D. Croft New Species

New Mammal Species

One of the primary goals of field research is to document new species occurrences: finding an animal in a place it hadn't been found before (usually because people hadn't carefully looked there) or discovering a new type of animal (sometimes in a place where people have been looking for years!). Most people think that discovering a new species is the ultimate paleontological prize. Although it is certainly exciting and an important part of what paleontologists do, it is integrating that species into the "big picture" that is of greater scientific value.
Is it true that if you discover a new species you get to name it? Yes and no. If you're the one describing it (i.e., writing a formal description of the animal that will be published in an academic journal) then yes, the decision is yours. The catch, however, is that it is bad form to name it after yourself, even if you discovered it! If someone else discovered the specimen, however, then it is perfectly fine to name it after them. It is also common to name a species after the place it was found, after the geologic formation it was found in, or based on some distinctive feature of its anatomy. There are no rules about the derivation of a name - you can name species after songs or cartoonists or whatever you want - but you have to Latinize it, which usually means giving it a particular ending. If there are several authors on a paper describing a new animal, then everyone reaches a consensus on what the new name should be.
Below are listed the new species that I've had a hand in describing (upper section) and those from Chile that have been described by other members of our research team (lower section). I've included a specimen photo, an illustration, or a reconstruction for each one so you have at least some idea what the animal looks like.

	Altitypotherium chucalensis Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2004 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Mesotheriidae Type Locality: Chucal Fauna, northern Chile Age: 17.5-19 million years old; Santacrucian SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after the Altiplano, where the Chucal Fauna is located; "typotherium" is a common suffix for mesotheriid genera. The species is named after Chucal. Illustration: Palatal view of the holotype skull, nose to the right
	Altitypotherium paucidens Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2004 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Mesotheriidae Type Locality: Chucal Fauna, northern Chile Age: 17.5-19 million years old; Santacrucian SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after the Altiplano, where the Chucal Fauna is located; "typotherium" is a common suffix for mesotheriid genera. The species name means "few teeth" in reference to the characteristic lack of the third upper premolar in this species. Illustration: Lateral view of the holotype rostrum, nose to the left
	Archaeotypotherium pattersoni Croft, Bond, Flynn, Reguero, and Wyss, 2003 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Archaeohyracidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Santiago Roth in 1903. (Even though the name includes "typotherium," it is not a mesotheriid.) The species is named after Bryan Patterson, a well known paleontologist who studied South American mammals. Illustration: Occlusal view of the holotype upper jaw bearing six teeth
	Archaeotypotherium tinguiriricaense Croft, Bond, Flynn, Reguero, and Wyss, 2003 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Archaeohyracidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Santiago Roth in 1903. (Even though the name includes "typotherium," it is not a mesotheriid.) The species is named after the Tinguiririca Fauna, the type locality. Illustration: Palatal view of a cast of the holotype palate, nose to the right
	Bubalus cebuensis Croft, Heaney, Flynn, and Bautista, 2006 Classification: Artiodactyla: Ruminantia: Bovidae: Bovinae Type Locality: Cebu Island, Philippines Age: unknown; probably < 10,000 years old Etymology: The genus was named by Charles Hamilton-Smith in 1827. The species is named after Cebu Island, the type locality. Illustration: Reconstruction (by V. Simeonovski) compared to a modern water buffalo, a tamaraw, and a human
	Caraguatypotherium munozi Flynn, Croft, Charrier, Wyss, Hérail, García, 2005 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Mesotheriidae Type Locality: Caragua, northern Chile Age: probably 10-12 million years old; ?Mayoan SALMA Etymology: The genus is named for Caragua; "typotherium" is a common suffix for mesotheriid genera. The species is named after Nelson Muñoz, the Chilean geologist who discovered the specimen. Illustration: Lateral view of the holotype skull, nose to the right
	Eotypotherium chico Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2004 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Mesotheriidae Type Locality: Chucal Fauna, northern Chile Age: 17.5-19 million years old; Santacrucian SALMA Etymology: The genus name includes the prefix "Eo" (dawn) in reference to the early age and basal position of this species; "typotherium" is a common suffix for mesotheriid genera. The species name chico, Spanish for small, refers to the small size of the species. Illustration: Occlusal view of a referred upper jaw bearing 3.5 teeth
	Hemihegetotherium trilobus Croft and Anaya, 2006 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Hegetotheriidae Type Locality: Quebrada Honda, southern Bolivia Age: 12.5-13 million years old; Laventan SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Cayetano Rovereto in 1914. The species is named for its characteristic three-lobed last lower molar (m3). Illustration: Reconstruction by V. Simeonovski
	Miocochilius federicoi Croft, 2007 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Interatheriidae Type Locality: Quebrada Honda, southern Bolivia Age: 12.5-13 million years old; Laventan SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Robert Stirton in 1953. The species is named for Federico Anaya, in honor of his contributions to vertebrate paleontology in Bolivia. Illustration: Occlusal view of the holotype palate, nose to the right
	Parapropalaehoplophorus septentrionalis Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2007 Classification: Xenarthra: Cingulata: Glyptodontoidea: Glyptodontidae Type Locality: Chucal Fauna, northern Chile Age: 17.5-19 million years old; Santacrucian SALMA Etymology: The genus name means "near Propalaehoplophorus," in reference to a well known glyptodont from Argentina; it continues the trend of adding prefixes to Hoplophorus (See Simpson, 1980:87-88). The species name means "northern" and alludes to the location of Chucal in within Chile. Illustration: Reconstruction by V. Simeonovski
	Protarchaeohyrax intermedium Reguero, Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2003 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Archaeohyracidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus means "first Archaeohyrax." The species is named for its intermediate size relative to other members of the genus. Illustration: Occlusal view of a referred palate, nose to the left
	Protarchaeohyrax minor Reguero, Croft, Flynn, and Wyss, 2003 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Archaeohyracidae Type Locality: Cañadón Blanco, Chubut, Argentina Age: approx. 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus means "first Archaeohyrax." The species is named for its small size relative to other members of the genus. Illustration: Occlusal view of the holotype, three teeth of the upper jaw
	Punahyrax bondesioi Reguero, Croft, López, and Alonso, 2008 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Hegetotheria: Archaeohyracidae Type Locality: Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca province, Argentina. Age: Unknown, perhaps 35-45 million years old; ?Mustersan SALMA Etymology: "Puna" means "a high land region" in the indigenous language of the region (Quechua) and "hyrax" is a common suffix for archaeohyracid genera. The species name honors Dr. Pedro Bondesio, an esteemed Argentine paleontologist. Illustration: Occlusal (left) and lingual (right) views of the holotype, an isolated third molar from the left lower jaw

