[PaleoMammalogy • 2026] Paludocyon moyasolai • A New Species of Paludocyon (Carnivora: Amphicyonidae) from the early Middle Miocene of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Barcelona, Spain)

 

Paludocyon moyasolai 

Morales, Abella, Valenciano, Gamarra, Robles, Gregori, Alba & Casanovas-Vilar, 2026  

 DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-026-09814-6 

illustration by Jesús Gamarra    x.com/Gamarraptor

Abstract

The early Middle Miocene (15.9 Ma) site of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, Spain) has yielded a rich vertebrate assemblage, including abundant carnivoran remains that mostly remain unpublished. Here we describe a new species of the amphicyonid genus Paludocyon based on a compressed cranium with well-preserved teeth and an isolated lower molar (m2) from els Casots. Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov., included in the subfamily Amphicyoninae, is characterized by a notably enlarged M2, which is buccolingually broader than the M1, and by a the relatively large size of the M3, both traits being absent in other species of Paludocyon. A phylogenetic analysis, conducted on European and North American species assigned to Cynelos and Paludocyon, indicates that Cynelos is paraphyletic but supports the monophyly of Paludocyon, with the new species being recovered as its basal-most member.

 

Keywords: Amphicyoninae, Europe, Iberian Peninsula, Paleobiogeography, Phylogeny

Systematic Paleontology

Order Carnivora Bowdich, 1821

Family Amphicyonidae Trouessart, 1885

Subfamily Amphicyoninae Trouessart, 1885

Tribe Amphicyonini Trouessart, 1885

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov. from els Casots.
 a–f. Cranium, IPS10156, holotype: a. lateral left view; b. ventral part; c. left P4–M3 (stereo pair) in occlusal view; d. right P2 in lingual view and the left P3–M2 in buccal view; e. isolated right M1 in occlusal view; f. isolated right M2 in occlusal view.
g–i. Left m2, IPS11438, paratype, stereo pairs in occlusal (g), buccal (h), and lingual (i) views.

All specimens are depicted to the same scale except scale bars in a equal 10 cm, scale bar in b-i equal 5 cm

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov.

Type locality: els Casots, Catalonia, Spain.

Age and distribution: Aragonian subzone Cb (MN5), earliest Middle Miocene (~ 15.9 Ma), only known from the type locality.

Diagnosis: Medium-sized species of Paludocyon; P4 with reduced protocone; robust M1 with lingual platform reduced; M2 buccolingually broader than M1, with metacone smaller than paracone; M3 large and with well-defined trigone cuspids; m2 with a robust trigonid, protoconid and metaconid almost of the same height, protoconid with a weak basal buccal widening, short talonid of similar width as the trigonid, and large hypoconid occupying the buccal area of the talonid basin.

Etymology: Species epithet dedicated to Salvador Moyà-Solà, in recognition of his wonderful contribution to the development of European paleomastology (see review in Alba 2025).

Paludocyon moyasolai sp. nov. from els Casots, Spain. Reconstructed life appearance of the head and neck (illustration by Jesús Gamarra)

 

Jorge Morales, Juan Abella, Alberto Valenciano, Jesús Gamarra, Josep M. Robles, Maria Gregori, David M. Alba and Isaac Casanovas-Vilar. 2026. A New Species of Paludocyon (Carnivora: Amphicyonidae) from the early Middle Miocene of els Casots (Vallès-Penedès Basin, Barcelona, Spain).  Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 33, 29. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-026-09814-6   [06 June 2026]

  x.com/Gamarraptor/status/2064277680023888311

[Mammalogy • 2026] Coendou sangay • A New Species of Coendou (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) within the Hyper-diverse Mammalian Community of Sangay National Park in Ecuador

 

Coendou sangay Brito, 

in Brito​, Curay, León-Caldas, Lojan-Cueva, Ojala-Barbour, Pozo-Zamora, Simba, Tito, Vargas, Vega-Yánez et Batallas, 2026. 

Sangay Porcupine | Puerco espín de Sangay  ||  DOI:  doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21382

