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Review of the marsupials (Mammalia: Metatheria) from the late Paleogene (Chadronian–Arikareean: late Eocene–late Oligocene) of North America

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Abstract

The taxonomy of marsupials from the late Paleogene of North America (Chadronian to Arikareean North American land mammal ages: late Eocene–late Oligocene) is reviewed based on new and previously undescribed fossil material as well as reevaluation of previously described material. Two families are recognized, the Herpetotheriidae and Peradectidae. Nine species of herpetotheriids are recognized within two genera: Herpetotherium Cope, 1873a and Copedelphys Korth, 1994, including one new species, H. tabrumi. The greatest diversity of herpetotheriids was in the Chadronian (four species). By the late Arikareean, only a single species is recognized. The range of Copedelphys is extended into the early Whitneyan (previously limited to Chadronian–Orellan). Among species of Herpetotherium, the ranges of two species have been extended: H. valens (Lambe, 1908) from the Chadronian is reported from the Orellan, and H. marsupium (Troxell, 1923) from the Uintan and Duchesnean is reported from the early Chadronian. The range of H. merriami (Stock and Furlong, 1922), previously only known from the Arikareean of Oregon, is expanded geographically eastward to Montana. Within the Peradectidae only three species are recognized: Peradectes cf. californicus (Stock, 1936) and Didelphidectes pumilis Hough, 1961 from the Chadronian, and Nanodelphys hunti (Cope, 1873b) from the Orellan to early Arikareean. Specimens previously identified as an unnamed new species of Nanodelphys from the Whitneyan and Arikareean are referred here to N. hunti.

Kurzfassung

Die Taxonomie der Beuteltiere des späten Paläogens von Nordamerika (Chadronium bis Arikareeum; North American Land Mammal Ages [NALMA]: spätes Eozän–spätes Oligozän) wird basierend auf neuem und zuvor unbeschriebenem Material überprüft und auch eine Neubewertung von bereits beschriebenem Material wird vorgenommen. Zwei Familien konnten nachgewiesen werden, die Herpetotheriidae und die Peradectidae. Neun Arten von Herpetotheriiden konnten innerhalb von zwei Gattungen (Herpetotherium Cope, 1873a und Copedelphys Korth, 1994) erkannt werden, darunter eine neue Art (H. tabrumi). Die größte Diversität der Herpetotheriiden trat im Chadronium (mit vier Arten) auf. Im späten Arikareeum konnte lediglich eine einzige Art aufgefunden werden. Die Reichweite von Copedelphys wird bis in das frühe Whitneyum erweitert (früher begrenzt auf Chadronium–Orellum). Innerhalb der Arten von Herpetherium konnte die Reichweite von zwei Arten ausgeweitet werden: H. valens (Lambe, 1908) aus dem Chadronium – nun auch aus dem Orellum und H. marsupium (Troxell, 1923) aus dem Uintum und Duchesneum – konnte ebenfalls aus dem frühen Chadronium nachgewiesen werden. Die Reichweite von H. merriami (Stock und Furlong, 1922), zuvor nur bekannt aus dem Arikareeum von Oregon, konnte geographisch nach Osten hin bis nach Montana ausgeweitet werden. Innerhalb der Peradectidae treten nur drei Arten auf: Peradectes cf. californicus (Stock, 1936) und Didelphidectes pumilis Hough, 1961 aus dem Chadronium sowie Nanodelphys hunti (Cope, 1873b) aus dem Orellum bis zum frühen Arikareeum. Exemplare aus dem Whitneyum und Arikareeum, die zuvor als unbenannte neue Arten von Nanodelphys identifiziert wurden, werden hier N. hunti zugeordnet.

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a from Pipestone Springs (Ch3) and b–f from Raben Ranch (Ch3)

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Acknowledgements

Access to the collections at SDSM was allowed by Dr. D. Pagnac, and specimens were loaned courtesy of S. Shelton. Specimens from UNSM were loaned courtesy of Dr. R. Secord with assistance from R. G. Corner. Cranial specimens from Montana were collected and loaned by A. Tabrum of CM. Specimens from Toadstool Park were loaned courtesy of A. Henrici also of CM. USNM specimens were loaned courtesy of Dr. R. Emry of that institution. All figures are by the author.

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    William W. Korth

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Korth, W.W. Review of the marsupials (Mammalia: Metatheria) from the late Paleogene (Chadronian–Arikareean: late Eocene–late Oligocene) of North America. PalZ 92, 499–523 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-017-0396-y

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