Anthraconyx hypsomylus: A Eocene Paleogene Hypsodont Tillodont from India

New Hypsodont Tillodont (Mammalia, Tillodontia) from the Early Eocene of India

Authors:

1. Kenneth D. Rose (a)
2. Kishor Kumar (b)
3. Rajendra S. Rana (c)
4. Ashok Sahni (d)
5. Thierry Smith (e)

Affiliations:

a. Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA

b. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 General Mahadeo Singh Road, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India

c. Department of Geology, H. N. B. Garhwal University, Srinagar 246175, Uttarakhand, India

d. Centre of Advanced Study in Geology, Lucknow University, Lucknow 226001, India

e. Department of Paleontology, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Abstract:

A new tillodont, Anthraconyx hypsomylus, n. gen. n. sp., is described from the early Eocene Cambay Shale Formation at Vastan Lignite Mine, Gujarat, India. Anthraconyx hypsomylus is the smallest Eocene tillodont and is distinguished by having the most buccally hypsodont cheek teeth of any known esthonychine. The closest dental resemblances are to North American Esthonyx and Azygonyx and European Plesiesthonyx, providing further evidence of affinities between the Vastan local fauna and Euroamerican vertebrate faunas.