Tayassuidae of the Irvingtonian Leisey Shell Pit Local Fauna, Hillsborough County, Florida

Abstract

Both Mylohyus and Platygonus are present in the Leisey Shell Pit local fauna, although Platygonus is much more abundant. The Leisey Mylohyus is of relatively large size for the genus, but falls within the range of variation of the Pleistocene species M. fossilis. The Leisey Platygonus differs from the Rancholabrean P. compressus by its larger size, discretely bimodal canine size, and broader, wing-like zygomatic processes. In these, and other characters, it more closely resembles the Irvingtonian species P. cumberlandensis, potentially a junior subjective synonym of P. vetus. The Leisey specimens are identified as Platygonus cf. P. vetus. The pattern of canine bimodality in the sample of Platygonus from Leisey, interpreted as sexual dimorphism, is consistent with that known from other Irvingtonian and older samples of the genus.