Dihoplus pikermiensis (Toula, 1906)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5252/g2011n3a3 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0387BB49-FFB1-3D11-FF3C-CC3CFCA7FE6D |
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treatment provided by |
Marcus |
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scientific name |
Dihoplus pikermiensis (Toula, 1906) |
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Dihoplus pikermiensis (Toula, 1906)
The best specimen is skull FM-2469, which is complete but with a bone surface that is heavily eroded and fragmented ( Geraads & Spassov 2009: fig. 2, pl. 1, G, H). It clearly displays all the features by which the skull of this species can be distinguished from that of Ceratotherium neumayri (Osborn, 1900) ( Geraads 1988; Geraads & Spassov 2009), such as the sharp ventral orbital border, the shortened cranial basis with the post-tympanic overlapping the post-glenoid process, and a constricted protocone on the molars. The rarely preserved premaxillae are complete, and show no trace of incisors. Such incisors are large in its likely ancestor D. schleiermacheri (Kaup, 1832) , and may still occasionally be found in D. pikermiensis .
The mandible FM-2470, found close to the skull and probably belonging to the same individual, has a straight ventral border, unlike C. neumayri , and a pair of large incisors ( Fig. 3D View FIG ), much smaller than in D. schleiermacheri , but less reduced than in other specimens of D. pikermiensis . Measurements are given in Table 2.
In Bulgaria, D. pikermiensis is also present at Kalimantsi and common at Hadjidimovo. It is also quite common in its type-locality, Pikermi, and has also been described from several other Turolian localities of the Aegean region ( Geraads 1988, 1994; Giaourtsakis 2003, 2009; Giaourtsakis et al. 2006; Geraads & Spassov 2009). At Str-2, the absence of upper incisors,and the presence of relatively large lower ones, suggest an age slightly earlier than Pikermi, if we are correct in assuming a trend towards reduction of the incisors.
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