VIVERRINAE Gray 1821

Werdelin, Lars, 2019, Middle Miocene Carnivora and Hyaenodonta from Fort Ternan, western Kenya, Geodiversitas 41 (6), pp. 267-283 : 278

Subfamily VIVERRINAE Gray 1821

VIVERRINAE gen. et sp. indet

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — KNM-FT 3373, right m1 .

DESCRIPTION

KNM-FT 3373 ( Fig. 4 J-L)

This m1 is smaller than the m1s of the preceding taxa. It has paraconid, protoconid, and metaconid that are subequal in height, with the paraconid being the largest in occlusal view and protoconid and metaconid nearly equal to each other. The three trigonid cusps are located close together and there is no central valley, only narrow notches between the cusps. The talonid is initially broad but tapers distally obliquely, such that the buccal side is straight and longer than the lingual side, resulting in the hypoconid being located somewhat distal to the entoconid. These two cusps are nearly equal in height, but the hypoconid is larger. There is no hypoconulid in evidence.

Measurements. Lm1 6.1; Wm1 3.5; Ltm1 3.6.

DISCUSSION

There is little to go on in the taxonomic identification of this tooth. Structurally it differs considerably from the two taxa discussed above. The closest similarity appears to be with Legetetia nandii (cf. Schmidt-Kittler [1987: figs 17d-f, 18eg]). Without suggesting specific phylogenetic affinity, the overall structure of the trigonid, as well as the asymmetric form of the talonid, are reminiscent of Genetta and the tooth is therefore tentatively placed in Viverrinae .

Figures

FIG. 4. — Viverridae from Fort Ternan: A-C, Kanuites lewisae KNM-FT 3876, right m1 in buccal (A), lingual (B), and occlusal (C) views; D, E, cf. Tugenictis sp., KNM-FT 15093, right m1 in buccal (D), lingual (E), and occlusal (F) views; G, cf. Tugenictis sp., KNM-FT 3361, left M1 in occlusal view; H, cf. Tugenictis sp., KNM-FT 3398, left M1 in occlusal view; I, cf. Tugenictis sp., KNM-FT 3363, right M2 in occlusal view; J-L, Viverrinae gen. et sp. indet., KNM-FT 3373, right m1 in buccal (J), lingual (K), and occlusal (L) views; M-O, Kanuites cf. lewisae, KNM-FT 8744A, right hemimandible with dc, p1, dp2-dp4 in buccal (M), lingual (N), and occlusal (O) views; P, Kanuites lewisae (holotype),KNM-FT 8747,cranium with right C-P4, left P2-P4 in ventral view; Q, Kanuites cf. lewisae, KNM-FT 8750, cranium with right P1 and DP2-DP4, left P1 and DP3-DP4. Scale bars: A-L, 10 mm; M-Q, 50 mm.