Thryonomyid Rodent from the Late Miocene Namurungule Formation, Samburu Hills, Northern Kenya

Abstract

Thryonomyid rodent collected from Late Miocene Namurungule Formation is described. The specimen is represented by a fragmental mandible with dP4 or P4 M1, M2 and M3. The tooth pattern with three transverse crest is fundamentally identical in each molar. Neither posterior arm of protoconid nor mesolophid is present in any molars. Absence of anteroconid is another important character of the present molars compared with the known species of Paraphiomys and Paraulacodus. This specimen is possibly assigned to Paraphiomys by the resemblance of tooth pattern, size and hypsodonty, but the specific determination is reserved in this paper. Additional materials are required to decide its definite taxonomic position. The occurrence of the present specimen suggests that Paraphiomys had survived up to Late Miocene in East Africa.