A preliminary report on carnivorous mammals from Pondaung fauna

Abstract

Some carnivore materials have been discovered from the Pondaung Formatioin in central Myanmar recently. The materials are separable into at least two genera, both of which are hyaenodontid creodonts. One of them is a medium-sized proviverrine. Collected parts include a maxilla, lower molar fragments, and some postcranial fragments. It shows some distinctive dental characters such as small protocone lobe on P_4, anterolingually-placed protocone and posterolingually-placed metacone relative to paracone on M_1 and M_2, and relatively large M_3 with a very reduced metaconid. The other is a much larger form. A maxillary fragment with a M_1 and a mandibular a fragment with P_2 to M_2 have been found for this form. possesses some similarities to Pterodon, but observations on more complete specimens and comparisons with other Pterodon-like hyaenodontids from Asia are necessary to settle a systematic assignment of this form. The two hyaenodontids are the only known mammalian predators from Pondaung fauna (latest Middle Eocene) based on the current knowledge.