Abstract: A well preserved first right lower molar from the Tertiary rocks of Pakistan is described from Padhri (Middle Siwaliks) District Jhelum, the Punjab province, Pakistan. It essentially differs from the known material of the genus Sivapanthera both in morphology and size. The name Sivapathera padhriensis is being proposed to this new addition.
INTRODUCTION
Carnivores although fragmentary in nature, are the most interesting of the Siwalik mammals. They represent a great variety of genera and species. Order Carnivora includes three suborders as (I) Creodonta, (ii) Fissipeda, (iii) Pinnipeda Illiger, 1811. But most recently Wilson and Reeder[1] have paid a special attention to order Carnivora and their studies on family level indicate that Creodonta is the sister group to order Carnivora. They organized the order Carnivora into two suborders as Feliformia including felids, herpestids, hyaenids, viverrids and Caniformia including canids, ursids, mustelids, odobenids, otarrids, Phocids and procyonids. Wilson and Reeder[1] emerged the suborder Pinnipeda in Califormia, placing them in a separate Order would make the Carnivora paraphylectic[2-6]. Simpson[7] divided family felidae into five subfamilies, out of these five, the four subfamilies are extinct, while only family felinae consists of three extinct and three living genera. Wilson and Reeder[1] divided family felidae into three subfamilies. The genus Panthera and Acinonyx of Simpson[7] are upgraded as subfamilies, Pantherinae and Acinonychinae by Wilson and Reeder[1]. Similary the subgenera Panthera (neofelis) and Panthera (uncia) are upgraded at generic level, as Panthera, uncia and neofelis. There are few genera of subfamily Felinae. Comparative and anatomical studies of the specimen under study have shown that this belongs to genus Sivapanthera. Two species of the same genus are already described naming Sivapanthera brachygnathus[8] and Sivapanthera potens[9] but Sivapanthera padhriensis (Sp. Nov.) is being described for the first time.
Abbreviations
| Br.Mus: | Brithish museum of Natural History, London |
| P.U.P.C: | Punjab University Paleontological collection, stored in the Department of Zoology, Lahore (Pakistan) |
| G.S.I.: | Geological survey of India, Calcutta |
| L: | Maximum preserved anteropostenior crown length of tooth |
| W: | Maximum preserved crown width of tooth |
| CI: | Crown shape index (W/L x 100) |
| M1: | First lower right molar |
| mm: | Millimeter |
| Class | Mammalia, Linnaeus |
| Subclass | Theria, Haswell |
| Infraclass | Eutheria, Gill |
| Superorder | Ferae, Linnaeus |
| Order | Carnivora, Bowdich |
| Suborder | Feliformia, Wilson and Reeder |
| Superfamily | Canoidea, Simpson |
| Family | Felidae, Gray |
| Subfamily | Felinae, Trouessart |
| Genus | Sivapanthera, Kretzoi |
| Species | Sivapanthera padhriensis, (Fig. 1) |
Type: A right first lower molar (P.U.P.C. No. 2001/12).
Locality: Padhri, Jhelum district, the Punjab province, Pakistan.
Horizon: Middle Siwaliks
Hypodigm: Type only
Diagnosis: Sivapanthera padhriensis is of large size with well-defined and deep masseteric fossa, M1 with protoconid longer than paraconid and metaconid is rudimentary.
| Fig. 1: | Sivapanthera padhriensis (sp.nov) (P.U.P.C. 2001/12). An isolated right first lower molar, collected from Padhri, Jhelum district, the Punjab province, Pakistan. (I) inner view, (ii) crown view, (iii) outer view |
Description: The specimen under study includes a first lower molar of right mandibular ramus.
| Table 1: | Comparative dental measurements (mm) of M1 (P.U.P.C.NO.2001/12) of Sivapanthera padhriensis (sp.nov.) to the other species of the genus |
The roots of the tooth are also well preserved. The specimen is in an excellent state of preservation and at late stage of wear. It is also narrow crowned tooth (Table 1). The principal conids are excellently preserved. Anteroposterior diameter of protoconid is greater than that of paraconid, while the transverse diameter of paraconid is greater than that of protoconid. The tooth is broad to the base while becomes sharp and narrow to the summit of crown. The buccal side of the conids show more wear than that of lingual side. The posterior cusp is rudimentary and sharp. It is also broad to the base and narrow anteriorly. The root of paraconid is more prominent and broad than that of protoconid root.
DISCUSSION
Lydekker[8] described three mandibular ramii from the Siwaliks, he gave the name one of them as Felis non det; allied to Felis pardus and other two as Felis (Cynaelurus) brachygnathus. Mathew[10] retained these names and stated that Cynaelurus pleistocaenicus was a synonym of Felis brachygnathus. Kretzoi, later on, considering the two right ramii as generically distinct from one another and also from Felis proposed the name Sivapanthera lydekkeri. Pilgrim’s arrangement was retained by Colbert[11]. Later on, Simpson[7] rightly pointed out that Sivapanthera was the valid name, the other two being invalid. Comparative dental measurements show that the specimen under study has much higher values of anteroposterior and transverse diameter than that of other species of the same genus, indicating that, this is a new addition to Siwalik carnivora and has not been described by any former worker; working on Siwalik carnivora. So it requires the best need to erect a new species and the name Sivapanthera padhriensis is being proposed after the name of the locality.