Submyotodon
Submyotodon is a genus of vespertilionid bats, published as a new taxon in 2003 to describe a Miocene fossil species. Extant species and subspecies previously included in Myotis were later transferred to this genus.[1]
| Submyotodon | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Subfamily: | Myotinae |
| Genus: | Submyotodon Ziegler, 2003 |
Taxonomy and etymology
Submyotodon was described as a new genus of bat in 2003, based on fossil specimens found near Eichstätt, Germany. The type species is Submyotodon petersbuchensis. The genus name Submyotodon is from the Latin prefix sub ('under' or 'close to'), + the Greek roots μῦς (mûs, 'mouse') + οὖς (oûs, ot-, 'ear') + ὀδόντος (odóntos, -odont, 'tooth'). This refers to the fact that its molars are similar to those of the mouse-eared bats, e.g. "myotodont" molars.[1] Myotodont molars are characterized by a postcristid (enamel ridge linking the hypoconid and hypoconulid) that links to the entoconid (inner posterior cusp of a molar).[2]
Submyotodon is the second extant genus included in the subfamily Myotinae. Before the description of Submyotodon and analysis of its phylogenetics, the only member of Myotinae was the genus Myotis.[2]
Species
- Submyotodon caliginosus (Tomes, 1859)[2]
- †Submyotodon petersbuchensis Ziegler, 2003[1]
- Submyotodon latirostris - Taiwan broad-muzzled myotis (Kishida, 1932)[2]
- Submyotodon moupinensis (Milne-Edwards, 1872)[2]
Range
The extinct S. petersbuchensis was discovered in Germany.[1] The three extant species are found in Asia, including Taiwan, India, and China.[2]
References
- Ziegler, Reinhard (2003). "Bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) from Middle Miocene karstic fissure fillings of Petersbuch near Eichstätt, Southern Franconian Alb (Bavaria)". Geobios. 36 (4): 447–490. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(03)00043-3.
- Ruedi, Manuel; Csorba, Gábor; Lin, Liang-Kong; Chou, C-H (2015-02-20). "Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of Myotis bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Taiwan and adjacent China". Zootaxa. 3920: 301–342. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3920.2.6. PMID 25781252.