Hystrix cf. primigenia (Wagner, 1848)

Sen, Sevket, 2001, Early Pliocene porcupine (Mammalia, Rodentia) from Perpignan, France: a new systematic study, Geodiversitas 23 (2), pp. 303-312 : 310

Hystrix cf. primigenia (Wagner, 1848) ( Fig. 6 )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — M1 or M2 dex (10.3 × 10.0) (PR-153) and m1 or m2 sin (10.7 × 9.1) (PR-156).

LOCALITY. — Serrat d’en Vacquer, Perpignan, Pyrénées orientales, France.

DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON

Perpignan collection includes two specimens that are different in size and morphology from the other specimens described above as Hystrix depereti n. sp. Their colour is also different: brown in these two teeth while all other Hystrix remains from Serrat d’en Vacquer are whitish or beige in colour. Thus, they may have been erroneously mixed with the Perpignan material.

These two teeth are first characterized by their smaller size. P4 has a rectangular occlusal outline although it represents a very adult individual (age class II or IV). Its occlusal surface has the usual pattern of Hystrix , with a deep lingual hypoflexus and four labial synclines. Its typical feature is the depth of the hypoflexus which starts, in lingual view, at 4.6 mm above the base of the crown. The large lingual root is grooved and subdivided into two cavities. In addition, there are two small labial roots.

The m1 or m2 is also differentiated by its smaller size compare to other Hystrix remains from Perpignan. The pattern of the occlusal surface is as in H. primigenia and Hystrix depereti n. sp.: one labial hypoflexid and four labial synclines which are rather oblique. From the labial view, the hypoflexid is deep; it starts at 7.3 mm above the base of the crown. There are two labial and two lingual roots.

These two teeth cannot be attributed to Hystrix depereti n. sp. because of their smaller size, less hypsodont crown, and deeper hypoflexus (id). The characters mentioned above fit better with those of H. primigenia , when compared with the specimens from Pikermi ( Greece), Kalimanci IV and Hadji Dimovo ( Bulgaria).

Figures

FIG. 6. — Hystrix cf. primigenia (Wagner, 1848) from?Serrat d’en Vacquer; A, B, M1 or M2, inverted; A, occlusal view; B, labial view; C, D, m1 or m2, from the left side; C, occlusal view; D, labial view. Scale bar: 10 mm.