Stevens, Nancy J., Holroyd, Patricia A., Roberts, Eric M., O'Connor, Patrick M., and Gottfried, Michael D. (2009) Kahawamys mbeyaensis (n. gen., n. sp.) (Rodentia: Thryonomyoidea) from the Late Oligocene Rukwa Rift Basin, Tanzania. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 29 (2). pp. 631-634.

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Abstract

[Extract] Paleogene micromammal-bearing deposits from Afro-Arabia have until recently been largely restricted to a limited number of localities in Saharan Africa and Oman (e.g., Osborn, 1908; Wood, 1968; Jaeger et al., 1985; Fejfar, 1987; Thomas et al., 1989; Holroyd, 1994; Seiffert et al., 2008; but see also Gunnell et al., 2002). Research in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania has begun to reveal a diverse late Paleogene vertebrate fauna below the equator. This work has produced evidence of primate (Stevens et al., 2005), macroscelidean (Stevens et al., 2006a) and hyracoid mammals, and in particular, an interesting array of rodent taxa (Stevens et al., 2008). Teeth attributed to the phiomorph rodent Metaphiomys have been recorded in the study area (Stevens et al., 2006b), along with a number of smaller thryonomyoid rodent specimens, many of which are severely worn, hampering precise taxonomic assessment. The recent discovery of a fairly complete, modestly worn thryonomyoid mandible allows us to recognize the presence of a new taxon from the Rukwa Rift Basin deposits. This find is significant in that it represents the first novel Paleogene rodent genus and species described from East Africa, and documents a critically under-represented temporal gap in African faunal evolution (e.g., Seiffert, 2006).

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