Three new procyonids (Mammalia, Carnivora) from the Blancan of Florida

Abstract

Fossils of the mammalian family Procyonidae are relatively abundant at many fossil localities in Florida. Analysis of specimens from 16 late Blancan localities from peninsular Florida demonstrate the presence of two species of Procyon and one species of Nasua. Procyon gipsoni sp. nov. is slightly larger than extant Procyon lotor and is distinguished by five dental characters including a lack of a crista between the paracone and hypocone on the P4, absence of a basin at the lingual intersection of the hypocone and protocone on the P4, and a reduced metaconule on the M1. Procyon megalokolos sp. nov. is significantly larger than extant P. lotor and is characterized primarily by morphology of the postcrania, such as an expanded and posteriorly rotated humeral medial epicondyle, more prominent tibial tuberosity, and more pronounced radioulnar notch. Other than larger size, the dentition of P. megalokolos falls within the range of variation observed in extant P. lotor, suggesting that it may be an early member of the P. lotor lineage. Nasua mastodonta sp. nov. has a unique accessory cusp on the m1 as well as multiple morphological differences in the dentition and postcrania, such as close appression of the trigonid of the m1 and a less expanded medial epicondyle of the humerus. We also synonymize Procyon rexroadensis, formerly the only known Blancan Procyon species in North America, with P. lotor due to a lack of distinct dental morphological features observed in specimens from its type locality in Kansas. Results indicate that three procyonid species were sympatric in Florida during the Blancan, as occurs in parts of Central America today.