Cricetid rodents from the Pliocene Panaca Formation
southeastern Nevada, USA

Yun Mou

ABSTRACT

Very large samples of cricetids were collected from 12 localities in the Pliocene Panaca Formation in Meadow Valley, southeastern Nevada. The most common cricetids in the Panaca small mammal fauna are Mimomys panacaensis, Nevadomys n. gen., and Repomys. Present also are Peromyscus and Onychomys. Enamel microstructure of molars of M. panacaensis and Nevadomys n. gen. were examined under the scanning electronic microscope. Nevadomys n. gen. was probably derived from North American Paramicrotoscoptes. The characters of these cricetids, including stage of evolution, indicate that the Panaca local fauna represents the early Blancan land mammal age.

Yun Mou, 8159 East Pima Ridge Drive, Tucson, AZ 85715 USA

KEY WORDS: cricetid; arvicoline; schmelzmuster; early Blancan; NALMA

PE Article Number: 14.3.31A
Copyright: Society of Vertebrate Paleontology November 2011
Submission: 15 June 2007. Acceptance: 30 March 2011