Miosorex sp.

Van Den Hoek Ostende, Lars W., Casanovas-Vilar, Isaac & Furió, Marc, 2020, Stuck in the middle. A geographical appraisal of the oldest insectivores - and a marsupial - from the Vallès-Penedès Basin (early Miocene, Catalonia, Spain), Comptes Rendus Palevol 19 (1), pp. 1-25 : 17

Miosorex sp.

( Fig. 5 J-M)

MATERIAL AND MEASUREMENTS (in cm). — Spain. Can Martí Vell III, 1 m 3 sin., IPS90090 , 0.88 × 0.57 ; Can Martí Vell II, 1 m 1 sin., IPS86263 , 1.38 × 0.86 × 0.92 ; Can Martí Vell I, 1 M1 sin., IPS86242 , 1.22 × – ; Vilobí del Penedès , 1 I 1 sin., IPS86865 , 1.38 × 0.74 × 1.01 .

DESCRIPTION

I1

The root is missing in the only specimen found. The dorsal margin is curved and the labial posterior side is covered by a marked cingulum. The apex and the talon extend ventrally to a similar extent.

M1

The hypoconal flange is missing in the only specimen found. The anterior margin is much shorter than the posterior one. The posterior emargination bears a marked cingulum which narrows at the point of maximum concavity. The posterior arm of the protocone does not reach the base of the metacone, but it is addressed to the hypocone.

Mandible

The specimen IPS86186 is preserved in a fragment of horizontal ramus, which shows that the mental foramen is placed below the protoconid of the m1.

m1

The trigonid and talonid of the m1’s have a similar length, though the talonid is wider. The entoconid is much elevated, and it is separated from the entostylid by a prominent notch. There is a thin but well-defined cingulid covering all the posterior, labial and anterior base of the tooth.

m2

The m2 of this specimen shows similar traits as those of the m1, but the trigonid is less open (i.e., shorter paralophid), and the trigonid and talonid have similar widths.

m3 The trigonid resembles that of the m2.The talonid is reduced,with its various elements merged into a crest circling the talonid basin. The cingulid is well developed on the anterior and labial sides.