Abstract 

The tropical Andes harbor high levels of undocumented biodiversity, often hidden within complex ecological communities that require sustained sampling efforts to be fully characterized. Here, we describe a new species of porcupine of the genus Coendou, discovered within the hyper-diverse mammalian assemblage of Sangay National Park (Sangay) in Ecuador. The description is based on an adult specimen collected at 2,400 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes. Phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial Cytochrome b (Cytb) place the new species as a distinct lineage within the Clade B (sensu (Voss, Hubbard & Jansa, 2013)), showing significant genetic divergence (p-distance > 6.0%) from its closest congeners, C. speratus, C. nycthemera and C. bicolor. Morphologically, Coendou sangay sp. nov. is diagnosed by its medium body size, a remarkably short tail (approx. 26% of head-and-body length), tricolored bristle-quills with brownish-red tips, and distinct cranial features, including a long nasal bone and a mesopterygoid fossa that does not reach the second upper molar. This discovery is contextualized within a comprehensive mammalian inventory of Sangay, compiled over 15 years of fieldwork. Despite an intensive sampling effort totaling 12,800 trap-nights and 2,400 camera-trap days, only a single specimen was obtained, highlighting the species status as a rare, canopy-dwelling specialist. We report 170 mammal species within the park, including 18 endemic and 35 threatened taxa. With a richness of 0.03 species per km2, Sangay ranks as the most mammal-diverse protected area per unit area in the Tropics. Our results demonstrate that intensive, long-term inventories are essential for identifying cryptic arboreal lineages that remain “invisible” to traditional terrestrial sampling. Finally, we emphasize the urgent need for conservation policies, including the strengthening of biological corridors and the limitation on road and mining expansion, to safeguard this high-elevation biodiversity hotspot.

Keywords: Eastern Andes, Cloud forest, Rare species, Biodiversity hotspot, Species delimitation

Systematic

Family Erethizontidae Bonaparte, 1845

Genus Coendou Lacépède, 1799

Coendou sangay new species. Brito

Coendou rufescens: Brito & Ojala-Barbour (2016), not Coendou rufescens (Gray, 1865)

Coendou rufescens: Batallas & Brito (2022), not Coendou rufescens (Gray, 1865)

Sangay Porcupine, Puerco espín de Sangay (in Spanish)

Diagnosis. Coendou sangay sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of the genus by its medium-sized body (HBL 460 mm) and very small tail (26% LT/HBL), absence of long fur, tricolored bristle-quills (with brownish red tips), spiny ventral fur, and a unique combination of cranial features, including a long nasal bone (35% LN/CIL), constricted maxillary bony bridge, and a mesopterygoid fossa that does not reach M2.

Coendou sangay sp. nov. (MECN 4343, holotype).
 (A) External appearance of the adult female alive in its natural habitat in the Sangay, Ecuador; (B) lateral and (C) posterior view of the revealing an aposematic coloration.

 Photographs by J. Brito.

Selected external and soft anatomical features of Coendou sangay sp. nov. (MECN 4343, holotype).
Ventral view of the hand (A), and of the foot (B); detail of the muzzle (C); perineal region (D), and ventral view of the tail (E).

 Abbreviations: a = anus, v = vagina. Photographs by J. Brito.

Etymology: This species is named in honor of Sangay National Park, which is the largest Andean national park in Ecuador. The park includes a large elevation gradient along the eastern slopes, or Eastern Cordillera, of the Andes and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park gets its name from Sangay, one of Ecuador’s most active volcanoes, which is located within its boundaries.

Field expedition to Guabisai (A), Cubillines (B), and sampling and collecting in the area (C, D).

Photographs of J. Brito (A, C, D), and G. Pozo (B).

Jorge Brito​, Jenny Curay, Víctor León-Caldas, Pamela Lojan-Cueva, Reed Ojala-Barbour, Glenda Pozo-Zamora, Laura Simba, Paul Tito, Rocío Vargas, Mateo A. Vega-Yánez and Diego Batallas. 2026. Discovery of A New Species of Coendou (Rodentia: Erethizontidae) within the Hyper-diverse Mammalian Community of Sangay National Park in Ecuador. PeerJ. 14:e21382 DOI:  doi.org/10.7717/peerj.21382 [June 8, 2026]

[PaleoMammalogy • 2026] Archaeomeles neglecta • A New Genus of Badger from Pikermi (Greece) and A Review of the Systematics and Evolution of Miocene Melinae (Carnivora: Mustelidae)

Archaeomeles neglecta 

Kargopoulos, Valenciano, Jiangzuo, Liakopoulou, Gerakakis, Kampouridis, Paparizos, Svorligkou, Filis, Sklavounou & Roussiakis, 2026

  DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2026.2647483  

 x.com/paleo_alberto

 

Abstract

The evolution of Mustelidae has been a topic of debate, obscured by a complex system of convergences between phylogenetically distant groups. In this work, we present a new genus and species of mustelid, Archaeomeles neglecta gen. et sp. nov., from the classical Turolian locality of Pikermi (Greece, Late Miocene, MN12). The material consists of a skull with the associated mandible and shows distinct features that clearly differentiate it from all other known mustelid genera. These characteristics include a long and narrow rostrum, the absence of developed sagittal and supraorbital crest, relatively slender mandibular corpus, enamel folds on the lower canines, the wide P3 and p4, and the moderately enlarged M1 talon and m1 talonid. Morphometrical comparisons and phylogenetic analysis suggest that Archaeomeles is a stem member of the Melinae along with the other Turolian mustelids Promeles, Polgardia and Melodon from Eurasia. Ecomorphological comparisons indicate intermediate dietary habits between the plesiomorphic gulonines and the derived extant badgers, suggesting a diet that is based on small vertebrates and invertebrates as well as plant material. 

