8/6/2019 Collings, G.E. 1972 - Wk-Scan - A New Species of
Machaerodont From Makapansgat
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87alaeont. afr., 14. 87 -9 2. 1972
A N E W S P EC I E S O F MA C H A E R O D O N T F R OM MA K A P
A N S G A TM
G . E . CollingsABSTRACT
Th e skull and associated mandible belo ngi ng to a new species
of machaerodont,Megantereon problematicus Collings is described .
The specimen came f r o m the lowermosthorizon of band ed and cont
amin ated travertines at the Makapansgat Limeworks. A nestimate of
its relationship w i t h other sabre tooth cats is given.
C L A S S I F I C A T I O NClass M am m a l i a
r de r Car n i v o r aSub-o rder Fiss ip edian f r a - o r d e r
A e l u r o i d e aF a m i l y Fel idae
S u b - f a m i l y M a c h a e r o d o n t i n a eenus
Megantereon C r o i z e r a n d J o b e r t
Species Megantereon problematicus n o v .
D I A G NO S I SA l a rge Megantereon, wh os e carnassials
are
o n g e r a n d n a r r o w e r t h a n a n y p r e v i o u s l
y d e s c r i be dspecies o f thi s genus. T he carnassial w i d t
h t o l e n g t ha t i o is 1 : 3 , as opp ose d to a l l o t he r
de scr ibe d
species , w h i c h have a carnassial w i d t ht o l e n g t h r
a t i o n o t e x c e e di n g 1 : 2 .
I N T R O D U C T I O NThe P l i ocene / P l e i s t ocene sabre
t o o t h cats ar e
an a s s e m b l a g e o f un r e l a t e d gene r a , w h i c h
area s s u m e d t o have r ad i a t ed f r o m an ear l i e r Ol
igocenee l i d s t oc k , r ep r e sen t ed b y Dinictis a n d
Hoplo-
( M a t t h e w 1 9 1 0 ) . B o t h o f t h e s e s h o w e da c
h a e r o d o n t t e n d e n c i e s , b u t i t w a s p r o b a b
l y t h e
c o m p a r a t i v e l y unspec i a l i s ed Dinictis w h i c h
l ed t ohe va r i e d g r o up o f l a t e r sabre t oo t hs , a s
w e l l as the
o d e r n f e l i d s . The P l e i s t ocene sabre t o o t hs
can bee p a r a t e d i n t o a nu m b er o f g r oups , e ach f o
l l o w i n gl i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t l in es o f m a c h a
e r o d o n t m o d i f i c a i o n . Megantereon a n d Smilodon ar
e s u p e r f i c i a l l y
s imi la r , an d m ay be said to have bee n th es t spec ia l i
sed of the Ple i s tocene sabre t o o t h s .
o w e v e r , on c loser ana lys i s , they a p p e a r q u i t
ec o u l d be exam pl es o f pa r a l l e l
v o l u t i o n . Megantereon, Machaerodus a n dherailurus b e l
o n g e d t o t h e O l d W o r l d , a n d seemo have co- exi s
ted in the same h a b i t a t s , w h i l e
so fa r, has o n l y b e e n f o u n d i n t h e N e w
D E S C R I P T I O NT h e s p e c i m e n . N o . M . 8 2 8 0 o
f t h e B e r n a r d
I n s t i t u t e f o r Pa l a eon t o l og i c a l Resea r ch ,
i s t hes k u l l an d m a nd i b l e o f a l a r ge m achae r
o
b e l o n g i n g t o t h e g e n u s Megantereon (Figs . 1
,
2 , an d 3 ) . I t w as r ecove r ed b y Mr . J . W . K i t c h
i n g ,i n 1 9 5 8 , f r o m t he l aye r o f ba nd ed an d con t a
m i n a t e d t rav ert ine s at the s i te o f th e so-cal led" A
n c i e n t E n t r a n c e " a t t h e M a k a p a n s g a t L i m
e w o r k s . T h e s e i m p u r e t r a v e r t i n e s a re i m
m e d i a t e l yo v e r l a i n b y th e 'basa l red bre cc i a '
( c a l c i f i e d r e dm u d o f B r a i n 1 9 5 8 ) w h i c h i
s , in t u r n , s u c c e e d e db y t h e r e l a t i v e l y t h
i n l aye r o f exce ed i n g l y bone -r i c h gr ey b r ecc i a .
The s k u l l i s cons i de r ab l yd i s t o r t e d , hav i ng
bee n sub j ec t t o l a t e r a l com p r e s s i o n d u r i n g
f o s s i l i z a t i o n , an d a great de al o f thec r a n i u m
is m i s s i ng . Th e t e e t h and m a nd i b l eho w ev e r ar e
pe r f ec t l y p r e se r ved , an d enab l e anaccura te d iagnos
i s o f the genus a n d species .
