Paraphiomys, Antoñanzas & Sen & Mein, 2004

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 : 430

PARAPHIOMYS ORANGEUS MEIN ET PICKFORD, 2003

This species has been reported from the Early Miocene (17.5–17 Myr old) Orange river deposit of Arrisdrift, Namibia ( Mein & Pickford, 2003: 153). The holotype, AD 408 ¢ 97, is a left mandible with i, p4-m3 ( Mein & Pickford, 2003: fig. 7). Paraphiomys orangeus differs from P. shipmani in having a tiny anteroconid on the p4. It is distinct from P. pigotti , P. hopwoodi , Paraphiomys sp. nov. from Saudi Arabia, P. occidentalis , Epiphiomys coryndoni and Sacaresia moyaeponsi mainly in the absence of metalophulid II on the lower molars. Paraphiomys orangeus differs from Kochalia geespei in having the anterolabial cuspid of the lower molars less strong and the posterior part of the m3 much less reduced. It is distinct from P. renelavocati sp. nov. in having a transverse hypolophid on the p4. It is larger than Apodecter stromeri and P. shipmani , and smaller than Neosciuromys africanus , P. simonsi , P. pigotti , P. occidentalis , P. afarensis and the two species of Paraulacodus . One of the differences between P. orangeus and P. roessneri and P. australis is the presence of mesoloph on the P4 and M1 of the former.