Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis
| Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| Late Pleistocene to Holocene | ||||||||||||
| 0.126 million years to 10,000 years | ||||||||||||
| Locations | ||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis | ||||||||||||
| Mein et al., 2010 | ||||||||||||
Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis is an extinct rodent from northwest Madagascar . The species is only passeddownthrough nine isolated molars , which were found in several places during fieldwork that began in 2001. It was the first time in 2010 described and, together with two larger extant species, which differ from the fossils in some details of the dental morphology of the species of Madagascar white-tailed rat ( Brachytarsomys assigned).
The presence of B. mahajambaensis , a rare element of the local rodent fauna , suggests that the find area was more humid in the past.
features
Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis has survived over nine fossilized isolated molars , including two first upper molars (M1), one of which is broken, two second upper molars (M2), one M3, two second lower molars (m2) and two m3. They are generally similar to the corresponding teeth of the other two types, but smaller. There are some differences in molar structure, but these are likely to be put into perspective for larger specimens.
distribution
Teeth of Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis were found in the regions around Antsingiavo , Belobaka and Ambatomainty in northwest Madagascar. They are stratigraphically classified into the Late Pistocene (126,000 to 10,000 years ago) and Holocene (less than 10,000 years ago).
Way of life
No information is available on the animals' way of life. It probably corresponded to the way of life of the two closely related species within the same genus.
Species of the genus Brachytarsomys are a rare element of the rodent fauna of Madagascar, which is dominated by several species of the dormouse tails ( Eliurus ) and the Madagascar big-footed mice ( Macrotarsomys ). Recent Madagascar white-tailed rats are large rats that live in trees and eat fruit at medium to high altitudes. The current very dry habitats in northwest Madagascar are extremely inhospitable for these animals and they no longer occur there; the previous presence of B. mahajambaensis could indicate that the region has been more humid in the past.
Systematics
Fossils of Brachytarsomys mahajambaensis were found during fieldwork in the northwest of Madagascar, which began 2,001th The species was described in a 2010 paper by Pierre Mein and colleagues along with another extinct rodent, Nesomys narindaensis .
The species name "mahajambaensis" refers to the Mahajamba Bay, which is located near the places where the remains of the species were found. It belongs to the genus Brachytarsomys , in which it is classified together with two larger species that are still alive today, B. albicauda and B. villosa . Brachytarsomys is classified in the taxon of the Madagascar rats (Nesomyinae) found exclusively in Madagascar within the Nesomyidae, which includes various African rodent taxa.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f P. Mein, F. Sénégas, D. Gommery, B. Ramanivoso, H. Randrianantenaina, P. Kerloc'h: Nouvelles espèces subfossiles de rongeurs du Nord-Ouest de Madagascar (subscription required). Comptes Rendus Palevol 9 (3), 2010; Pp. 101-112 (in French).
literature
- P. Mein, F. Sénégas, D. Gommery, B. Ramanivoso, H. Randrianantenaina, P. Kerloc'h: Nouvelles espèces subfossiles de rongeurs du Nord-Ouest de Madagascar (subscription required). Comptes Rendus Palevol 9 (3), 2010; Pp. 101-112 (in French).