Floréal Solé

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences · Department of Palaeontology

Eight isolated mammal molars were discovered in lower Oligocene deposits of the Bugti Hills, Pakistan (Paali Nala, DB-C2; lower Chitarwata Formation). Because of their unusual morphology, these molars have long remained enigmatic. Extensive comparisons with fossil eutherian and metatherian mammals and the recent description of new paroxyclaenids (M...

European terrestrial mammal sites dated from the late Ypresian are predominantly known from the Paris Basin. In Southern Europe (France and Spain), some localities are also known, but all have only yielded small faunas, composed by few taxa. An exception is the rich locality of Mas de Gimel (city of Montpellier, Hérault, France), which has long bee...

New postcranial elements of two mesonychids that lived during the Ypresian (early Eocene) in Europe are here described. The postcranial bones found at La Borie (France; ≈MP8 + 9) can be confidently ascribed to Hyaenodictis raslanloubatieri, while the astragalus found at Palette (France; ≈MP7) probably represents H. rougierae. Our study demonstrates...

Serravallian terrestrial vertebrates are very uncommon in the northern margin of the Pyrenean Mountains. A mandible of a new large sized amphicyonid (ca. 200 kg) is here described from the marine deposits of Sallepisse (12.8-12.0 Mya). Despite that this new taxon is close in size to some European amphicyonids from the Miocene (e.g., Amphicyon, Mega...

The rise of Carnivora (Mammalia: Laurasiatheria) is an important evolutionary event that changed the structure of terrestrial ecosystems, starting at the dawn of the Eocene, 56 Mya. This radiation has been mainly analysed in North America, leaving the evolution of carnivoran diversity in other regions of the globe poorly known. To tackle this issue...

Hyaenodonts are extinct placental mammals with a carnivorous diet. Their phylogenetic position among mammals and the relationships within Hyaenodonta are at present partially unresolved. The endocranium is a structure that has rarely been studied in this clade. Using 3D tomography, we studied the endocranium of the European hyaenodont Eurotherium t...

We describe three new hyaenodonts from the late Ypresian locality of Prémontré (Aisne, France; close to MP 10 reference level). The new species – Lesmesodon gunnelli nov. sp., Cynohyaenodon smithae nov. sp., and Eurotherium mapplethorpei nov. sp. – represent the oldest occurrences of these three European genera. Lesmesodon gunnelli is also reported...

The Mesonychia is a group of archaic carnivorous mammals of uncertain phylogenetic affinities with a Holarctic distribution during the Paleogene. Intensive fossil collecting efforts in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, have resulted in recovery of the largest sample and most complete specimens yet known of the mesonychid Dissacus praenuntius from the sec...

We here describe 18 new specimens of the sole apatemyid mammal known outside North America and Europe: Frugivastodon cristatus from the early Eocene Cambay Shale Formation of Vastan Lignite Mine, Gujarat, India. This mammal was previously represented by a single isolated lower molar, which hindered the establishment of its relationships among Apate...

The Quercy Phosphorites Formation in France is world famous for its Eocene to Miocene faunas, especially those from the upper Eocene to lower Oligocene, the richest of all. The latter particularly helped to understand the ‘Grande Coupure’, a dramatic faunal turnover event that occurred in Europe during the Eocene-Oligocene transition. Fossils from...

The Paleogene mammals of Europe are rarely known from partial or complete skeletons. As a result, their systematics and ecology are often solely based on dental characters and postcranial remains, when available, are usually neglected. This explains why the locomotion of mammals of the Eocene-Oligocene transition, the “Grande Coupure”, is poorly kn...

Amphicyonidae Trouessart, 1885 are among the oldest known carnivoran groups, with the oldest representatives in Europe belonging to the genus CynodictisBravard & Pomel, 1850. This genus, discovered in the middle of the 19th century, presents a particularly confusing taxonomic history. Early on it was subject to taxonomic inflation, but now its dive...

We describe the carnivorous mammals from the Eocene French locality of Aumelas (Hérault, France). All the carnivores that have been recovered from the fossiliferous locality belong to the Hyaenodonta, a group that was very diverse during the Eocene of Europe. Three new species are described. Matthodon peignei n. sp. is intermediate in size between...

This contribution contains the 3D model described and figured in the following publication: Dubied, M., Solé, F. and Mennecart, B. The cranium of Provierra typica (Mammalia, Hyaenodonta) and its impact on hyaenodont phylogeny and endocranial evolution. Palaeontology https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12437 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334744...

We describe the first endocast reconstruction of a hyaenodont mammal based on X‐ray microtomography. The endocast belongs to the type material of the European hyaenodont Proviverra typica. We performed phylogenetic analysis to contextualize the evolution of endocranial size and complexity in Hyaenodonta. We added several European hyaenodonts and mo...

