Vulpes praecorsac Kormos, 1932

Gasparik, Mihály & Pazonyi, Piroska, 2018, The macromammal remains and revised faunal list of the Somssich Hill 2 locality (late Early Pleistocene, Hungary) and the Epivillafranchian faunal change, Fragmenta Palaeontologica Hungarica 35, pp. 153-178 : 157-158

Vulpes praecorsac Kormos, 1932

( Figs 6–11 , Table 1)

Material – Layer 2: Phalanx I fragment; right I 2 (V.81.25). Layer 3: Phalanx I; 3 phalanges III; scaphoideum; right P 1 (V.81.68). Layer 4: Left P 3; right P 1 (V.82.148); – Left radius distal fragment (VER 2018.2611.); – Left tibia distal fragment; phalanx I; 2 phalanges II (VER 2018.2620.); – Left upper caninus; right P 3 (VER 2017.8222.) ( Fig. 6 ). Layer 5: Left M 1 (VER 2018.2614.); – Left I 2; left P 2 (V.82.105). Layer 6: Left P 1 (V.82.110). Layer 9: Caninus fragment (V.83.64). Layer 20: Right I 3 (VER 2018.2618.). Layer 21: Right P 1. Layer 22b: Left M 1 (VER 2018.2630.) ( Fig. 10 ); – Right M 2; right I 2; upper incisivus (VER 2018.2635.). Layer 24: Vertebra caudalis (VER 2018.2625.). Layer 28: Phalanx I (VER 2018.2623.). Layer 32: Left P 2 (VER 2018.2645.).

Layer 35: Right M 1 (VER 2018.2638.); – Right M 2; 2 phalanges I (VER 2018.2640.); – Left and right lower caninus (from the same individual) (VER 2018.2657.); – Right mandible fragment with M 2 (VER 2018.2669.).

Layer 36: Right ulna proximal fragment (VER 2018.2643.); – Left lower caninus fragment (VER 2018.2662.).

Layer 37: Left mandible fragment with M 1; right M 1 (VER 2018.2641.).

Layer 39: Right P 3 fragment; right M 2; right M 3 (VER 2018.2648.).

Layer 40: Left mandible with caninus, P 1 -P 4, alveoli of M 1, M 2 ( Figs 8–9 ); right upper caninus fragment; phalanx II; left humerus distal fragment and left ulna proximal fragment of the same individual (VER 2018.2678.).

Layer 41: MC III distal fragment; left upper caninus (VER 2018.2666.) ( Fig. 7 ); – Left M 1; left P 4 (VER 2018.2676.).

Layer 42: Right mandible fragment with P 3 -M 1; left mandible fragment with the alveolus of P 2, stumps of P 3 and P 4, M 1; right M1; left calcaneus; right astragalus; 2 right mandibula fragments (VER 2018.2679.).

Layer 43: Right dP 2; right dP 3 fragment (VER 2018.2675.); – Right I 2 (VER 2018.2687.); – Right maxilla fragment with P 4 and alveoli of P 2 and P 3 (VER 2018.2691.).

Layer 44: Right maxilla fragment with M 1 ( Fig. 11 ); right dP 3, right dP 3, left dP 4 fragment (VER 2018.2682.).

Layer 47: Left ulna proximal fragment (VER 2018.2684.).

Remarks – The fox remains from Somssich Hill 2 are rather small, according to DE BONIS et al. (2007) the measurements of M 1 -s fall into the Vulpes praecorsac Kormos , V. alopecoides Major , and V. vulpes M 1 ranges ( Table 1). Compared to V. praeglacialis remains the Somssich Hill 2 fox specimens are clearly smaller. The teeth are narrow. This feature is very similar to V.lagopus , V. vulpes , V. corsac , and V. praecorsac . The canines are narrow. The lower edge of the mandible is almost straight with very little curving. On the P 3 -s the tiny posterior accessory cuspids (which are characteristric of V. alopecoides and V. vulpes ) are missing or very vestigial. On the basis of the mentioned characteristics the Somssich Hill 2 foxes can be ranked into Kormos’s species Vulpes praecorsac , for the original description see KORMOS (1932). JÁNOSSY (1999) also identified the remains as V. praecorsac but he described some uncertain arctic fox remains as Alopex sp. However, it seems that all of the Somssich Hill 2 foxes very probably represent only one species.

Figures

Figs 2–16. Carnivora remains from Somssich Hill 2. – Figs 2–3. Canis mosbachensis Soergel right M 1 fragment (V.82.95). – Fig. 2. Lingual view. – Fig. 3. Occlusal view. – Fig. 4. Canis mosbachensis Soergel left upper caninus fragment (VER 2018.2659.), lingual view. – Fig. 5. Canis mosbachensis Soergel left M1 (VER 2018.2683.), occlusal view. – Fig. 6. Vulpes praecorsac Kormos right P (VER 3 2017.8222.), buccal view. – Fig. 7. Vulpes praecorsac Kormos left upper caninus (VER 2018.2666.),