Nesogale dobsoni (Thomas, 1884)

Denys, Christiane, Gabriel, Nadine W., Lalis, Aude & Jenkins, Paulina, 2024, Subfossil rodents and tenrecs of Children’s Cave, Madagascar, Journal of Natural History 58 (25 - 28), pp. 796-839 : 817-818

Nesogale dobsoni (Thomas, 1884)

Attributed material: Inner recess (superficial): 1 mandibular ramus. Upper Stratum: 2 crania; 5 mandibular rami. Lower Stratum: 2 anterior crania; 5 maxillary fragments; 7 mandibular rami; see Appendix for details.

Although the skulls of N. dobsoni are relatively robust in comparison with Microgale , the anterior parts of the skull are rarely preserved amongst the subfossil material. Deciduous premolars are present in two specimens and two others respectively exhibit an erupting p4 (Stage 2 according to MacPhee 1987) and canine (Stage 4); however, the dentition of other specimens is apparently adult based on premolar and molar dentition.

Few specimens of N. dobsoni occur in the Children’s Cave subfossil remains in comparison to the other species of Oryzorictinae (2.5% of the identified remains). Nesogale dobsoni is relatively common in museum collections and Major collected contemporary live specimens from several humid forest localities but not, however, from Antsirabe or nearby localities ( Jenkins and Carleton 2005). However, N. dobsoni was found in fresh owl pellets at Antsifotrakely ( MacPhee 1987). In comparison with modern specimens from other localities, we find that the Children’s Cave specimens fit within the species’ variability ( Figure 12 ).

Figures

Figure 12. Measurements of subfossil specimens of Nesogale dobsoni from the Children’s Cave in comparison with modern representatives of the species. Measurements in millimetres. ARL:ascending ramus length; MH: mandible height.