We here present a new hyaenodont genus and species from the Lutetian locality of Egerkingen γ (Switzerland; MP13?): Cartierodon egerkingensis gen. et sp. nov. The new taxon is represented by numerous dental elements, mostly isolated teeth. The molars show typical features of a hypercarnivorous predator such as the strong reduction of the crushing (...

La découverte dans les années 1960 d’un gisement fossilifère à vertébrés dans les calcaires lacustres autour d’Aumelas (ouest de Montpellier) fut l’une des premières mentions de mammifères dans l’Eocène moyen du sud de la France. Rapproché du niveau repère mammalien paléogène MP13 (fin Lutétien), le gisement d’Aumelas constituait alors un jalon dét...

We present new species of an enigmatic family of mammals, which is endemic to Europe, the Paroxyclaenidae: Merialus bruneti sp. nov., Fratrodon tresvauxi gen. et sp. nov., Paraspaniella gunnelli gen. et sp. nov., and Sororodon tresvauxae gen. et sp. nov. The fossils described come from six localities of the Ypresian of the Paris Basin (France): Pou...

The present 3D Dataset contains the 3D model analyzed in the following publication: Soí e et al. (2018), Niche partitioning of the European carnivorous mammals during the paleogene. Palaios. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.201 8.022

We here describe the first partial cranium of Hyaenodon leptorhynchus, the type species of the taxonomically diverse and widely distributed hypercarnivorous genus Hyaenodon (Hyaenodonta). The cranium is from the Se ́on Saint-Andre ́ deposits (Marseille, France; Chattian, MP26). It is preserved in a dense red marl matrix that obscures key morphologi...

Excavations since 2004 in the early Eocene Cambay Shale Formation at Vastan, Mangrol, and Tadkeshwar open-cast lignite mines in Gujarat, western India, have yielded thousands of vertebrate specimens of terrestrial mammals, lizards, snakes, frogs, and birds as well as elasmobranch and teleost fishes. Here we report new fossils from the currently act...

Here we review the fossil record of European mesonychids, which are known only through the genera Dissacus and Pachyaena from Thanetian and Ypresian localities (from MP6 to MP10 reference-levels). We describe two new species, Dissacus rougierae, sp. nov., and Dissacus raslanloubatieri, sp. nov., respectively from Palette (Ypresian, ≈MP7) and from L...

The early Paleogene is critical for understanding global biodiversity patterns in modern ecosystems. During this interval, Southern Hemisphere continents were largely characterized by isolation and faunal endemism following the breakup of Gondwana. Africa has been proposed as an important source area for the origin of several marine vertebrate grou...

The middle Eocene Pondaung Formation in Myanmar has yielded a rich mammalian fauna including several Primate taxa. Hyaenodonta are known by the genera Kyawdawia, Yarshea, Orienspterodon, and two other indeterminate taxa. We describe here new material of Kyawdawia, including some morphological details, a new species of the hypercarnivorous genus Pro...

A lower jaw of the mesonychian Hapalodectes is reported from Nongshanian sediments (Upper Doumu Formation; middle Paleocene) of the Qianshan Basin (Anhui Province, China). The fragmentary mandible is only the third specimen of Hapalodectidae discovered in Paleocene deposits, and the first in south east China; it is moreover the oldest, the two othe...

This study is prompted by the discovery of an incus of Hyaenodon, the first known auditory ossicle of this genus and thus of any hyaenodont mammal so far. A large set of incudes of recent Carnivora, including felids, hyaenids, viverrids, herpestids, nandiniid and canids of different ecosystems, was set up for morphological comparison. This study ex...

One major innovation of mammals is the tribosphenic molar, characterized by the evolution of a neomorphic upper cusp (=protocone) and a lower basin (=talonid) that occlude and provide shearing and crushing functions. This type of molar is an evolutionarily flexible structure that enabled mammals to achieve complex dental adaptations. Among carnivor...

The phosphates of Morocco range over a period of about 24 million years (m.y.), from the end of the Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) up to the base of the Middle Eocene (Lutetian), which is the longest interval of all phosphate deposits from the Mediterranean and Atlantic “Phosphogenic Provinces”. These marine sediments have recorded the evolution of lif...

The phosphates of Morocco range over a period of about 24 million years (m.y.), from the end of the Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) up to the base of the Middle Eocene (Lutetian), which is the longest interval of all phosphate deposits from the Mediterranean and Atlantic “Phosphogenic Provinces”. These marine sediments have recorded the evolution of lif...

