Deinogalerix, Freudenthal, 1972

Savorelli, Andrea, Masini, Federico, Mazza, Paul P. A., Rossi, Maria Adelaide & Agostini, Silvano, 2017, New species of Deinogalerix (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla) from the late Miocene of Scontrone (Abruzzo, central Italy), Palaeontologia Electronica 11 (2), pp. 1-26 : 7-9

Genus DEINOGALERIX Freudenthal, 1972

Type Species. Deinogalerix koenigswaldi Freudenthal, 1972 from the Messinian (latest Miocene) of Gargano (Apulia, south-eastern Italy), fissure San Giovannino (Foggia, south-eastern Italy; Freudenthal, 1972).

Included Species. Deinogalerix brevirostris Butler, 1980 ; Deinogalerix freudenthali Butler, 1980 ; Deinogalerix intermedius Butler, 1980 ; Deinogalerix minor Butler, 1980 ; Deinogalerix masinii Villier et al., 2013 ; Deinogalerix samniticus sp. nov.

Distribution. Early Tortonian (early late Miocene) of Scontrone (Abruzzo, central Italy) to Messinian (late late Miocene) of Gargano (south-eastern Italy).

Original diagnosis. See Freudenthal (1972).

Emended Diagnosis (from Villier et al., 2013, p. 65). ‘Large galericini ; I1 much larger than I2 and I3; P3, P4, p3, p4, and the trigonid of m1 enlarged; posterior molars reduced; P3 and p4 bunodont; on p4 the trigonid is well-defined, the paralophid is absent or partially developed and the metaconid and the distal-ridge form a continuum via a bulbous metacristid; hypocone and protostyle on P3 invariably present; hypoconule present on P4; connection protocone-metaconule usually absent on M1 and M2; on M1 and M2 the postcrista of the metaconule reaches the bucco-distal corner of the tooth, distal cingulum bipartitionated; mesostyle of M1 and M2 round and not divided; metastylar crest of M3 well-developed and inflated; mandible with small coronoid process and low condyle; supraorbital processes present and formed by the frontal’.

Revised Diagnosis. Large galericini ; I1 much larger than I2 and I3; P3, P4, p3, p4, and trigonid of m1 enlarged; posterior molars reduced; P3 and p4 bunodont; p4 with well-delineated trigonid, weak mesial part of paracristid, preprotocristid blunt, metaconid and distal cingulum joined by bulbous mesostylid; hypocone constantly present in P3; protocone and metaconule usually not connected in M1 and M2; in M1-2 distal cingulum interrupted, or distal arm of metaconule sometimes confluent

Dental Measurements with uninterrupted distal cingulum ( Figure 4.1-2 ); bulging and undivided mesostyle in M1 and M2; metastylar crest of M3 well-developed and inflated; supraorbital processes present and formed by frontal bone; mandible with small coronoid process, low condyle, and mental foramen under mesial root or between roots of p3.

Figures

FIGURE 4. 1, Left M1 (F9-018), undetermined Deinogalerix sp. from fissure F9, oblique, occluso-distal view. 2, same as 1 with sketch showing contact of the distal arm of the metaconule with the uninterrupted distal cingulum. 3, left m1 (paratype SCT 347), Deinogalerix samniticus sp. nov., occlusal view. 4, same specimen as 3, lingual view. Arrows in 3 and 4 showing mesiolingual bulge. 5, left p4 (holotype SCT 246), Deinogalerix samniticus sp. nov., occlusal view. 6, same as 5, with sketch showing roundish, delimited lingually, trigonid valley. 7, right P3-P4 (paratype SCT 19), Deinogalerix samniticus sp. nov., occlusal view. 8, same as 7 with sketch showing the weak separation of protocone and hypocone. Hyc = Hypocone, Mecl = Metaconule, Mec = Metacone, Mecd = Metaconid, Pac = Paracone, Pacd = Paraconid, Prc = Protocone, Prcd = Protoconid. Figures not to scale.