Th e p r e se r ved f ea t u r e s o f t he s k u l l , su ch as
th es m a l l c o r o n o i d p r o c e s s and t he spec i a l i s
a t i on o f t hetee th , a re i n agre emen t w i t h t h o s e of
t he genusMegantereon. H o w e v e r , s p e c i m e n M . 8 2 8 0
isd e f i n e d as a n e w species o f Megantereon on t hebasis o f
ce r t a i n den t a l cha r ac t e rs , w h i c h have no tb e e n
o b s e r v e d i n o t h e r m a c h a e r o d o n t s p r e v i o
u s l yd e s c r i b e d . T h e g e ne r a l p r o p o r t i o n s
o f t h e l o w e rcarnassials i n al l ot he r species o f
Megantereon ar ea b o u t t w i c e t h e w i d t h t o t he l eng
t h , w h i l s t i ns p e c i m en M . 8 2 8 0 , t h e l e n g t h
is a p p r o x i m a t e l ythree t imes the w i d t h . A com p ar
i so n o f i t s t e e t hm e a s u r e m e n t s w i t h t h o s e
o f s o m e o t h e r Meg-antereon species a n d t h e S o u t h A
f r i c a n sabre t o o t hcats i s g iv en i n Ta ble 1 .
A b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e d e n t i t i o n n
o wf o l l o w s (Figs . 17) . T he upp er canines a re m u c hf l
a t t e n e d l a t e r a l l y , c r e n u l a t e d , m o d e r a
t e l y l o n g ,b u t o n l y s l i g h t l y cu rv ed ; P^ is m u
c h re du ce d; P"has a ve s t i g i a l p r o t oc cn e a nd a w e
l l d e v e l o p e dpa r a s t y l e ; M ^ is sm a l l and r oun
de d . Th e m an d i b l ehas a d e e p sym phys i s , a m e n t a
l cr e s t and a m e n t a lp r o ce s s ; t h e c o r o n o i d p
r o c e s s is m u c h r e d u c e d . T h el o w e r canines a re
co mp ar a t iv e l y sma l l an d ra i sedabove the l eve l o f t
he cheek t ee t h ; P3 i s m u c hr e d u c e d ; P4 has w e l l d
e v e l o p e d accesso ry cusps ;M l has a ve s t i g i a l m e t
a co n i d .
D I S CU S S I O NTh e i nne r su r f ace o f b o t h upp e r
and l ow er
t o o t h r ow s had been w o r n e x t e n s i v e l y t o f o
r m ac o n t i n u o u s o b l i q u e sh e a r i n g p l a n e a n
d t h e i n d i v i d u a l cusps h a d b e e n o b l i t e r a t e
d t o f o r m one
8/6/2019 Collings, G.E. 1972 - Wk-Scan - A New Species of
Machaerodont From Makapansgat
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r i dge . Th i s i nd i ca t e s t ha t t he an i m a ll d a t
th e t i me o f dea th . Obse rva t ions o n th e
t h r evea l ed t ha t t he an i m a l a lso su f f e r ed f r o
mden t a l de f ec t s . Th e r i g h t up pe r canine has a
e r an t e r o - p os t e r i o r l en g t h t h an t he l e f t
orieseems to be t he re su l t o f a genet ic
o r m a h t y . T h i s caused i t to shear u n n a t u r a l l
ye lo we r canine i n j a w c losure and m a y
c o n t r i b u t e d t o d i f f e r e n t i a l w e a r o n b
o t h sidesf t he cheek t ee t h .
P3 a n d P4 on t he l e f t s ide had b e e n b r o k e n i nand
t he l e f t P^ , w h i c h o p p o s e s P 3 , is also
(co mp are Figs . 5 an d 6) . Th is ma y havethe an im al to use
the r i g h t s ide more
m as t i ca t i ng , a s t he r i g h t t e e t h a p p e a r m
o r et h a n t h e l e f t .
Th e ge o l og i ca l age o f spec i m en M. 8 28 0 ist ed a s
Lo w e r P l e i s t ocene . Th e f o s s i l f a u n a o f
apa nsg at shows a s i m i l a r i t y w i t h the o ldes to f t
h e O m o b e d s i n E a s t A f r i c a . T h e s e
d a t e d b y t h e P o t a s s i u m A r g o n m e t h o dm i U
i o n year s o l d , w i t h t h e y o u n g e s t h o r i z o n1,
4 m i l l i o n year s o l d ( Co oke 197 0 , pe r s .
