Hsiangolestes Zheng and Huang, 1984

Ting, Suyin, Wang, Xiaoming & Meng, Jin, 2023, Cranial And Postcranial Morphology Of The Insectivoran-Grade Mammals Hsiangolestes And Naranius (Mammalia, Eutheria) With Analyses Of Their Phylogenetic Relationships, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2023 (463), pp. 1-129 : 15-19

Hsiangolestes Zheng and Huang, 1984

TYPE SPECIES: Hsiangolestes youngi, Zheng and Huang, 1984 .

INCLUDED SPECIES: Type species only.

DISTRIBUTION AND AGE: Early Eocene (Bumbanian Asian Land Mammal Age), Lingcha Formation, Hengyang Basin, Hunan Province, China.

REVISED DIAGNOSIS: The size of this “insectivoran” is similar to that of the Asian house shrew ( Suncus murinus ) (see figs. 7, 8 for size variation and tables 1, 2, 3 for measurements), dental formula being 3.1.4.3/3.1.4.3, I1 subequal to I 2 in size (char. 6), presence of diastema posterior to P2 (char. 30), P3 paracone greatly enlarged (char. 32), anterior edge of P4 slightly shorter than the posterior (P4 less asymmetrical) (char. 48), p3 subequal to p 2 in size (char. 57), p3 protoconid subequal to p 4 in size (char. 58), paracrista weak (char. 85), protocristid transversely situated (char. 116), talonid basin shaped with multicusps (char. 118), internal carotid artery transpromontorial (char. 245), fenestra cochlear posteromedially situated to fenestra vestibuli (char. 264).

A ccr ec B

prcd

pcr

mcr

mc

hcld

pomcl cr

precid cr

mcl

hc tad b

pcd

hc

encd encrd mcd

popr cr proc

Similar to Sinosinopa in having seven postca- shaped instead of heel (char. 67), trigonid anteronine teeth (char. 1), absence of P1 procumbent posteriorly compressed (char. 114), and presence (char. 23), presence of diastema posterior to P2 of entocristid (char. 126).

(char. 30), P3 paracone greatly enlarged (char. Similar to Sarcodon in having M1–2 parasty- 32), P4 smaller than M 1 in size (char. 47), p4 lar lobe anterolabial to paracone (char. 76), metatalonid narrower than trigonid (char. 66), cen- cone and paracone base adjoined (char. 84), trocrista V-shaped (char. 86), small hypocone on paraconid situated in lingual margin (char. 111), postcingulum (char. 101), moderate hypoconal and talonid basin shaped and multicuspid (char. shelf (char. 102), paracristid carnassial shaped 118), and anteriormost mental foramen below p1 (char. 113), protocristid transversely situated (char 132). Differing from Sarcodon in having p4 (char. 116), and talonid basin shaped with mul- talonid with median longitudinal ridge instead of ticusps (char. 118). Differing from Sinosinopa in heel (char. 67), presence of a weak paracrista having P1 with two roots (char. 24), anterior (char. 85), centrocrista V-shaped (char. 86), betedge of P4 slightly shorter than the posterior (P4 ter developed hypocone on postcingulum (char. less asymmetrical) (char. 48), p4 talonid ridge 101), hypocone shelf moderate instead of broad

(char. 102), trigonid much narrower (char. 114), protocristid transversely situated instead of obliquely (char. 116), and cristid oblique attaching base of metaconid instead of to notch in protocristid (char. 119).

Similar to Prosarcodon in having I1 subequal to I 2 in size (char. 6), presence of diastema posterior to P2 (char. 30), P3 paracone greatly enlarged (char. 32), p1 unicuspid (char. 51), p3 subequal to p 2 in size (char. 57), presence of ectocingulum (char. 80), centrocrista V-shaped (char. 86), and talonid basin-shaped with multicusps (char. 118). Differing from Prosarcodon in having P1 with two roots instead of one (char. 24), P4 less asymmetrical (char. 48), p3 protoconid subequal to p4 instead of shorter (char. 58), absence of p4 metaconid (char. 65), p4 talonid narrower than trigonid instead of same width (char. 66), three molars instead of two (char. 70), hypocone on postcingulum distinct (char. 101), hypocone shelf wider (char. 102), and protocristid transversely situated instead of obliquely (char. 116).