Un nuevo género y especie de Felidae (Mammalia) de la isla de Rusinga, Kenia, con notas sobre los primeros Felidae de África

L. Werdelin

doi:10.3989/egeol.40480.185

Authors

L. Werdelin Department of Palaeozoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.40480.185

Keywords:

Africa, Kenya, Rusinga, lower Miocene, Felidae

Abstract

The lower Miocene (Burdigalian) deposits of the Hiwegi Fm., Rusinga Island, Kenya, have yielded a single specimen of a small felid. This specimen, here identified as the holotype of a new genus and species, is of the size of the smallest living Felidae. It shows some features of primitive, “Pseudaelurusgrade” cats, but also features of both morphology and metrics that are intermediate between this grade and modern Felidae, suggesting a transitional taxon. This is in contrast with Diamantofelis and Namafelis from Namibia, which, though aberrant, are more clearly of “Pseudaelurus-grade”. The Rusinga specimen is the most derived felid specimen of the lower Miocene.

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