Diamantohyus africanus STROMER , 1922

Pickford, Martin, Abdel Gawad, Mohamed, Hamdan, Mohamed, El-Barkooky, Ahmed N. & Al Riaydh, Mohammed H., 2021, New Suoid Fossils (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) From The Miocene Of Moghara, Egypt, And Gebel Zelten, Libya: Biochronological Implications, Fossil Imprint 77 (1), pp. 111-125 : 112-113

Diamantohyus africanus STROMER, 1922

H o l o t y p e: BSPG 1926 X, right maxilla with P3/, M1/–M2/, currently lost (Gertrud Rössner, personal communication 2009). Figured in Stromer (1926: pl. 40, fig. 17); also figured in Pickford (1984: fig. 1).

D i a g n o s i s. Differs from species of Sanitherium in having less molarized premolars, and in having anterior and postero-lingual cusps less developed; P4/ with two main cusps and two subsidiary ones; metastylid prominent on unworn specimens; m/1–m/3 ca. 40 mm long (range 37.5 to 42.5 mm) (after Pickford 1984). Smaller than Diamantohyus nadirus ( WILKINSON, 1976) .

T y p e l o c a l i t y a n d a g e. Langental, Namibia, early Miocene.

N e w m a t e r i a l. CUWM 239, left m/3; CUWM 261, right mandible fragment with damaged m/2–m/3; CUWM 360, right mandible fragment and associated m/3.

D e s c r i p t i o n. CUWM 40 (palate), CUWM 57 (m/3), CUWM 59 (M2/), CUWM 63 (left juvenile mandible), CUWM 106 (left adult mandible), CUWM 121 (mandible with m/3) and CUWM 134 (m/1) have already been described ( Tab. 1) ( Pickford et al. 2010). They are re-illustrated in stereo for convenience ( Text-figs 1–6 ) and measurements are provided in Table 2.

CUWM 239 is a left m/ 3 in light wear ( Text-fig. 7 ). Part of the protoconid is missing and there is a crack across the metaconid, but otherwise the specimen is well preserved. It has a small anterior accessory cusplet and larger median and posterior accessory cusplets. The talonid is comprised of a single cuspid which is in line with the protoconid and hypoconid and it has lingual and buccal precristids. The buccal cingulum is well developed and beaded.

Mandible CUWM 261 ( Text-fig. 8 ) is a right mandible preserved from the symphysis to the m/3 but the premolars and first molar are missing and m/2–m/3 are damaged. The rear of the symphysis is beneath the p/3 and the mental foramen is in the lower third of the body of the mandible beneath the front of m/1. The body is deep beneath the m/3 but shallows markedly anteriorly.

CUWM 360 comprises an edentulous mandible fragment with the roots of m/1 and m/2 and the anterior alveoli of m/3, as well as an isolated m/3 missing part of the anterior lophid, found close by ( Text-fig. 9 ). The m/3 is unworn and shows well the beaded buccal cingulum.

Figures

Text-fig. 1. CUWM 40, palate of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt, stereo occlusal view.

Text-fig. 2. Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: CUWM 59, right upper molar, stereo occlusal view; b: CUWM 57, right m/3, b1 – stereo occlusal views, b2 – buccal view, b3 – lingual view.

Text-fig. 3. CUWM 134, right lower molar of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: stereo occlusal view; b: lingual view; c: buccal view.

Text-fig. 4. CUWM 106, left mandible with p/4–m/3 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: buccal view; b: stereo occlusal views; c: lingual view.

Text-fig. 5. CUWM 63, left mandible with d/4–m/2 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: buccal view; b: stereo occlusal views; c: lingual view.

Text-fig. 6. CUWM 121, right mandible with m/3 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: lingual view; b: stereo occlusal views; c: buccal view.

Text-fig. 7. CUWM 239, left m/3 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: buccal view; b: stereo occlusal views; c: lingual view.

Text-fig. 8. CUWM 261, right mandible with damaged m/2–m/3 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: lingual view; b: stereo occlusal views; c: buccal view.

Text-fig. 9. CUWM 360, right mandible fragment and associated m/3 of Diamantohyus africanus from Moghara, Egypt. a: stereo occlusal views; b: buccal view; c: lingual view.