Scontromeryx, Van Der Geer, 2014

Van Der Geer, Alexandra A. E., 2014, Systematic revision of the family Hoplitomerycidae Leinders, 1984 (Artiodactyla: Cervoidea), with the description of a new genus and four new species, Zootaxa 3847 (1), pp. 1-32 : 14-15

Genus Scontromeryx gen. nov.

Hoplitomeryx Leinders, 1984 — Rustioni et al. 1992: pp. 229, 235, figs. 3–5; Mazza & Rustioni 1996: pp. 93–95, 300, 305, fig. 1; Mazza & Rustioni 2008 (partim): p. 208, 212, 214; Mazza & Rustioni 2011: p. 1304–1308, 1310, 1312–1316, 1318, 1322, 1324, 1330, figs. 1–5; Patacca et al. 2013: p. 5.

cf. Amphimoschus Gray, 1852 — Rustioni et al. 1992: p. 230, 236, figs. 4–5; Mazza & Rustioni 1996: p. 94, 96; Mazza & Rustioni 1999: p. 300, 304, fig. 1.

large-sized artiodactyl (present-day fallow deer sized)— Mazza & Rustioni 1996: p. 94, fig. 1.

Taxon A—Mazza & Rustioni 1999: p. 306, figs. 1–2.

Taxon B—Mazza & Rustioni 1999: p. 307, fig. 2.

Taxon C—Mazza & Rustioni 1999: p. 307.

Type species. Scontromeryx minutus ( Mazza & Rustioni, 2011) .

Diagnosis. Hoplitomerycid with cheek teeth formula 3–3 / 3–3 and no upper canines.

Differential diagnosis. Differs from Hoplitomeryx by the presence of the lower and upper second premolars, the absence of a nasal horn core, and the absence of sabre-like upper canines.

Description. Small to medium-sized cervoid from Abruzzo (Central Italy) with paired orbital horn cores in some species, and three premolars and three molars in both upper and lower jaw. Upper canines are lacking. Cheek teeth are brachyodont or mesodont, have rugose or smooth enamel and lack the Palaeomeryx -fold and the Dorcatherium -fold in lower molars. The paraconid in lower premolars is absent or rudimentary, sometimes present only in unworn premolars. The lower molars have triangular labial conids, either widely or closely spaced, welldeveloped metastylids, smooth or rugose enamel and may have an anterior cingulum. The bilophed posterior lobe of lower m3 is distally open in unworn molars. An anterior cingulum can be present. The mandible is slender or pachyostotic with a slightly or more markedly sinuous horizontal ramus and a convex ventral profile. The astragal is compact and has a slightly asymmetrically placed median gorge, an internal condyl that is smaller than the external condyl and a parellel-sided trochlea. The metatarsal has a distally closed dorsal longitudinal gully and is fused with cubonavicocuboid.

Etymology. Named after the village Scontrone, National Park of Abruzzi, L’Aquila, central Italy, where fossil remains of this ruminant were discovered in Tortonian fossiliferous layers.

Remarks. The five species as defined by Mazza & Rustioni (2011) will be left intact but moved to the new genus Scontromeryx . This implies some minor revisions (mainly cheek teeth formula) because the material from Gargano (paratypes in Mazza & Rustioni 2011) is now removed and with it part of the diagnosis.