Keywords: Carnivora, Ecomorphology, Mustelidae, Phylogeny, Turolian

Systematic palaeontology

Order Carnivora Bowdich, 1821

Suborder Caniformia Kretzoi, 1943

Family Mustelidae Batsch, 1788

Subfamily Melinae Bonaparte, 1838

Genus Archaeomeles gen. nov.

Type and only species. Archaeomeles neglecta sp. nov.

Diagnosis: Mustelid of the size of the extant European otter (Lutra lutra); rostrum long and slender; P1/p1 present; P2/p2 two-rooted; P3 significantly wide; P4 moderately shortened; P4 with hypocone region moderately developed; M1 moderately expanded distolingually, with metaconule and a high protocone; mandibular corpus slender; lower canine with enamel folds; p4 slender without marked accessory cuspids, m1 with low trigonid cuspids, talonid moderately enlarged and basin-like, without entoconid and entoconulid, but with distinct hypoconid and a minute, buccally situated hypoconulid.

Derivation of name: Archaeo-, from the Greek word Ἀρχαῖος meaning ancient, and -meles meaning badger. The name Archaeomeles, ‘ancient badger’, is chosen to highlight its key position in the radiation of the Melinae in the Turolian.

Archaeomeles neglecta sp. nov.

Holotype. AMPG-P.A. 4879/91 – skull with an associated mandible.

 

Derivation of name. The specific name neglecta comes from the feminine of the Latin word neglectus meaning neglected. It refers to the holotype being overlooked in the collections of AMPG for over a century.

Type Locality. Pikermi (classical layers), Attica, Greece.

Age. 7.33–7.29Ma, Turolian, Late Miocene (MN 12).

 

Nikolaos Kargopoulos, Alberto Valenciano, Qigao Jiangzuo, Dionysia Liakopoulou, Nikolaos Gerakakis, Panagiotis Kampouridis, Nikolaos Paparizos, Georgia Svorligkou, Panagiotis Filis, Stamatina Sklavounou and Socrates Roussiakis. 2026. A New Genus of Badger from Pikermi (Greece) and A Review of the Systematics and Evolution of Miocene Melinae (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 24(1); 2647483.  DOI: doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2026.2647483 [24 Apr 2026]

  x.com/paleo_alberto/status/2047713035066736997

[PaleoMammalogy • 2026] Metapterodon anari • Hyaenodonta from the Middle to Late Miocene deposits of the Siwaliks of Pakistan with a brief account of Indian subcontinent hyaenodonts

 

Metapterodon anari 

Mahmood, Abbas, Jasinski, Babar & Khan, 2026

DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12542-025-00766-5  

 x.com/StevenJasinski

 reconstruction by Sergey Krasovskiy

Abstract

New fossil material identified as ‘creodonts,’ particularly hyaenodonts, from the Siwaliks of Pakistan provide significant new information on this important group of carnivores. Three hyaenodont taxa are identified based on these new fossils. Deciduous dental remains identified as ?Megistotherium/Hyainailouros sp. provide important new data on large hyaenodonts and their presence in the Miocene of southern Asia. Fossils identified as Hyaenodon cf. H. pervagus potentially provide important new temporal and biogeographic data on a highly speciose genus of hyaenodont. While the genus is known throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere (Asia, Europe, North America), these new fossils represent the first record of the genus from the Siwaliks, expanding its range in southern Asia. They also represent the youngest temporal occurrence of the genus (Middle Miocene). Another fossil represents a new species, Metapterodon anari sp. nov. This genus was previously tentatively identified from the Siwaliks, but this new material provides definitive evidence of its presence. Not only does this confirm its presence in the Miocene Siwalik deposits of the Indian subcontinent but also represents an important temporal occurrence for the genus. It represents the youngest occurrence of the genus worldwide but may also represent the youngest occurrence of any hyaenodont. The new material provides important new data on some of the less well-known ‘creodonts’ of the Siwaliks, and this data is important for not only our understanding of some of the youngest hyaenodonts near their eventual extinction, but the complex mammal communities preserved on the Indian subcontinent.

Keywords: Hyaenodonta, Siwaliks, Metapterodon, Hyaenodon, Miocene, Biostratigraphy

Siwalik fossil referred to Metapterodon anari sp. nov.
 (A–C), PUPC 19/99 (holotype), nearly complete left m3 in A occlusal, B buccal (labial), and C lingual views.

 bk buccal keel, n notch, pcd paraconid, popcd postparacristid, ppcd preparacristid, pprcd preprotocristid, prcd protoconid, tc talonid cuspid, wf wear facet. Scale bar is 10 mm

Metapterodon anari sp. nov.

Diagnosis. A large species of the genus Metapterodon with large distal (= posterior) lower molars; below the apex of m3, inflated paraconid and protoconid separated by extremely narrow, shallow conspicuous notch; protoconid larger and higher than paraconid; presence of large, distinct buccal keel on the base of paraconid; and extremely reduced unicuspidate talonid.

