Dissopsalis pyroclasticus SAVAGE , 1965

Morales, Jorge & Pickford, Martin, 2017, New Hyaenodonts (Ferae, Mammalia) From The Early Miocene Of Napak (Uganda), Koru (Kenya) And Grillental (Namibia), Fossil Imprint 73 (3 - 4), pp. 332-359 : 335

Dissopsalis pyroclasticus SAVAGE, 1965

H o l o t y p e. Right mandible containing p4, m1 – m3 and alveoli of canine and p1 – p3 (NHMUK M 19082).

T y p e l o c a l i t y. Maboko, Kenya (erroneously given as Kaboor (error for Kabua = alternative name for Maboko)), Northern Frontier District, Kenya by Savage (1965).

A g e. Basal Middle Miocene, ca. 15 Ma.

D i a g n o s i s. See Savage (1965).

D i s c u s s i o n. Barry (1988) cited several quite obvious differences between the lower dentitions of Dissopsalis carnifex PILGRIM, 1910 and Dissopsalis pyroclasticus . Among these were the more pronounced metaconid in the molars of D. pyroclasticus , the differences in length of the p4 and m3, and the taller crown and the diminutive talonid of the m3 of D. pyroclasticus . To these differences could be added the greater size of the m2 with respect to the m 3 in D. pyroclasticus . These differences, although important, do not exclude the possibility of the two species being classified in the same genus. Borths et al. (2016: supplementary tab. 2) included, but did not describe, additional upper and lower dentitions in this species, the study of which would, without doubt, help to clarify the relationship between the two species.