Samodorcas kuhlmanni ( Andrée, 1926 )

Kostopoulos, Dimitris S., 2014, Taxonomic re-assessment and phylogenetic relationships of Miocene homonymously spiral-horned antelopes, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (1), pp. 9-29 : 14

Samodorcas kuhlmanni ( Andrée, 1926)

Holotype: Partial skull, PIM 142 ( Andrée 1926: pls. 13: 5, 15: 11). Type locality: Samos , Greece (unknown level).

Type horizon: Most likely Turolian, Late Miocene.

Emended diagnosis.—Plesiomorphic traits: face short and shallow; lacrimal fossa large, round and moderately deep; ethmoidal fissure present; infraorbital foramina located above the level of P2; postcornual fossae present. Apomorphic traits: medium size; face rather strongly inclined compared to the braincase; frontals moderately elevated between the horncores; opisthocranium short; postcornual fossae large and shallow, and situated laterally; supraorbital foramina located in deep, large, and closely spaced depressions; horncores long, homonymously twisted, closely spaced, strongly posteriorly inclined, and inserted at the posterior part of the dorsal margins of the orbits; horncores anteroporteriorly compressed at the base and bearing a strong anteromedial keel proximally, as well as a strong posterolateral keel on their distal portion; anterior surface of distal part of horncores bearing a wide and shallow depression that continues proximally as a moderately deep furrow with sharp edges; premolars short compared to molars; upper molars with central islets; lower molars with basal pillars.

Remarks.—This extremely rare bovid species, known only from its holotype and some uncertainly assigned dental material ( Solounias 1981: 167), shows a combination of advanced and primitive features. The position of the postcornual fossae, the degree of homonymous torsion, and the strong horncore compression (here, however, anteroposterior), as well as the presence of a medial keel developed along the proximal portion of the horncores and the wide and shallow depression along their anterior surfaces ( Andrée 1926: pl. 13: 5) resemble Hispanodorcas .

Geographic and stratigraphic range.—Turolian (Late Miocene) of Greece.