Holotype. PUPC 19/99, nearly complete left m3 (Fig. 3).

Type locality and age. Y311 (10.063 Ma), Sethi Nagri locality, Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan.

Horizon. Nagri Formation of Middle Siwalik subgroup (early Late Miocene).

Etymology. Named after Mr. Anar Khan (late), a host and guide in Hasnot and surrounding areas, who served national and international researchers for more than 50 years.

Biogeographic distribution of Hyaenodon species.

Biogeographic distribution of Hyaenodon species.

Metapterodon anari sp. nov.

 reconstruction by Sergey Krasovskiy

  

 

Khalid Mahmood, Sayyed Ghyour Abbas, Steven E. Jasinski, Muhammad Adeeb Babar and Muhammad Akbar Khan. 2026. Hyaenodonta from the Middle to Late Miocene deposits of the Siwaliks of Pakistan with a brief account of Indian subcontinent hyaenodonts. PalZ. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s12542-025-00766-5 [16 April 2026] 

 x.com/StevenJasinski/status/2060104303272919118

https://www.harrisburgu.edu/news/2026-05-27-new-species-carnivorous-mammals/

[PaleoMammalogy • 2026] The Japanese Archipelago sheltered Cave Lions, not Tigers, during the Late Pleistocene

 a Late Pleistocene cave lion Panthera spelaea overlooking Mount Fuji, Japan. 

in Sun, Peng, Tsutaya, Jiangzuo, ... et Luo, 2026. 

DOI: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2523901123 

Artistic reconstruction by Velizar Simeonovski

 

Abstract

Lions and tigers, as dominant apex predators, likely became competitors when lions expanded from Africa into Eurasia approximately one million years ago (Ma), forming a lion–tiger transition belt from the Middle East through Central Asia to the Russian Far East. At the easternmost edge of this zone, the Japanese Archipelago has long been considered a Late Pleistocene tiger refugium, supported by large felid subfossils traditionally attributed to tigers (Panthera tigris), though their taxonomic identity remained unresolved. To clarify the origin, evolutionary history, and biogeography of Japan’s Pleistocene felids, we analyzed 26 ancient specimens previously assumed to be tigers. Using mitochondrial and nuclear genome hybridization capture and sequencing, paleoproteomics, Bayesian molecular dating, and radiocarbon dating, we found that all ancient Japanese “tiger” remains yielding molecular data were, unexpectedly, cave lions (Panthera spelaea). One specimen from Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, was radiocarbon dated to 36,000-34,891 cal. BP. These cave lions likely dispersed to the Japanese Archipelago between ~72.7 and 37.5 thousand years ago (ka), when a land bridge connected northern Japan to the mainland during the Last Glacial Period. Our findings challenge the long-held view that tigers once took refuge in Japan, showing instead that cave lions were widespread in northeast Asia during this period and were the Panthera lineage that colonized Japan, reaching even its southwestern regions despite habitats previously thought to favor tigers.

Maps showing the possible distributions of lions and tigers in eastern Eurasia and Alaska during different Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) of the Late Pleistocene. ...

Artistic reconstruction of a Late Pleistocene cave lion overlooking Mount Fuji, Japan.

Artwork by Velizar Simeonovski

Significance: Lions and tigers were widespread apex predators during the Late Pleistocene and integral components of East Asian megafauna. Cave lions predominantly inhabited northern Eurasia, whereas tigers were distributed farther south. The boundary between their ranges extended across Eurasia and shifted with climatic fluctuations, such as glacial–interglacial oscillations. Our findings challenge the prevailing view that tigers once took refuge in Japan and that cave lion distribution was limited to the Russian Far East and northeast China. These findings provide evidence that lions, rather than tigers, colonized the Japanese Archipelago during the Late Pleistocene. This finding extends the known range of cave lions in East Asia and refines our understanding of how far south the lion–tiger transition belt shifted during this period.

 

Xin Sun, Lanhui Peng, Takumi Tsutaya, Qigao Jiangzuo, Yoshikazu Hasegawa, Yuxin Hou, Yu Han, Yan Zhuang, Nuno Filipe Gomes Martins, Jazmin Ramos Madrigal, Alberto J. Taurozzi, Meaghan Mackie, Gaudry Trochė, Jesper V. Olsen, Enrico Cappellini, Stephen J. O’Brien, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, and Shu-Jin Luo. 2026. The Japanese Archipelago sheltered Cave Lions, not Tigers, during the Late Pleistocene. PNAS. 123(6); e2523901123. DOI: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2523901123 [January 26, 2026]

[Mammalogy • 2026] Afronycteris rautenbachi • A New Species of African Pipistrelle-like Bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Afronycteris)