T h i s m a k e s t h e O m o b e d s o l de r t h an t heV i l
l a f r a n c h i a n w i t h w h i c h i t was pre
t h o u g h t t h e y c o r r e s p o n d e d . H o w e v e r ,
i ni e w o f t h e e x t r e m e l y sp e c ia l is e d d e n t i t
i o n o f
i t i s more l i k e l y t h a tt h e M a k a p a n s g a t f o
s s i l f a u n a a c c u m u l a t e d s o me w h a t l a te r , a
t an age th a t cor resp ond s t o th eaccep t e d L o w e r P l e
i s t ocene . A l t h o u g h t h eE u r o p e a n species o f
Megantereon are re ga rd ed asL o w e r Pl e i s t ocene ( S t i r
t o n 19 51 ) , there a re desc r i p t i ons o f o t he r species
f r o m t he U p pe r P l i oceneo f I n d i a ( P i l g r i m 1 9
3 2 , C o l b e r t 1 9 3 5 ) , a n d f r o mt h e L o w e r P H oc
en e o f C h i n a ( Y o u n g 1 9 3 5 ,T e i l h a r d d e C h a r
d i n 1 9 3 9 , C h a n g 1 9 5 7 ) w h i c hgives this g e n u s a
l o n g r a n g e i n t i m e . I t i s qu i t eposs ib le tha t an
A f r i c a n species c o u l d have e v o l v e di n d e p e n d e
n t l y f r o m a Pl io cene gro up and reach ed ah i g h degree of
spec i a l i s a t i on b y L ow er P l e i s t ocenet i m e s
.
S U M M A R Y1 . T h e s k u l l o f a m a c h a e r o d o n t f
r o m t h e
M a k a p a n s g a t L i m e w o r k s is d e s c r i b ed .2 .
I t is ascr ib ed t o a ne w species, Megantereon
problematicus Col l i ng s , o n t he basis of i t su n i q u e
d e n t a l p a t t e r n .
3 . A d e t er mi na t i on o f the age o f the depo s i t ise s
t i m a t ed as p r ob ab l y L ow er P l e i s t ocene .
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T ST h i s w o r k w as co m p l e t
e d as pa r t o f t he
h o n o u r s c o u r s e i n P a l a e o n t o l o g y a t t h
e U n i v e r s i t yo f t h e W i t w a t e r s r a n d , a n d I
a m e x t r e m e l y g r a t e f u lt o a l l t h o s e w h o gave
the i r advice an d encouragem e n t i n it s p r o d u c t i o n ;
M r . J . W . K i t c h i n g , w h o d i dm o s t o f t h e p r e
p a r a t i o n o n t h e s k u l l ; D r . A . R . I .
C r u i c k s h a n k , w h o r e a d t h e m a n u s c r i p t
; M r . B .M a g u i r e an d Mis s J . R o e t s f o r d i s cus s
i on , and D r .C. K . B r a i n , w h o k i n d l y l en t m e
sabre t o o t hs p e c i m e n s f r o m t h e T r a n s v a a l M
u s e u m c o l l e c t i o n s .Explanations to text figuresFig .
1 Right lateral view of skull M.8280.Fig . 2 Palatal view of skull
M.8280.Fig . 3 Outer view of right mandible M.82 80.Fig . 4 Inner
view of l e f t mandible M.82 80.Fig . 5 Inner view of right cheek
teeth M.8280.Fig . 6 Outer view of l e f t cheek teeth M.8280.Fig .
7 Dorsal view of lower jaw . Distor t ion
corrected. M. 8280 .Key to Abbreviationsa l . alveolusant. acc.
csp. ante rior accesory cuspcor. proc. coronoid process
con. condyleearn. external auditory meatusf r . frontalg-
glenoidi o f . infra-orbital foramenj - jugalm. maxillaman. for .
mandibular foramenman. sym. mandibular symphysismen. cr. mental
crestmen. for. mental foramenmen. proc. mental processmeta.
metacone0 . orbitP- parietalpal. palatinepara. paraconeparad.
paraconidparast. parastyleproto . protoconeprotod. protoconidpt.
lac. fo r. posterior lacerate for ame npt. pal. for . posterior
palatal foramens. squamosaltb. typanic bul la
R E F E R E N C E SB R A I N , C . K . , ( 1 9 5 8 ) . T h e T r
a n s v a a l A p e - M a n
b e a r i n g cave depos i t s . Transv. Mus. Mem. N o .1 1
.
C H A N G , H . C , ( 1 9 5 7 ) . O n n e w m a t e r i a l o f
s o m em ach ae r od on t s o f Po n t i an age f r o m Shans i
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i c a n M u s e u m o f N a t u r a l H i s t o r y . Trans.Am.
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o f t h eF e l i d a e . Bull. Am. Mus. nat. Hist., 2 8 ,2 8 9 - 3
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P I L G R I M , G . E . , ( 1 9 3 2 ) . T h e f o s s i l C a r
n i v o r a o fIndia.. Palaeont. Indica., 1 8 , 1232.
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o r r e l a t i o nand t he i r app hc a t i on t o l a t e r Cen
ozo i c H o l -a r c ti c c o n t i n e n t a l m a m m a l i a n f
a u n a . Rept.18th Internat. Geol. Congr. London., 11 , 74- 83 .T
E I L H A R D D E C H A R D I N , P., ( 1 93 9) . O n tvyosku l l s
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