Louis de Bonis, Axelle Gardin, Cécile Blondel
Geodiversitas 41 (15), 601-621, (10 September 2019) https://doi.org/10.5252/geodiversitas2019v41a15
KEYWORDS: Caniformia, Feliformia, Amphicynodontidae, Ursidae, Mustelidae, Nimravidae, sabre-toothed carnivorans, Paleogene, MP 22, Lectotypification, new combination, new genera, new species.
The early Oligocene carnivorans from the Quercy phosphorites (southwestern France) studied herein come from three localities: Mas de Got, La Plante2 and Valbro, all in MP 22 of the European Paleogene Mammal stratigraphy scheme. These localities contain a rich carnivoran fauna with weasel-sized to tiger-sized species in diverse families, especially Amphicynodontidae (with four species of Pachycynodon and two of Amphicynodon) and Nimravidae. New taxa are described (Wangictis n. gen., Peignictis pseudamphictis n. gen., n. sp.). We note the absence of taxa often present in the sites of the Quercy phosphorites, such as the family Amphicyonidae and, in the Feloidea, the genera StenoplesictisFilhol, 1880 and PalaeoprionodonFilhol, 1880. The fauna of the three localities is typical of the early Oligocene prior to a faunal turnover in the middle Oligocene. Future research in the Quercy will give more precision to the timing and mode of this faunal event.