Democricetodon mutilus Fahlbusch, 1964

Hír, J., 2013, Early and Middle Miocene (MN 5 - MN 6) transitional rodent fauna from Litke (North Hungary, Nógrád County), Fragmenta Palaeontologica Hungarica 30, pp. 101-137 : 122-124

Democricetodon mutilus Fahlbusch, 1964

( Figs 35–37)

Material and measurements (mm) –

Description – M1 – Anterocone is two parted but not divided by any gooves. The mesial surface is smooth. The labial unit is larger than the lingual one. The lingual and labial anteroloph reach the anterior basis of the protocone and paracone closes the anterosinus and the protosinus. The anterolophule connects to the lingual unit of the anterocone and the anterior angle of the protocone. Protolophule I is missing, the protolophule II starts from the posterior angle of the protocone. The mesoloph is moderately developed or long, but ends before the labial margin. The metalophule is posterior, started from the posterior angle of the hypocone or from the posteroloph.

M2 – The lingual and labial anterolophs are nearly equally developed and reach the anterior basis of the protocone and the paracone closes the sinuses. The protolophule is double, but the protolophule II is less developed and does not reach the basis of the paracone. The paracone posterior spur is continued in the labial cingulum and reaches the anterior basis of the metacone. The metalophule is short, started from the centre of the hypocone. The lingual sinus is closed by a cingulum; the posterior sinus is closed by the posteroloph.

M3 – Subtriangular outline. The lingual anteroloph is shorter than the labial one and the sinus behind the lingual anteroloph is shallower than the sinus behind the labial anteroloph. A small lingual sinus is developed between the protocone and the hypocone. The axioloph is complete; the mesolophid is long but ends before the labial border. Hypocone is delimited; metacone is fused into the posteroloph.

m1 – Anteroconid is unicuspid, undivided or two parted but not divided. The mesial surface is convex. The labial anterolophid is well developed, the lingual one is less and lower developed but visible. Anterolophulid is not developed; anterosinusid and protosinusid are united in 2012.145. specimen, while very short in 2013.91. specimen. The mesolophid is short or middle developed. The labial sinusid is closed by a low cingulum.

m2 – Hardly worn, inadequate for morphological description.

Comments – The stratigraphic range of this species is MN5-MN 6 in the Swiss molasse ( KÄLIN & KEMPF 2009). Description of the species in the Hungarian locality Mátraszőlős 2 was a mistake ( HÍR & KÓKAY 2004). Later the identification was corrected as Democricetodon brevis ( HÍR & KÓKAY 2011) . In the Cricetodon meini faunas of the Upper Freshwater Molasse D. mutilus was found in a series of localities in the North Alpine Foreland basin ( HEISSIG 1989, BOLLIGER 1994, KÄLIN & KEMPF 2009) and Mühlbach in Austria ( DAXNER-HÖCK 2002).