34 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 9i 



DESMATOCLAENUS," new genus 



Perhaps one of the most interesting discoveries made by the 

 1939 expedition is the finding in both the Dragon and Wagonroad 

 levels of a new Tdtraclaenodon-like form which nearly bridges the 

 gap between Tetraclaenodon and forms of Protogonodon. Desmato- 

 claenus is so nearly intermediate that its assignment to the condy- 

 larths rather than to the creodonts is entirely arbitrary. 



Type. — Desmatoclaenus hermaeus, new species. 



Generic characters. — P^ with prominent deuterocone and no indi- 

 cation of tritocone. P* intermediate between Protogonodon and Tet- 

 raclaenodon.. Anteroexternal portion of M^ projects outward more 

 than in Protogonodon. External cingiilum discontinuous across par- 

 acone in M^ and M^, and there is no mesostyle between the outer 

 cusps of these teeth. Hypocone, protoconule, and metaconule less 

 developed than in Tetraclaenodon. Hypocone not so lingual in po- 

 sition as in Protogonodon. M^ relatively small with prominent cin- 

 guliun about protocone and without evidence of a hypocone. P^ 

 nearly as in Tertaclaenodon but relatively small. Lower molars with 

 lingually placed paraconid much better defined than in Tetraclae- 

 nodon., and talonid basin not so broad as in Protogonodon. M3 with 

 cuspidate entoconid-hypoconulid crest. 



DESMATOCLAENUS HERMAEUS i« new species 



Type. — Greater portion of upper and lower dentition, U.S.N.M. 

 No. 16202. 



Horizon and locality. — Wagonroad Paleocene, Dragon Canyon, 

 Emery County, Utah. 



SjjecifiG characters. — Size near Protogonodon protogonioides., 

 slightly smaller than Tetraclaenodon puerceiisis. 



Description. — The specimen comprising the best material is an 

 assortment of 14 more or less complete upper and lower teeth, clearly 

 from one individual. No. 16202 (fig. 19), found in the Wagonroad 

 horizon. The inclusion in the material of upper and lower premo- 

 lars was extremely fortunate in that the approach to Tetraclaenodon 

 is more distinctly shown. 



P^, though incomplete anteriorly, is much like that in Tetraclae- 

 nodon., with the principal cusp somewhat flattened transversely and 

 exhibiting a sloping posterior crest but with no indication of a 

 tritocone — the principal cusp is higher and moi-e conical in Protog- 

 onodon. The deuterocone, a distinct cuspule almost as well devel- 

 oped as in Tertacl-aenod.on., is placed somewhat farther forward than 

 in this form, about in the position occupied by a suggestion of a 



^^ika/ia, a chain or link + claenus. 

 " 'ipftaiov, a lucky find. 



