Gingerichia, Zack & Penkrot & Krause & Maas, 2005

Zack, Shawn P., Penkrot, Tonya A., Krause, David W. & Maas, Mary C., 2005, A new apheliscine “ condylarth ” mammal from the late Paleocene of Montana and Alberta and the phylogeny of “ hyopsodontids ”, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50 (4), pp. 809-830 : 812

Genus Gingerichia nov.

Apheliscinae , new genus Youzwyshyn 1988: 209.

Apheliscinae , new genus Fox 1990: 59.

Hyopsodontidae , new genus Krause and Maas 1990: 84.

Type species: Gingerichia geoteretes sp. nov.

Included species: The type, G. hystrix sp. nov., and G. sp. 1. Derivation of the name: Named for Professor Philip D. Gingerich of the University of Michigan in recognition of his important contributions to the study of early Cenozoic mammals .

Age and distribution.—Early Tiffanian (Ti1; earliest late Paleocene) of Montana and Alberta.

Diagnosis.— Gingerichia has several autoapomorphies that distinguish it from Phenacodaptes and Apheliscus : p4 protoconid inflated and somewhat recurved posteriorly; p4 talonid small and simple, either unicuspid or with very small second cuspid; p4 buccal enamel ventrally extended beneath talonid; lower molar buccal cingulids completely absent, including hypoflexid; P4 paracone inflated. Additionally, Gingerichia lacks the synapomorphies that unite Phenacodaptes and Apheliscus : postvallid of p4 and prevallum of P4 vertical; p4 talonid unbasined; p4–m3 with salient posterior cingulids; m1–3 paraconids and paracristids weak to absent; m1–2 hypoconulid enlarged relative to hypoconid and entoconid; P4 protocone strongly reduced; upper molars quadrate rather than wider transversely; M1–2 with straight, nonsalient postmetacrista; M1–2 hypocones reduced and shifted buccally; M1–2 postparaconule cristae weak to absent, such that posterior cingulum reaches metastyle.