Pontophoca Mc Laren, 1960

Koretsky, I., Rahmat, S. & Peters, N., 2014, Rare Late Miocene Seal Taxa (Carnivora, Phocidae) From The North Sea Basin, Vestnik Zoologii 48 (5), pp. 419-432 : 421

Genus Pontophoca Mc Laren, 1960

1860 (atlas 1858) Phoca — von Nordmann: 317, 356–357, pl. 23, fig. 3 , 7; pl. 24, fig. 1 ; 1922 Phoca — Kellogg: 120 (part); 1924 Phoca — Alekseev: 203, fig. 4–7; 1925 Phoca — Simionescu: 180, 188, 190–191, fig. 5P; pl. 1, fig. 2 ; 1941 Phoca — Macarovici, Oescu: 351–352, 363–367, 378–379, fig. 7, 8; pl. 2, fig. 13, 19; 1941 Pontophoca — Kretzoi: 354, fig. 3.2 (nom. nud.); 1942 Phoca — Macarovici: 262–263, 267, pl. 2, fig. 18.1; 1947 Phoca — Friant: 12; 1947 Monachus — Friant: 6, 16, 47–50, pl. 1, fig. 1a–c ; 1956 Phoca — Pidoplichko: 142; 1960 Phoca — McLaren: 51, 52; *1960 Pontophoca — McLaren: 47, 52, fig. 1g, h, I ; 1961 Phoca — Kirpichnikov: 29, 32, 34, 36; 1964 Pontophoca — King: 131; 1965 Phoca — Aslanova: 52; 1977 Phoca — Grigorescu: 407, 411, 413–418, fig. 5D; 1979 Phoca — Dubrovo, Kapelist: 36; 1985 Phoca — Trelea, Simionescu: 19; 1992 Phoca — Muizon: 35; 2002 Pontophoca — Koretsky, Grigorescu: 149–162, fig. 1–3.

T y p e s p e c i e s: Phoca sarmatica Alekseev, 1924 (pl. 1, 1А, 1B). Holotype from Kishinev, Moldova, Eastern Europe ( Alekseev, 1924), Middle Miocene, middle Sarmatian.

S t r a t i g r a p h i c a l r a n g e. Aside from the type locality the genus is also known from the late Miocene (early-middle Tortonian, 8.0–11.5 ma) of Denmark, northern Europe.

I n c l u d e d s p e c i e s. Until now, only the type species was included in this genus. Here, we introduce a second species, Pontophoca jutlandica Koretsky et al. , sp. n.

R e f e r r e d m a t e r i a l. Mandible, scapula, tibiae and fibulae, femora, humeri, innominates ( Koretsky, Grigorescu, 2002).

E m e n d e d d i a g n o s i s. Lower premolars p1 and p2 double-rooted, placed parallel to tooth row axis; protoconid on p2 triangular; diastemata present; metaconid and basal cingulum weakly developed. Deltoid crest of humerus terminates in middle of diaphysis, its proximal part averted in dorsal direction; distal epiphysis considerably inflated compared to proximal epiphysis; lesser tubercle located higher than proximal end of deltoid crest and head; index of head’s height (ratio of head width/head height) near 100 %; supracondylar crest strongly developed. Height of femoral greater trochanter slightly exceeds that of head; its distal end narrower than its proximal end; head very small compared with the otherwise massive bone and seated on narrow neck; minimal width of diaphysis located in proximal part of bone between neck and distal part of greater trochanter; distal end of femur 1.4– 1.5 times broader than proximal end; condyles widely separated; maximal distance between epicondyles about or more than 70 % of bone’s length.

Figures

Plate 1. Fig. 1. Pontophoca sarmatica, right femur; Kishinev, Moldavia (Middle Miocene, middle Sarmatian); аfter Koretsky, Grigorescu (2002: fig. 3); USNM 214980: 1A — cranial; 1B — caudal view. Рис. 1. Pontophoca sarmatica, правая бедренная кость; Кишинев, Молдова (средний миоцен, средний сармат); по: Koretsky, Grigorescu (2002: рис. 3); USNM 214980: 1A — вид спереди; 1B — вид сзади.

Fig. 2. Pontophoca jutlandica sp. n., holotype, incomplete right femur; Gram, Jutland, Denmark. Clay pit of Gram Teglvaerk, Gram Formation (late Miocene, early-middle Tortonian, 8.0–11.5 ma); MSM 1788: 2A — cranial; 2B — caudal view. Рис. 2. Pontophoca jutlandica sp. n., голотип, неполная правая бедренная кость; Грам, Ютландия, Дания. Карьер Грамского кирпичного завода, грамская свита (поздний миоцен, верхний-средний тортон, 8,0–11,5 млн лет назад); MSM 1788: 1A — вид спереди; 1B — вид сзади.