Afronycteris rautenbachi

Kearney, de Vries & Markotter, 2026 

DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5768.1.1

Abstract 

The taxonomy of the small, sub-Saharan, insectivorous bat, Afronycteris helios (Heller, 1912), has been unresolved for decades. The name A. cf. helios was introduced in the literature to recognise bats found in east and southern Africa that were like A. helios but had glands on the uropatagium. Cranio-dental morphology, bacular morphology, and molecular genetics (albeit the latter two being without representation of A. helios), provided evidence to formally describe “A. cf. helios”, which is currently known from Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa. Bayesian analyses based on cytochrome oxidase b, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, and 12S rRNA confirm that it belongs to the genus Afronycteris with A. nanus (Peter, 1852) and A. helios. These analyses also revealed genetic, bacular, and cranio-dental morphological differences within A. nanus, which are described here. Pending a more thorough geographic analysis, including all existing synonyms, A. cf. nanus has been introduced to refer to bats that were smaller than A. nanus. Although co-occurring in north-eastern parts of South Africa, A. cf. nanus has a more westerly distribution extending to west Africa, relative to the more easterly distribution of A. nanus. Afronycteris sp. nov. showed at least a 6.9%, 3.4% and 2.9% nucleotide difference to its nearest relative based on cytochrome oxidase b, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, and 12S rRNA respectively. It is cranio-dentally smaller than A. helios, slightly smaller than A. nanus, and larger than A. cf. nanus, with a distinct baculum, and a unique pair of glands on the uropatagium.

Mammalia, molecular genetics, taxonomy, morphology, Afronycteris nanus, Afronycteris helios, Kruger National Park

Lateral head and shoulder view of Afronycteris rautenbachi in the hand, of the holotype TM 48535 (left), and TM 48537 (right), both from South Africa, Limpopo province, Kruger National Park, Makuleka Contract Park.

Images of ears (above) and tragi (below) of  Afronycteris rautenbachi, TM 48537 (left) and A. cf. nanus TM 48572 (right), both from South Africa, Limpopo province, Kruger National Park, Makuleka Contract Park.

Dorsal ventral and lateral views of the cranium and a lateral view of the mandible of the holotype, TM 48535, of Afronycteris rautenbachi from South Africa, Limpopo province, Kruger National Park, Makuleka Contract Park. All images were scaled to the same size. Scale bar = 3 mm.

Afronycteris rautenbachi sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Afronycteris rautenbachi is a small Vespertilionidae and among the smallest of the Vespertilionini, being most similar in size and appearance to A. nanus, A. cf. nanus and A. helios. Afronycteris rautenbachi has a pair of glands on the uropatagium on either side of the tail, near the body (Figure 7).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Igantius (“Naas”) L. Rautenbach (1942–2024) who was head of the mammal section at Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (formerly Transvaal Museum) from 1968 to 1991, and then the director of the museum from 1991 to 1999. He conducted extensive field research on southern African mammals, including the northern part of the Kruger National Park, which considerably increased the size of the museum collection. Over the years he managed various research collaborations that started with field collection and resulted in numerous publications. The proposed English common name is Kruger tail-gland bat.

Teresa KEARNEY, Marinda DE VRIES and Wanda MARKOTTER. 2026. Description of A New Species of African Pipistrelle-like Bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae: Afronycteris). Zootaxa. 5768(1); 1-28. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5768.1.1 [2026-03-09]

[Mammalogy • 2026] Found Alive After 6,000 years: Modern Records of An ‘Extinct’ Papuan Marsupial, Dactylonax kambuayai (Marsupialia: Petauridae), with A Revision of the Systematics and Zoogeography of the Genus Dactylonax

Dactylonax kambuayai (Aplin, 1999) 

Pygmy Long-fingered Possum

in Flannery, Aplin, Bocos, Koungoulos et Helgen, 2026. 

Records of the Australian Museum. 78; 

DOI: doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.78.2026.3003

 painting by Peter Schouten. 

Abstract

The Pygmy Long-fingered Possum, Dactylonax kambuayai, is the smallest of the striped possums (the petaurid subfamily Dactylopsilinae). It is a ‘Lazarus species’, found living when previously known only from fossils. Recently collected museum specimens, and observations and photographs of living individuals, correspond taxonomically to the only previously reported specimens of D. kambuayai, which are fossil remains from a nearby Holocene location, all occurring in low- to mid-elevation rainforests on the Vogelkop Peninsula of New Guinea. Together with the recent discovery of another Lazarus possum, ‘Petauroides’ ayamaruensis, they represent the only marsupials known as modern animals only from low elevations (below 1000 m) on the Vogelkop Peninsula. Both of these species are diminutive species with enigmatic natural histories. In reviewing the systematics of this species, we demonstrate the distinctness of Dactylonax as a genus-level taxon, and clarify species boundaries in this genus. Dactylonax palpator, the type species of Dactylonax, was previously considered to be a widespread montane taxon, but is recognized here as two separate species: D. palpator is restricted to the Arfak Mountains of the Vogelkop, while D. ernstmayri is widely distributed on the New Guinean Central Cordillera and the Huon Peninsula at elevations above 800 m. Dactylonax palpator replaces, or co-occurs with, D. kambuayai at elevations between around 900 m and 1,400 m on the Vogelkop. We hypothesize that colonization of montane habitats on the Vogelkop by a D. kambuayai-like ancestor gave rise to the larger bodied D. palpator, and dispersal of this lineage to montane habitats in the Central Cordillera gave rise to the highly specialized D. ernstmayri. The fact that the montane taxon of the Vogelkop Dactylonax species couplet was able to migrate eastwards, while the lowland taxon was not, suggests that an unusual elevational zoogeographic filter was in play. We observe that D. kambuayai is thus far recorded from sites where the other small petaurid of New Guinea, Petaurus papuanus, is not recorded or is uncommon.

