A new species of Gomphos (Glires, Mammalia) from the Eocene of the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China. (American Museum novitates, no. 3670)

Abstract

Dental and postcranial specimens of Gomphos shevyrevae, sp. nov., from the lower part of the Irdin Manha Formation at the Huheboerhe locality, Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), are described. The new species differs from G. elkema and G. ellae in having more robust teeth with inflated cusps and stronger lophs and a calcaneus with extra articulation for the astragalus and navicular. The new species is stratigraphically well constrained and probably represents the youngest known species of the genus, extending its geological record into the Middle Eocene. It also shows that mimotonids coexisted for millions of years as a side branch of duplicidentates with the earliest stem lagomorphs, including Dawsonolagus.