Mammalodon, PRITCHARD, 1939

Fitzgerald, Erich M. G., 2010, The morphology and systematics of Mammalodon colliveri (Cetacea: Mysticeti), a toothed mysticete from the Oligocene of Australia, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 158 (2), pp. 367-476 : 374

MAMMALODON PRITCHARD, 1939

Type and only included species: Mammalodon colliveri Pritchard, 1939 .

Diagnosis: As for the type species Ma. colliveri , at present the only included species.

Remarks: In his original description of Ma. colliveri Pritchard (1939: 157) submitted the following ‘marked features’ as being diagnostic of the species Mammalodon colliveri : ‘... (1) very small crown to length of root, (2) (lower) teeth set very close together in groups with a very definite rake, (3) each molar and praemolar (sic) distinctly medially grooved indicating double fanged teeth, and (4) very large countersunk holed (sic) for the anterior teeth. (5) Jaw bones very flat and straight.’ Of these features: (1) is impos- sible to verify, because the tooth crowns in the holotype of Ma. colliveri are heavily worn; (2) is a potential mammalodontid synapomorphy; (3) (doublerooted lower cheek teeth) is a neocete plesiomorphy; (4) is presumably referring to the alveoli for the lower incisors, canine, and p1 and is thus a spurious interpretation of anatomy; and (5) is perhaps an autapomorphy of Ma. colliveri .