Paraphiomys pigotti, ANDREWS, 1914

Antoñanzas, Raquel López, Sen, Sevket & Mein, Pierre, 2004, Systematics and phylogeny of the cane rats (Rodentia: Thryonomyidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 142, pp. 423-444 : 426

PARAPHIOMYS PIGOTTI ANDREWS, 1914

This species ( Fig. 3C) was described and illustrated by Andrews (1914: 177–178) based on a fragmentary left mandible with p4-m2 from the Lower Miocene Bed 24 at Kachuku, Karungu area, Kenya ( Andrews, 1914: 177) currently housed in the Natural History Museum (London). This taxon has also been recorded from the Lower Miocene of Rusinga ( Lavocat, 1973) Gumba ( Pickford, 1981), and Moruorot ( Madden, 1972; Pickford, 1981), Kenya. It is known besides from the Lower Miocene of Uganda in the Napak area ( Pickford, 1981; Winkler & Downs, 2002) and Bukwa ( Pickford, 1981). Its presence is mentioned not only in the Middle Miocene of Kenya at Fort Ternan ( Shipman et al., 1981: 67), but also at the (?) early Middle Miocene site of Kirimon ( Pickford, 1981).

Paraphiomys pigotti is clearly distinct from all other Thryonomyidae . It has the metalophulid II on the lower molars, contrary to the condition in Gaudeamus aegyptius , Neosciuromys africanus , Apodecter stromeri , Kochalia geespei , Paraulacodus johanesi , Paraulacodus indicus , Paraphiomys orangeus , P. renelavocati sp. nov., P. roessneri , P. australis , P. shipmani and P. afarensis . Furthermore, P. pigotti differs from P. occidentalis in having a metaloph on the upper molars and from P. hopwoodi , Paraphiomys sp. nov. from Saudi Arabia, and Epiphiomys coryndoni , in being much larger. Paraphiomys pigotti differs from Sacaresia moyaeponsi in having a mesoloph in the upper molars.