Keywords: Marsupialia; Petauridae; Dactylonax; kambuayai; palpator; ernstmayri; Lazarus taxon; Vogelkop; New Guinea; systematic review

Photograph of a living female Dactylonax kambuayai, Klalik area, Vogelkop.

Photo: Carlos Bocos.

Dactylonax kambuayai (Aplin, 1999)

Hands of the four extant genera (and three subfamilies) of family Petauridae.
Palmar surfaces of the manus, showing key differences in phalangeal proportions, claws, palmar pads, furring, and patagial development in
(a) Dactylopsila, subfamily Dactylopsilinae (represented by Dactylopsila trivirgata); (b) Dactylonax, subfamily Dactylopsilinae (represented by Dactylonax palpator);
(c) Gymnobelideus, represented by G. leadbeateri (Gymnobelideus McCoy, 1867 is type genus of the new subfamily proposed here: Gymnobelideinae Helgen & Flannery, subfam. nov., Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, 1867 is type species of Gymnobelideus, the new subfamily and its type genus are both monotypic);
(d) Petaurus, subfamily Petaurinae (represented by P. norfolcensis). Modified from Flannery (1994:61–65). Drawings by Peter Schouten.

Dactylonax kambuayai (Aplin, 1999)—a painting by Peter Schouten.
 This artwork is based on the two modern specimens in the Australian Museum (M.56796 adult female and pouch young M.56797).

Tim F. Flannery; Kenneth P. Aplin; Carlos Bocos; Loukas G. Koungoulos; Kristofer M. Helgen. 2026. Found Alive After 6,000 years: Modern Records of An ‘Extinct’ Papuan Marsupial, Dactylonax kambuayai (Marsupialia: Petauridae), with A Revision of the Systematics and Zoogeography of the Genus Dactylonax. Records of the Australian Museum. 78; 17-34. DOI: doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.78.2026.3003 [06 March 2026]

[Mammalogy • 2026] Oreoryzomys jumandi, O. balneator, O. hesperus, ... • Mountains of Diversity: A Systematic Revision of the Andean Rodent Genus Oreoryzomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae)

 

(A-E) Oreoryzomys balneator (Thomas, 1900);
(F-J) O. hesperus (Anthony, 1924);
 (K-O) Oreoryzomys jumandi Brito, Vargas, García, Tinoco & Pardiñas, 

in Brito​, Vargas, Tinoco, García, Carrión-Olmedo, Koch, Wistuba, Nivelo-Villavicencio et Pardiñas. 2026. 

 DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20515

Abstract

The until recently monotypic cricetid genus Oreoryzomys inhabits piedmont and cloud forests, primarily in eastern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Erected following the taxonomic revision of a polytypic Oryzomys complex two decades ago, Oreoryzomys has remained poorly understood, with most references limited to the original descriptions of its type species (O. balneator) and a subspecies (O. b. hesperus). Here, we present an integrative taxonomic revision of the genus, based on new field collections and comprehensive museum-based analyses. Phylogenetic reconstructions from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, combined with morphometric and qualitative morphological data, support the recognition of three species: (1) a redescribed O. balneator from central-eastern Ecuador; (2) O. hesperus, elevated to full species rank based on topotypic material; and (3) a new species from populations of the Quijos River Valley, northeastern Ecuador. This revision triples the known species diversity of Oreoryzomys and highlights the genus as a notable radiation of small-bodied oryzomyines adapted to Andean environments. Our findings emphasize the need for systematic revisions of other poorly known Andean rodents to better reveal the hidden diversity of cricetids and the role of the Andes in shaping Neotropical biodiversity.

Keywords: Andes, Ecuador, New species, Oreoryzomys balneator, Oreoryzomys hesperus, Oryzomyini, Peru

 

External appearance of the three Oreoryzomys species (left panels) and details of their feet and hands (right panels).
Top row: (A) live lateral view (O. balneator, MECN 5815); (B–C) plantar and dorsal views of foot; (D–E) palmar and dorsal views of hand (MECN 6140).
Middle row: (F) live lateral view (O. a. hesperus, MECN 4789); (G–H) plantar and dorsal views of foot; (I–J) palmar and dorsal views of hand.
Bottom row: (K) live lateral view (Oreoryzomys jumandi sp. nov., MECN 8278, holotype); (L–M) plantar and dorsal views of foot; (N–O) palmar and dorsal views of hand.

