American Society of Mammalogists

A New Mustelid Genus from the Pliocene of California

Author(s): E. Raymond Hall
Source: Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 16, No. 2 (May, 1935), pp. 137-138
Published by: American Society of Mammalogists
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1374362 .
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 HALL-NEW MUSTELID GENUS FROM CALIFORNIA 137

Didelphinae, Simpson, 19276

Premolars trenchant. Paracone much reduced (except in M4). Marked metastylar
spur. Second style large, fourth smaller than third. Paraconule reduced or absent.

The American Museum of Natural History, New York, N. Y.

A NEW MUSTELID GENUS FROM THE PLIOCENE OF CALIFORNIA

BY E. RAYMONDHALL
In 1917 Professor Chester Stock made a collection of vertebrate fossils
from beds on the south side of San Pablo Bay, California, locally referred to
as Pinole Tuff. In the collection was a lower jaw fragment of a mustelid
which appeared to belong to an undescribed genus. Together with some
related specimens, to be reported upon in a more general account, this speci-
men has not yet been described. Now, however, that Mr. R. A. Stirton has
under way a report on the extinct vertebrate faunas of the San Francisco Bay
region and has suggested that the specimen in question be placed on record, a
name is here proposed for it and mention made of its diagnostic characters.

Cernictis hesperus gen. et sp. nov.

Type.-No. 22968,Univ. California Mus. Palaeo.; fragment of left mandibular ramus
bearing M1 and P4; from Pinole Tuff, Middle Pliocene, U. C. Mus. Palaeo. locality no.
2572, in sand and gravel mixed with volcanic ash in north facing bank along Southern
Pacific Railroad right-of-way, SEI of Sec. 16, T2N R4W, one-fourth mile west of Pinole
Junction, Contra Costa County, California; collected February 3, 1917, by Chester
Stock.
Diagnosis.-Size (see measurements) slightly greater than in Plionictis parviloba
Cope; P4 long with accessory posterior cusp; M1 short, talonid less than half length of
trigonid; basal cingulum extended up anterior border of paraconid, giving appearance
of concavity to lateral face of paraconid-protoconid blade; metaconid well developed
and connected with tip of protoconid by a distinct ridge; talonid semi-basined; base of
metaconid continuous with lingual margin of talonid; base of protoconid separated from
buccal margin of talonid by distinct notch; basin of talonid enclosed by ridge apparently
without well developed entoconic or hypoconid.
Measurements.-Anterior border of P4 to posterior border of M1, 18.9 millimeters;
length of P4, 8.6; breadth of P4 across heel, 4.2; length of M1, 11.7; length of trigonid of
M1, measured from notch, 8.6; length of trigonid of M,, measured from posterior border
of protoconid, 7.6; greatest width, over all, of Ml, 5.2; depth of mandible between P4
and M1, 12.2.
Relationships and remarks.-In lateral views M1of Cernictisis suggestive of the Bas-
sariscinae. However, the construction of the talonid, its inclination lingually from the
long axis of the trigonid, and other features of this tooth are more nearly as in some
undoubted Mustelidae. If Cernictis, like Leptarctus, approaches the bassariscine-
6 It seems very probable that this name was used before 1927, and I did not then con-
sider it as new, but I have been unable to find an older reference.

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138 JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY

procyonid carnivores, the approaches are along different lines, for even the scanty
material available of Cernictis shows it to be quite unlike Leptarctus.
The continuation of the cingulum up the anterior border of M1, imparts a scooped-out
appearance to the lateral face of the paraconid-protoconid blade that has not been
observed in any other small carnivore.
The combination of short M,, short, semi-basined talonid and large metaconid of M1,
indicates a relatively primitive structural condition. Considering this and the late age,
assumedly Middle Pliocene, it is difficult to place Cernictis in a position ancestral to
any other known form.

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2 3

TYPE SPECIMEN OF CERNICTIS HESPERUS, X 1

1. Occlusal view. 2. Lateral view. 3. Medial view

Cernictis, then, is thought to be a unique structural type belonging in the family

Mustelidae. It is not known to be closely related to any previously named form. If
it be found necessary to allocate it to one of the recognized subfamilies it may tenta-
tively be associated with Martes and Gulo in the Martinae, though in so doing it should
be emphasized that Cernictis is not closely related to either of the genera mentioned.

Museum of VertebrateZoology, University of California, Berkeley,California.

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