Gracilocyon solei, Smith & Smith, 2009

Smith, Thierry & Smith, Richard, 2009, A New Genus of “ Miacid ” Carnivoran from the Earliest Eocene of Europe and North America, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 55 (4), pp. 761-764 : 762

Gracilocyon solei sp. nov.

Fig. 1 , Table 1.

Etymology: Named for Floréal Solé in recognition of his contribution to the understanding of the early Eocene carnivorans.

Holotype: IRSNB M1327 (DIII314RS), left M1.

Type locality: Dormaal, Flemish Brabant, Belgium (Smith and Smith 1996).

Type horizon: Dormaal Member, Tienen Formation, Landen Group, earliest Eocene, reference level MP 7 (see Aguilar et al. 1997).

Referred material.—DIIC254RS, right p4; IRSNB M1325 (TS46), right p4; Eq18, right p4; IRSNB M1326 (D133), left m2; TS62, left m2; DIIC1718RS, left M1; WL1422, right M2; IRSNB M1328 (DIII795RS), left M2; DIII2163RS, left M2; D2462MG, left M2.

Differential diagnosis.— Gracilocyon solei gen. et sp. nov. differs from all the members of the “ Miacidae ” except G. rosei by its very small size. Differs from G. winkleri by the deeper talonid basin on p4 and m2, and a more lingual paraconid and a narrower talonid basin on m2. Differs from G. rosei by the deeper ectoflexus and the larger and more labially placed metastylar lobe on M1.

Geographic and stratigraphic range.— Gracilocyon solei is known from the earliest Eocene (MP7) Tienen Formation at Dormaal (Flemish Brabant) and Erquelinnes (Hainaut) in Belgium.

Figures

Fig. 1. “Miacid” carnivoran Gracilocyon solei sp. nov., from the earliest Eocene of the Tienen Formation, Dormaal, Belgium, in labial (A1–D1), occlusal (A2–D2), and lingual (A3, B3) views. A. IRSNB M 1325 (TS46), Rp4. B. IRSNB M 1326 (D133), Lm2. C. IRSNB M 1327 (DIII314RS, holotype), LM1. D. IRSNB M 1328 (DIII795RS), LM2. SEM micrographs.