48 



CARNIVOEA 



ORDER III 



The genus Archaeopteropus Meschinelli from the Oligocene of Monteviale 

 probably belongs to the Megachiroptera. 



Remains of Microchiroptera have been found in large quantities only in 

 the Phosphorites of Quercy, the Pleistocene in European and Brazilian caves, 

 but these Pleistocene remains belong almost exclusively to recent forms. 

 In the Eocene of Paris and Aix, and also in the Miocene, remains of bats are 

 very rare, with the exception of the locality of La Grive St. Alban. 



The Chiroptera from the Phosphorites comprise the following genera : 

 Pseudorhinolophus (Fig. 75) and Vespertiliavus Schlosser, TapJiosous Geoffr., 

 Alastor and Necromantis Weithofer, the latter of which is closely related 

 to living South American forms, which is also true of Provampyrus Schlosser 

 from the Oligocene of Egypt. In the Miocene, besides the extinct genus 

 Palaeonyderis, there are the living 

 genera Vespertilio, Vesperugo, Rhino- 

 lophus, and Cynonyderis. 



m?. 



Fig. 75. 



Pseudorhinolophus sp. Phosphorites of Quercy. a, lateral aspect of skull with lower jaw, i/i ; 6, superior 

 aspect of same, i/i ; c, inferior aspect of upper dentition, enlarged; d, lateral aspect of lower dentition, 

 enlarged. (After Schlos.ser.) 



Order III. CARNIVORA. 



Carnivorous mammals include a great variety of extinct and recent 

 forms ; some of which are aquatic, but the majority are of terrestrial habit, 

 mostly of moderate size, but varying considerably in this respect. The 

 dentition is regularly diphyodont and heterodont, the teeth always rooted ; 

 incisors usually f, canines always \, strong, pointed, recurved. Cheek teeth 

 more or less sectorial, posterior molars generally flattened and tuberculated, 

 never compound. The milk dentition is invariably complete. 



In all recent forms the brain is of moderate capacity, with strongly 

 convoluted hemispheres ; but in the earliest fossil forms (Creodontia) it is 

 smaller and nearly smooth. The feet have never less than four well- 

 developed digits, and a fifth may be present; they are unguiculate, the claws 

 being more or less pointed, rarely rudimentary or absent, and may be 

 either plantigrade, digitigrade, or, as in the seals, modified into flippers. 

 Three suborders are recognised, namely, Creodontia, Fissipedia and 

 Piimipedia. 



Suborder A. CREODONTIA. Primitive Carnivora.i 



Extinct digitigrade or semiplantigrade carnivores with small weakly convoluted 



3.1.4.3 



cerebrum. Dentition generally ' ' ' ' . Molars trenchant or tubercular, more or less 



^ Cope, E. D., Tlie Creodonta.. ATnericaii Naturalist, 1884, pp. 255-478.— FtY/jo/, 77. Ann. See. 

 Geol., 1872, vol. iii. ; 1876, vol. vii. ; 1877, vol. viii.— Ann. See. Sci. Phys. Nat. Toulouse, 1882.— 

 Martin, R., Revision der Creodonten Europas, Revue Suisse Zool. Geneve, 1906. — Matthew, IV. D., 



