Paraphiomys hopwoodi

Antoñanzas, Raquel López, Sen, Sevket & Mein, Pierre, 2004, Systematics and phylogeny of the cane rats (Rodentia: Thryonomyidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 142, pp. 423-444 : 429

PARAPHIOMYS HOPWOODI LAVOCAT, 1973

As explained below, this taxon was originally established at the subspecies rank. Its morphological characteristics suggest that it is better considered as a distinct species.

The holotype of P. hopwoodi ( Lavocat, 1973: 44) is a left mandibular fragment (KNM SO 627) with d4-m2 and an erupting m3 from the Lower Miocene of Songhor. There are many differences between P. hopwoodi and Gaudeamus aegyptius , Neosciuromys africanus , Apodecter stromeri , Kochalia geespei , Paraulacodus johanesi , Paraulacodus indicus , Paraphiomys renelavocati sp. nov., P. orangeus , P. simonsi , P. roessneri , P. australis , P. shipmani and P. afarensis . One of these is the presence of the metalophulid II on the lower molars of the former. Paraphiomys hopwoodi differs from Paraphiomys sp. nov. from Saudi Arabia in being larger, having the upper molars less antero-posteriorly compressed and in showing a less labially displaced hypocone. Paraphiomys hopwoodi is distinct from P. occidentalis and P. pigotti in being much smaller. It differs from Epiphiomys coryndoni , e.g. in having the metalophid II much less developed, and from Sacaresia moyaeponsi in having an anterolabial cuspid on the lower molars.