New early late Miocene species of Vishnuonyx (Carnivora, Lutrinae) from the hominid locality of Hammerschmiede, Bavaria, Germany

Abstract

This study presents a new species of a large-sized lutrine from the upper Miocene hominid locality of Hammerschmiede, Vishnuonyx neptuni sp. nov., reporting the first occurrence of the genus in Europe and its most northern and western record. The new species differs from the already known members of the genus in size (intermediate between the African Vishnuonyx? angololensis and the Asiatic Vishnuonyx chinjiensis) and morphology, in particular in the larger P4 hypocone, the primitive morphology of M1 (paraconule present, enlarged protoconule and metaconule, labial expansion at the paracone area), the shorter and more robust lower premolars and the wider m1 trigonid. We hypothesized that the dispersal event that led to the expansion of the genus in Europe seems to be correlated with the water connection between Paratethys and the Mesopotamian Basin during the Konkian, between 13.4 and 12.65 Ma. In terms of paleoecology, it is here suggested that this form was feeding mainly on fish and less on bivalves or plant material, resembling the extant giant otter, Pteronura brasiliensis.

The exceptionally high diversity of small carnivorans from the Late Miocene hominid locality of Hammerschmiede (Bavaria, Germany)

“…Other included species: Vishnuonyx ? angololensis Werdelin, 2003 [ 108 ]; Vishnuonyx maemohensis Grohé et al, 2020 [ 109 ]; Vishnuonyx neptuni Kargopoulos et al, 2021 [ 22 ].…”

“…Comparison: The genus Vishnuonyx has been considered as member of the group of bunodont otters [ 117 ]. However, it exhibits some unique characteristics that differentiate it from more typical genera of this group (such as Enhydriodon Falconer, 1868 [ 118 ] or Sivaonyx Pilgrim, 1931 [ 54 ]) [ 22 ]. The upper molar is mesiodistally short and its lingual platform is reduced; the accessory cuspid of p4 is relatively fused mesially with the main cuspid and the talonid is shorter than the trigonid, surrounded by a crenulated rim [ 22 ].…”

“…angololensis in Africa. These four species are differentiated based on their size ( Table 10 ; [ 22 ] ), as V . chinjiensis and V .…”

“…Later, [ 1 ] and [ 16 ] published a preliminary faunal list for the locality, reporting carnivorans of several families. The present article is a part of a detailed review of the carnivoran fauna of the locality that has started recently with the publications of [ 21 – 23 ] , reporting the discovery of the viverrids Semigenetta sansaniensis [ 28 ] and Semigenetta grandis Crusafont Pairó & Golpe Posse, 1981 [ 29 ]; the new otter species Vishnuonyx neptuni Kargopoulos et al, 2021 [ 22 ]; the ictithere Thalassictis montadai Villalta Comella & Crusafont Pairó, 1943 [ 30 ] and a large hyaenid.…”

Unexpected cranial sexual dimorphism in the tragulid Dorcatherium naui based on material from the middle to late Miocene localities of Eppelsheim and Hammerschmiede (Germany)

“…The sediments comprise floodplain deposits belonging to the Upper Series , the youngest lithostratigraphic part of the Upper Freshwater Molasse [ 17 , 18 ]. Two fossil bearing levels HAM 5 and HAM 4 represent meandering fluvial channels [ 19 ], which contain a rich fauna including bivalves and gastropods [ 20 ], fishes, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, large mammals [ 21 – 26 ], and birds [ 27 , 28 ]. The locality became famous through the discovery of associated skeletons of the hominid Danuvius guggenmosi [ 22 , 23 ].…”