Scale = 10 mm. Photographs (A–J, L–O) by J Brito; (K) by R Wistuba.

Oreoryzomys jumandi new species. Brito, Vargas, García, Tinoco & Pardiñas

 

Jumandi Mountain Mouse, 

Ratón montano de Jumandi (in Spanish)

 

Diagnosis: A species of Oreoryzomys distinguished by the following combination of characters: incisive foramina short, not reaching the anterior margin of M1 (Fig. 6F); frontoparietal (coronal) suture distinctly V-shaped (Fig. 6E); stapedial process of the auditory bulla elongate and pointed, projecting beyond the posterior margin of the alisphenoid (Fig. 9F); median lacerate foramen broad and positioned at a distance from the bulla; M3 with the hypoflexus shallow, forming a lake-like structure; and m2 with a long mesolophid fused to the mesostyle (Fig. 11C).

 

Etymology: Named in honor of Jumandi, a Quijo warrior who led the first indigenous uprising against Spanish conquistadors in the Americas on 29 November 1578 (Santos-Granero, 1992). In recognition of his historical significance, Jumandi was officially declared a National Hero by the Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador in November 2011.

Jorge Brito​, Rocío Vargas, Nicolás Tinoco, Rubí García, Julio C. Carrión-Olmedo, Claudia Koch, Ricarda Wistuba, Carlos Nivelo-Villavicencio and Ulyses F.J. Pardiñas. 2026. Mountains of Diversity: A Systematic Revision of the Andean Rodent Genus Oreoryzomys (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae). PeerJ. 14:e20515. DOI: doi.org/10.7717/peerj.20515 [January 9, 2026]

 

[PaleoMammalogy • 2025] Circamustela bhapralensis, Vishnuictis plectilodous, ... • Rare Carnivorous Mammals from A diverse Fossil Assemblage from the Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, North India

Circamustela bhapralensis

Sankhyan, Abbas, Jasinski, Khan & Mahmood, 2025

 

DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-025-09749-4

 www.harrisburgu.edu 

 x.com/StevenJasinski 

Artwork by Sergey Krasovskiy

Abstract

Newly collected fossil carnivoran material from the Haritalyangar and Nurpur Middle Siwalik sequences of Himachal Pradesh (India) include at least five taxa and two new species including Mustelidae (‘Martes’ lydekkeri, Circamustela bhapralensis sp. nov., Mustelidae indet.), Viverridae (Vishnuictis plectilodous sp. nov.), and Felidae (indeterminate basal Felinae). These findings include the first upper jaw material of ‘Martes’ lydekkeri, a rare mustelid known only from lower jaw specimens, suggesting potentially closer relationships with European mustelids. Additionally, we report the first identification of Circamustela from the Siwaliks of the Indian subcontinent, despite nearly two centuries of fossil collection in the region. This material represents a new species Circamustela bhapralensis sp. nov. Circamustela, originating in Europe, eventually migrated to the Indian subcontinent before its extinction, and the smaller body size of the new species may suggest a trend toward decreasing body size in this taxon. Fossil viverrid material also represents a new species, Vishnuictis plectilodous sp. nov., the youngest species yet known for the genus. This new material implies an increase in morphological complexity in the m1 of these viverrids, potentially also suggesting an increase in dietary diversity within this lineage. The new viverrid species may also represent the largest viverrid yet known. Mandibular material of a feline is also described, providing further information on the biodiversity of the fossil carnivorans in the region. These new specimens add important information to our knowledge of the ancient biodiversity of the region, the evolutionary history of several carnivoran mammals, and the carnivoran guild of southern Asia.

Keywords: Carnivora, Felidae, Haritalyangar, India, Mustelidae, Neogene, Siwaliks, Viverridae

Circamustela bhapralensis sp. nov.

Vishnuictis fossil comparisons.
a–c. Holotype m1 of Vishnuictis plectilodous sp. nov. (HTA-68), complete right m1 in occlusal (a), medial (lingual) (b), and lateral (labial) (c) views. d. Terminology for various features of the m1 of V. plectilodous sp. nov. (HTA-68).
e–g. Holotype right mandibular ramus containing p4 and m1 of V. hasnoti comb. nov. (HTA-135), modified from Pilgrim (1932: pl. II, figs. 18, 18a, 18b) in occlusal (e), medial (lingual) (f), and lateral (labial) (g) views. Scale bars equal 1 cm

Vishnuictis plectilodous sp. nov.

