Dryolestidae, Marsh, 1879

Allain, Ronan, Vullo, Romain, Rozada, Lee, Anquetin, Jérémy, Bourgeais, Renaud, Goedert, Jean, Lasseron, Maxime, Martin, Jeremy E., Pérez-García, Adán, Fabrègues, Claire Peyre De, Royo-Torres, Rafael, Augier, Dominique & Bailly, Gilles, 2022, Vertebrate paleobiodiversity of the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) Angeac-Charente Lagerstätte (southwestern France): implications for continental faunal turnover at the J / K boundary, Geodiversitas 44 (25), pp. 683-752 : 730

Dryolestidae indet.

( Fig. 34 C-F)

DESCRIPTION

Dryolestidae are represented by only two fragmentary molars lacking the roots and the talonid ( Fig. 34 C-F). Based on the configuration of the trigonid and the lack of a cuspid in median position on the labial side of the molars,those teeth are considered to be left lower molars (Kielan-Jaworowska et al. 2004). Both lower molars are shorter mesiodistally than wide labiolingually, but the most posterior molar(ANG M-01; Fig.34 E-F)is strongly shortened and widened compared to the anterior molar (ANG M-05; Fig. 34C, D ). This feature is diagnostic of Dryolestidae (Kielan-Jaworowska et al. 2004) . The trigonid is well-developed in both lower molars.The paraconid of the posterior molar ANG M-01 is broken at its base, but it is labiolingually more elongated than the metaconid. Both are separated by a narrow incision ( Fig.34E ). The metaconid is enlarged and almost as high as the protoconid ( Fig. 34F ). Based on these features, the dryolestid molars from Angeac-Charente seem more closely related to either Guimarotodus from the Kimmeridgian of Guimarota in Portugal ( Martin 1999) or Phascolestes from the Berriasian of Dorset in England ( Owen 1871; Kielan-Jaworowska et al. 2004) than any other Dryolestidae . However, additional material is required to allow a more accurate attribution.

Figures

FIG. 34. — Trechnotherian mammal teeth from the Berriasian of Angeac-Charente: A, B, left lower molar of Spalacotherium evansae Ensom & Sigogneau-Russell, 2000 (ANG M-26) in occlusal (A) and lingual (B) views;C, D, left lower molar (m1 or?m2) of Dryolestidae indet.(ANG M-05) in occlusal (C) and linguodistal (D) views; E, F, left lower molar (m6 or?m7) of Dryolestidae indet. (ANG M-01) in occlusal (E) and mesial (F) views; G-I, left lower molar (m3?) of Peramus sp. (ANG M-25) in occlusal (G) labial (H) and lingual (I) views. Scale bars: 400 µm.