The osteology of Matutinia (Simplicidentata, Mammalia) and its relationship to Rhombomylus

Title Variants

Alternative: Morphology of Matutinia

Related Titles

Series: American Museum novitates, no. 3371

By

Ting, Su-Yin
Meng, Jin (Paleontologist)
McKenna, Malcolm C.
Li, Chuan-Kuei.

Type

Book

Material

Published material

Publication info

New York, NY American Museum of Natural History c2002

Notes

Title from caption.

"June 21, 2002."

"Eurymylids are commonly accepted as the closest relatives of Rodentia ... although they may be a paraphyletic group"--P. 2.

New dental, cranial, and postcranial specimens of the eurymylid Matutinia nitidulus from the early Eocene Lingcha Formation, Hengyang Basin, Hunan Province, China, are described. These materials are among the best of basal gliroid mammals from Asia. Matutinia is similar to Rhombomylus in general tooth and cranial morphologies, including an expanded hypocone shelf on the upper cheek teeth and a complex zygomatic arch. These features distinguish the two genera from other eurymylids such as Heomys and Eurymylus. Matutinia differs from Rhombomylus in having lower crowned and less lophate cheek teeth, fewer bony septa in the mastoid chamber, a lower promontorium, and a carotid foramen in the ear region. Based on the new material, we consider Matutinia a valid genus, not a junior synonym of Rhombomylus.

Subjects

China , Eocene , Hunan Sheng , Mammals, Fossil , Matutinia nitidulus , Paleontology , Rhombomylus

Call Number

QL1 .A436 no.3371 2002

Language

English

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0082(2002)371<0001:TOOMSM>2.0.CO;2
OCLC: 50170685