We present and describe new fossils from the Eocene North African localities of Chambi (Tunisia; late Ypresian or early Lutetian) and Bir el Ater (Algeria; latest Bartonian or earliest Priabonian). The specimens from Chambi allow recognizing two recently described hyainailourines: Furodon crocheti and Parvavorodon gheerbranti; these taxa were previ...

The Ypresian Cambay Shale Formation at Vastan and Mangrol lignite mines in Gujarat, western India, has yielded a rich vertebrate fauna with numerous taxa of European affinities. Here we report a new, approximately contemporary vertebrate assemblage from two fossiliferous layers in the nearby mine of Tadkeshwar. These layers have yielded a similar m...

We report the discovery of the earliest European carnivoraforms, based on two new taxa from the latest Paleocene of France and Romania. A new species of Vassacyon, V. prieuri, from the locality of Rivecourt (MP6b; Oise, France) (MP = Mammalian Paleogene reference levels) is described based on a dentary fragment and isolated teeth. This species disp...

The Landana section (Cabinda, Angola) has been a known fossil locality since the late 19th century. During the first part of the 20th century, Edmond Dartevelle, a Belgian palaeontologist and explorer made several visits to the coastal area of Central Africa, including Cabinda. At Landana, he collected numerous fossil vertebrate and invertebrate sp...

Whether or not evolutionary lineages in general show a tendency to increase in body size has often been discussed. This tendency has been dubbed “Cope's rule” but because Cope never hypothesized it, we suggest renaming it after Depéret, who formulated it clearly in 1907. Depéret's rule has traditionally been studied using fossil data, but more rece...

The proviverrines from the Ypresian (MP7–MP10) and Lutetian (MP11–MP14) are represented mainly by species recorded in the northern and central parts of Europe (Paris Basin, Belgian Basin, Germany, Switzerland). Here, we describe fossils from southern France: Saint-Papoul (MP8 + 9; Aude) and Aigues-Vives 2 (?MP13; Aude). One dentary with secant mola...

We describe a new large-sized species of hypercarnivorous hyainailourine-Kerberos langebadreae gen. & sp. nov.-from the Bartonian (MP16) locality of Montespieu (Tarn, France). These specimens consist of a skull, two hemimandibles and several hind limb elements (fibula, astragalus, calcaneum, metatarsals, and phalanges). Size estimates suggest K. la...

The presence of cambaytheres, the sister group of perissodactyls, in western India near or before the time of collision with Asia suggests that Perissodactyla may have originated on the Indian Plate during its final drift towards Asia. Herein we reinforce this hypothesis by reporting two teeth of the first early Eocene tapiromorph Perissodactyla fr...

New remains of the early Eocene hyaenodontid Indohyaenodon raoi are described from the Vastan Lignite Mine in Gujarat, western India, including the first known rostrum, upper dentition, and postcrania, substantially expanding our knowledge of the species and providing insights into its functional morphology and relationships. Craniodental morpholog...

Here we describe and illustrate specimens of hyaenodont mammals from two Early Eocene localities of Southern France: Fournes (Minervois) and Fordones (Corbières). Some of these specimens were previously described as cf. Hyracolestes sp. (Cimolesta, Sarcodontidae), a taxon only known from Asia, but new arguments allow their referring to the small pr...

We describe six proviverrine species from the Early Eocene of France. Three species are new: Minimovellentodon russelli sp. nov. from Mutigny [mammal palaeogene (MP)8 + 9], Boritia duffaudi sp. nov. from La Borie (MP8 + 9), and Leonhardtina godinoti sp. nov. from Grauves (MP10). We describe new specimens and propose new generic combinations for thr...

Two new mammalian carnivoraform species, Uintacyon hookeri sp. nov. and Quercygale smithi sp. nov., are described from the early Eocene of Europe. U. hookeri sp. nov. is recorded in Mutigny (MP8 + 9, PE IV), Avenay (MP8 + 9, PE V), Brasles, Condé-en-Brie (MP8 + 9) and Cuis (MP 10), while Q. smithi sp. nov. comes from Mutigny and Mancy (MP10). Becau...

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is correlated with the first occurrences of earliest modern mammals in the Northern Hemisphere. The latest Paleocene Clarkforkian North American Land Mammal Age, that has yielded rodents and carnivorans, is the only exception to this rule. However, until now no pre-PETM localities have yielded modern mamm...

One of the earliest basal carnivoraforms, Miacis latouri, previously known by only two teeth from the earliest Eocene of Dormaal, Belgium, is here described based on about 280 new specimens from Dormaal, allowing illustration of almost the entire deciduous and permanent dentition and thus giving information on the dentition of an early basal carniv...

Didymoconidae are an enigmatic group of Asian endemic insectivorous mammals. We describe the new didymoconid species Archaeoryctes wangi sp. nov. from the Upper Member of the Wanghudun Formation (Middle Paleocene). This new species from the Qianshan Basin (Anhui Province, China) forms an interesting geographical intermediate between A. notialis fro...