Other New Chilean Species

	Chilecebus carrascoensis Flynn, Wyss, Charrier, and Swisher, 1995 Classification: Primates: Anthropoidea: Platyrrhini Type Locality: Las Leñas Fauna, central Chile Age: 19.8-20.4 million years old; Colhuehuapian SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after Chile; "cebus" is a common suffix for monkey genera. The species is named after Gabriel Carrasco, the discoverer of the specimen. Illustration: Oblique frontal view of the holotype skull
	Ignigena minisculus Hitz, Flynn, and Wyss, 2006 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Interatheriidae Type Locality: Tapado Fauna, central Chile Age: ?35-45 million years old; ?Casamayoran SALMA Etymology: The genus means ‘‘born of fire,’’ in reference to the volcanoclastic rocks of the Abanico Formation that preserved the specimens. The species name refers to the animal's small size. Illustration: Occlusal view of the holotype upper jaw, nose to the left (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Johnbell hatcheri Hitz, Flynn, and Wyss, 2006 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Interatheriidae Type Locality: Cachapoal Fauna, central Chile Age: approx. 29-33 million years old; ?Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus and species are named after John Bell Hatcher, a famous fossil hunter of the late 1800s. Illustration: Occlusal view of the holotype upper jaw, nose to the left (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Klohnia charrier Flynn and Wyss, 1999 Classification: Marsupialia: Paucituberculata: Argyrolagoidea: Groeberiidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after Carlos Klohn, a geologist who mapped important areas of the Chilean Andes; the species is named after Reynaldo Charrier, our Chilean collaborator and friend. Illustration: Lateral view of a referred lower jaw, front to the right (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Pascualdelphys fierroensis Flynn and Wyss, 1999 Classification: Marsupialia: Didelphimorphia Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after Rosendo Pascual, a prominent Argentine paleontologist; "delphys" is a common suffix for marsupial genera. The species is named after the Fierro Pass near Tinguiririca. Illustration: Lateral view of the holotype lower jaw, front to the right (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Polydolops abanicoi Flynn and Wyss, 1999 Classification: Marsupialia: Paucituberculata: Polydolopidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Florentino Ameghino in 1897. The species is named after the Abanico Formation in Chile, the formation that produces the Tinguiririca Fauna (and many of our other Chilean faunas). Illustration: The holotype lower jaw, nose to the left; occlusal view (above) and lateral view (below) (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Polydolops mckennai Flynn and Wyss, 2004 Classification: Marsupialia: Paucituberculata: Polydolopidae Type Locality: Cachapoal Fauna, central Chile Age: approx. 29-33 million years old; ?Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by Florentino Ameghino in 1897. The species is named after Malcolm McKenna, a well known paleomammalogist. Illustration: The holotype skull in occlusal view, nose to the right (by Marlene Donnelly)
	Pseudoglyptodon chilensis McKenna, Wyss, and Flynn 2006 Classification: Xenarthra: Phyllophaga (sloths) Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus was named by George Engelmann in 1987. The species is named after Chile. Illustration: CT scan through the holotype; cross sections of lower teeth
	Santiagorothia chiliensis Hitz, Reguero, Wyss, and, Flynn, 2000 Classification: Notoungulata: Typotheria: Interatheriidae Type Locality: Tinguiririca Fauna, central Chile Age: 31-33 million years old; Tinguirirican SALMA Etymology: The genus is named after Santiago Roth, an Argentine paleontologist of the late 1800s. The species is named after Chile. Illustration: Referred skull and jaws in lateral view, nose to the left

This page was last updated on February 4, 2007.