 

Anek Ram Sankhyan, Sayyed Ghyour Abbas, Steven E. Jasinski, Muhammad Akbar Khan and Khalid Mahmood. 2025. Rare Carnivorous Mammals from A diverse Fossil Assemblage from the Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, North India. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 32; 14. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s10914-025-09749-4 [22 March 2025]

Study on New Fossil Carnivorous Mammals from Himalayan Foothills 

 www.harrisburgu.edu/news/2025-04-01-new-fossil-carnivorous-mammals-himalayan 

 x.com/StevenJasinski/status/1907906123111539000

[Mammalogy • 2025] Mustela mopbie • Phylogenomics of the Genus Mustela (Carnivora: Mustelidae) with Description of A New Species from China

Mustela mopbie  

in Wei, Cao, He, Abramov, Wang, J. Fu, Li, Yang, L.-Q. Fu, Huang, Zhou, Wen et Ge, 2025.

   DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jse.70029 

 x.com/JournalSysEvo

Abstract

Weasels represent the most widely distributed and diverse lineage within the family Mustelidae. They have experienced adaptive radiation and have long been the subject of significant taxonomic debates. This study undertakes a comprehensive study of this group, employing morphological measurements, mitochondrial genomes, nuclear genes, and single copy orthologs extracted from whole genome data. Based on the outcomes of phylogenetic tree construction using orthologous genes, it is ultimately verified that the genera Mustela and Neogale are independent genera, thereby resolving the controversy regarding the species they encompass. Through molecular systematics and morphological studies, a putative Mustela species collected from Mabian Dafengding National Nature Reserve in Sichuan is confirmed as a new species, designated Mustela mopbie sp. nov. This new species exhibits molecular phylogenetic affinity with M. altaica and M. nivalis, yet shares morphological similarities with M. kathiah, M. nivalis and M. aistoodonnivalis. Notably, it is considerably smaller than these species and possesses distinctive body coloration and tail morphology. This study provides a detailed description of this new species and demonstrates that larger datasets yield more robust phylogenetic signal. Furthermore, we observed substantial incongruence between mitochondrial and nuclear gene trees, suggesting potential genomic introgression between this new species and its closely related congeners (M. altaica and M. nivalis).

Keywords: cytonuclear discordance, genetic distance, morphological differentiation, Mustela, systematic classification

Mustela mopbie sp. nov.

Qiu-Jin Wei, Lei Cao, Xing-Cheng He, Alexei Abramov, Jin Wang, Jie Fu, Rui Li, Qi-Sen Yang, Li-Qiang Fu, Yao-Hua Huang, Cai-Quan Zhou, Zhi-Xin Wen and De-Yan Ge. 2025. Phylogenomics of the Genus Mustela with Description of A New Species from China. Journal of Systematics and Evolution. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/jse.70029 [14 November 2025]

 x.com/JournalSysEvo/status/1993418072376655931

 

[Mammalogy • 2025] Soriculus dexingensis • A New Species of the Genus Soriculus (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae) from Medog, Tibet, China, based on morphological and molecular data

 

Soriculus dexingensis

Tao Zhang, Yang, Jiang, Gu, Zou, Fu, Guo, Tong Zhang, Liu & Chen, 2025

  

DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1262.164459

Abstract

The genus Soriculus (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla) currently comprises five recognized species, predominantly distributed in the Himalayas and the Gaoligong Mountains. During our survey of small mammals in Medog County, Tibet, China, 11 Soriculus specimens were collected. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of the genus using one mitochondrial gene (Cytb) and three nuclear genes (BRCA1, APOB, and RAG2) to assess the phylogenetic relationships of these specimens. The morphology of the 11 specimens was compared with other species within the genus. Our results demonstrate that these specimens represent a new species, Soriculus dexingensis sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. dexingensis sp. nov. forms a distinct sister clade to S. medogensis, and the Kimura 2-Parameter (K2P) distances between all known species of Soriculus ranged from 0.111 to 0.187, indicating interspecific divergence. Morphologically, the new species is distinguished by a relatively longer tail and a significantly higher TL/HB ratio. The discovery of S. dexingensis sp. nov. in Medog County suggests that the diversity of Soriculus species remains underestimated. Further biodiversity surveys of small mammals across the Himalayan region are warranted.

Key words: Morphology, new species, phylogeny, shrew, small mammals, Soriculus, taxonomy

Left: Dorsal, ventral and lateral views of the skull and mandibles of Soriculus dexingensis sp. nov. (SAF11216).
 Right: dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of S. dexingensis sp. nov. (SAF11216).

Soriculus dexingensis sp. nov.

 Tao Zhang, Siyu Yang, Haijun Jiang, Lin Gu, Qingfang Zou, Changkun Fu, Keji Guo, Tong Zhang, Shaoying Liu and Shunde Chen. 2025. A New Species of the Genus Soriculus (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from Medog, Tibet, China, based on morphological and molecular data. ZooKeys. 1262: 175-189. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1262.164459