Hippopotamodon (Pickford, 2015)

Pickford, M., 2016, Hippopotamodon erymanthius (Suidae, Mammalia) from Mahmutgazi, Denizli-Çal basin, Turkey, Fossil Imprint 72, pp. 183-201 : 185-186

Genus Hippopotamodon LYDEKKER, 1877

Type species. Hippopotamodon sivalense LYDE- KKER, 1877

Diagnosis. Large Suinae in which the males have flaring canines (smaller in Turolian species); molar enamel relatively thin; molars structurally simple with well-developed Fürchenplan; buccal cusps in lower molars noticeably lower crowned than lingual ones; P4/ with posterior accessory cusp almost as large as two main buccal cusps; sagittal cusplets present in central valley between the protocone and the paracone-metacone; p/1 often absent in some Turolian populations; posterior choanae U-shaped, open immediately behind M3/; p/4 with prominent innenhugel and 2-3-4 cusp, anterior cingulum and ac-1 cusp moderately high; diastema between c/1–p/1–p/2 short; broad flat dorsal surface to braincase; the maxillae of males possess a large supracanine flange with a highly rugose dorsal surface, females do not have such a flange (modified from Pickford 1988, 2015).

Other species in the genus:

Hippopotamodon antiquus ( KAUP, 1833)

Hippopotamodon major ( GERVAIS, 1850)

Hippopotamodon etruscus ( MICHELOTTI, 1861)

Hippopotamodon erymanthius (ROTH et WAGNER, 1854)

Hippopotamodon hyotherioides ( SCHLOSSER, 1903)

Hippopotamodon pilgrimi ( PICKFORD, 1988)

Hippopotamodon ultimus ( HAN, 1987)

Note. Pickford (1988) retained two genera for the large Late Miocene suines, Hippopotamodon and Microstonyx . Whilst there are some morphological differences between the various species included in these “genera”, they are relatively minor, concerning principally the canine, which is rare or absent in many collections. Perusal of the literature reveals that the decision to identify a fossil as Hippopotamodon or Microstonyx has often boiled down to where it came from (Indo-Pakistan for Hippopotamodon ; Europe for Microstonyx ), rather than on morphological evidence. For this reason, in this paper Hippopotamodon is employed for these suids, regardless of their provenience. Part of the reason for doing this is that adoption of two genus names gives the impression that there are important biogeographic differences between Europe and Indo-Pakistan during the Vallesian and Turolian, which is probably not the case.

Figures

Text-fig. 2. SMNK Ma1 MP8, right maxilla of Hippopotamodon erymanthius from Mahmutgazi, Turkey. A) stereo occlusal view, B) stereo dorsal view (scale 10 cm).