New data about the oldest european lagomorpha: Description of the new genus Ephemerolagus nievae gen. nov. et sp. nov.

Abstract

Early Oligocene lagomorphs from south-western France were previously known only from one isolated molar (Desmatolagus sp.) from Ravet (Quercy), an early Oligocene fissure-filling (MP21 level, 33 Ma). New material, a left lower jaw bearing P/3 to M/1, allows for the description of a new genus and a new species: Ephemerolagus nievae, on the bases of morphological analysis and micro-computed tomography (μCT) scan sections. It has been compared to the German contemporaneous specimens (“Shamolagus” franconicus from Möhren 19 and Möhren 20, MP21), and to the Asian and North American Palaeogene genera. This species displays peculiar derived characters, like the very short incisor (ending below P/3), not found in Asian or North American early lagomorphs, or in late Palaeogene European genera, or the lack of M/3 and the highly molarized P/4