PINNIPEDIA Illiger, 1811

Rule, James P. & Fitzgerald, Erich M. G., 2022, Pinniped (Mammalia: Carnivora) fossils from Black Rock, a new late Neogene vertebrate locality in Victoria, Australia, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 32) 25 (3), pp. 1-12 : 5

Suborder PINNIPEDIA Illiger, 1811

Referred specimen. NMV P254178, an isolated phalanx collected by B.S.J. Francischelli in 2019 ( Figure 2 ).

Diagnosis. An intermediate or proximal phalanx from the manus (from either digits II, III, or IV) of a pinniped, due to the straight medial and lateral surfaces, a distal end narrower than a proximal end, and a slightly concave ventral surface.

Description. The proximal end is rounded, and is missing the articular surface ( Figure 2 G-J). The distal surface is trochleated ( Figure 2 G-H), and larger medio-laterally than dorso-ventrally. The shaft is sub-circular in cross section. Due to the lack of diagnostic features beyond Pinnipedia , we are unable to make meaningful comparisons to other species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. The Black Rock phocid specimens. NMV P254995, right mandible in A) lateral, B) medial, C) dorsal, D) ventral, E) annotated lateral, and F) annotated dorsal views. NMV P254178, phalanx in, G) side, H) ventral, I) opposing side, and J) dorsal views. Scale bar equals 20 mm.