoñanzas, Raquel López, 2009, First Potwarmus from the Miocene of Saudi Arabia and the early phylogeny of murines (Rodentia: Muroidea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 156, pp. 664-679 : 671

MYOCRICETODON ESKIHISARENSIS WESSELS, ÜNAY,

AND TOBIEN, 1987

The holotype of this species (ME 1977) is a M1 from the late Middle Miocene Yeni Eskihisar locality ( Turkey). It is housed in the MTA. Further material of this species has been found from the Late Miocene 64, 65, 4, 8A ( Sen, 2003), and Sariçay ( Ünay, de Bruijn & Saraç, 2003) localities (Sinap Formation, Turkey). This taxon was originally placed in the genus Myocricetodon , but it is uncertain whether or not it is a close relative of the type species of Myocricetodon , Myocricetodon cherifiensis .

The M1s of Myocricetodon eskihisarensis differ from AJ 7 in lacking the anterior cingulum, in having a large paracone spur, a prominent enterostyle connected to the protocone, and in often having a new longitudinal crest. In contrast, AJ7 has a welldeveloped anterior cingulum, an isolated and small enterostyle, and has neither a longitudinal crest nor a paracone spur. The M2 of M. eskihisarensis has a small additional cusp on its most labial border, the lingual branch of the anterior cingulum weaker than the labial one, a paracone spur, and a large enterostyle, which connects to the protocone in some specimens. In contrast, AJ11 and AJ12 lack the additional anterolabial cusp and the spur of the paracone, both branches of the anterior cingulum are prominent, and they have a small and isolated enterostyle. The m1 of M. eskihisarensis differs from AJ 13 in being unreduced anteriorly, in showing a well-developed anteroconid, and in having a complete longitudinal crest.