Helanshania, Vianey-Liaud & Rodrigues & Marivaux, 2010

Vianey-Liaud, Monique, Rodrigues, Helder Gomes & Marivaux, Laurent, 2010, A new Oligocene Ctenodactylinae (Rodentia: Mammalia) from Ulantatal (nei Mongol): new insight on the phylogenetic origins of the modern Ctenodactylidae, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 160 (3), pp. 531-550 : 533

HELANSHANIA GEN. NOV.

Despite very limited material, we have decided to erect a new genus and species based on two teeth from Ulantatal1 (UTL1). Two teeth from Ulantatal4 (UTL4) are also referred to this species. Both localities are early Oligocene in age, UTL1 seemingly a little older than UTL4. These two Inner Mongolian localities have yielded several hundred ctenodactylids teeth: 419 teeth measured in UTL1 and 3135 in UTL4 ( Vianey-Liaud et al., 2006). The two teeth attributed to the new taxon in both localities display characters distinguishable from the other species described in those localities, and in other Oligocene Mongolian localities. The last reason to describe it is pragmatic: it will be more practical to use a binomial in further works than a long sentence describing the specimens once more. In addition, further studies, if more material is found in these localities or elsewhere, would confirm or abandon the taxon.

Type species: Helanshania deserta gen. et sp. nov. The type species is known from only four molars (1 m 2, 1M1, 1M2, 1M3)

Etymology: Derived from the Helanshan mountain chain, forming the eastern border of the sedimentary basin comprising the Ulantatal area.

Diagnosis: As per that of the type species.