During the Late Paleocene and around the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, there were important mammalian dispersals in Laurasia involving earliest modern mammals such as rodents, primates, perissodactyls, and artiodactyls. The placental carnivorous mammals (Viverravidae, “Miacidae”, Hyaenodontida, Oxyaenodonta) importantly took part in these dispersals....

In paleontology, many changes affecting morphology, such as tooth shape in mammals, are interpreted as ecological adaptations that reflect important selective events. Despite continuing studies, the identification of the genetic bases and key ecological drivers of specific mammalian dental morphologies remains elusive. Here we focus on the genetic...

Hyaenodontida are represented in Europe by three subfamilies: Proviverrinae, Arfianinae and Sinopaninae. Here, we review all the specimens of Arfianinae and Sinopaninae known to date in Europe and Asia. A new Galecyon species is erected: Galecyon gallus nov. sp. We discuss the taxonomic position of the two Asian hyaenodontidans Anthracoxyaena palus...

The extant mammals have evolved highly diversified diets associated with many specialized morphologies. Two rare diets, termitophagy and vermivory, are characterized by unusual morphological and dental adaptations that have evolved independently in several clades. Termitophagy is known to be associated with increases in tooth number, crown simplifi...

The Algerian localities of the Gour Lazib area (Early or early Middle Eocene) have yielded an important mammalian fauna. The Hyaenodontida are well represented in this fauna: three species–two are new– are reported. The genus Glibzegdouia, which has been previously described as a possible Carnivora, is now clearly referred to the Hyaenodontida. It...

A new genus and new species of Proviverrinae from the Early Eocene of Europe, Morlodon vellerei, is described. This new taxon is morphologically close to the Middle Eocene genus Matthodon, with which it shares tendencies towards a robust dentition; the two genera also share the reduction of P1. In order to examine the phylogenetic relationships of...

We describe here “miacid” taxa from the Early Eocene Paris Basin locality of Le Quesnoy (Oise, France). We describe the new species Vassacyon taxidiotis, the first European record of this genus. The other “miacids” identified from Le Quesnoy are Miacis latouri and Gracilocyon solei. The P4 of G. solei is described here for the first time. Its morph...

Dental characters are importantly used for reconstructing the evolutionary history of mammals, because teeth represent the most abundant material available for the fossil species. However, the characteristics of dental renewal are presently poorly used, probably because dental formulae are frequently not properly established, whereas they could be...

Bone remodeling and dental resorption in upper dentition of Ctenodactylidae. Synchrotron microtomographic virtual cross-sections of A, Ctenodactylus gundi (MNHN-CG1986-255), B, Felovia vae (MNHN-CG1989-22), and C, Massoutiera mzabi (MNHN-CG1960-3741). D → M stands for distal to mesial direction. (TIF)

List of investigated specimens including data on dentitions for each Ctenodactylidae. Abbreviations: Ln refers to measurements on right lower dentition; Un refers to measurements on right upper dentition; MNHN: Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle; BSL: Basel (Naturhistorisches Museum). Symbols: [Xn] signifies the tooth is shed but the alveolus is...

The new vertebrate locality Moissac-IV, in SW France, yields the alligatoroid Diplocynodon sp., the turtle Trionyx sp., and a diversified mammal fauna. The mammal assemblage includes the rodent Protechimys cf. lebratierensis, the artiodactyls Caenomeryx sp., Lophiomeryx chalaniati, Gelocus sp., Metriotherium aff. mirabile, Entelodon sp., and Anthra...

The locality of Le Quesnoy (France; MP7) has yielded a diversified mammal fauna including especially large mammals. Oxyaenidae are well documented with two spe-cies identified: Oxyaena woutersi and Palaeonictis gigantea. The Le Quesnoy material illustrates almost the entire dentition of these species. Its study supports the generic attribution of O...

Le gisement de La Borie a livré une faune unique dans l'Éocène inférieur du Sud de la France. Cette étude préliminaire y reconnaît 35 taxons de vertébrés, dont certains inédits pour le Sud de la France (le crocodile Kentisuchus), le Sud de l'Europe (le tillodonte Plesiesthonyx) ou la partie occidentale du continent eurasiatique (l'échassier Eogrus)...

We report here the new ‘creodont’Lahimia selloumi gen. et sp. nov. from the late Palaeocene of the Ouled Abdoun Basin (Morocco) as the oldest known Hyaenodontidae with Tinerhodon from the Ouarzazate Basin (Morocco). By contrast to Tinerhodon, Lahimia is unexpectedly derived. Most of its specializations, such as the shortening of the anterior dentit...