New phiocricetomyine rodents (Hystricognathi) from the Jebel Qatrani Formation, Fayum Depression, Egypt

Al-Ashqar, SF; Seiffert, ER; de Vries, D; El-Sayed, S; Antar, MS; Sallam, HM

Abstract

Background The rich rodent assemblages from the Eocene–Oligocene deposits of the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Fayum Depression, Egypt) have important implications for our understanding of the origin and paleobiogeography of Hystricognathi, a diverse clade that is now represented by the Afro-Asiatic Hystricidae, New World Caviomorpha, and African Phiomorpha. Methods Here we present previously undescribed material of the enigmatic hystricognath clade Phiocricetomyinae, from two stratigraphic levels in the lower sequence of the Jebel Qatrani Formation—a new genus and species (Qatranimys safroutus) from the latest Eocene Locality 41 (~34 Ma, the oldest and most productive quarry in the formation) and additional material of Talahphiomys lavocati from that species’ type locality, early Oligocene Quarry E (~31–33.2 Ma). Results The multiple specimens of Qatranimys safroutus from L-41 document almost the entire lower and upper dentition, as well as mandibular fragments and the first cranial remains known for a derived phiocricetomyine. Specimens from Quarry E allow us to expand comparisons with specimens from Libya (late Eocene of Dur at-Talah and early Oligocene of Zallah Oasis) that have been placed in T. lavocati, and we show that the Dur at-Talah and Zallah specimens do not pertain to this species. These observations leave the Fayum Quarry E as the only locality where T. lavocati occurs.

Citation

Al-Ashqar, S., Seiffert, E., de Vries, D., El-Sayed, S., Antar, M., & Sallam, H. (2021). New phiocricetomyine rodents (Hystricognathi) from the Jebel Qatrani Formation, Fayum Depression, Egypt. PeerJ, 9, e12074. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12074

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 5, 2021
• Publication Date: Oct 19, 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 28, 2021
• Journal: PeerJ
• Publisher: PeerJ
• Volume: 9
• Pages: e12074
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12074
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12074
• Related Public URLs: https://peerj.com/
• Additional Information: Additional Information : ** From Crossref journal articles via Jisc Publications Router **Journal IDs: eissn 2167-8359 **History: issued 19-10-2021; published_online 19-10-2021; Funders : U.S. National Science Foundation;The Leakey Foundation;Mansoura University; Projects : BCS-0416164, BCS-0819186, BCS-1231288, and BCS-1824745;unspecified; Grant Number: BCS-0416164, BCS-0819186, BCS-1231288, and BCS-1824745