The petrosal and basicranial morphology of Protoceras celer

Abstract

Protoceratids are an extinct family of endemic North American artiodactyls. The phylogenetic position of protoceratids in relation to camelids and ruminants has been contentious for over a century. The petrosal morphology of basal (Leptotragulus) and derived (Syndyoceras) protoceratids has suggested that protoceratids are closely related to ruminants, whereas a prior description of a disarticulated intermediate protoceratid petrosal (Protoceras celer) indicated that protoceratids were closely related to camelids. This contradictory evidence implied that there were several character reversals within the protoceratid lineage and brought into question the utility of basicranial characters in artiodactyl phylogenetics. Here, we provide descriptions of an additional P. celer petrosal. The descriptions are based on data produced by computed tomography scans, which allowed us to image the petrosal in situ in the skull. Our results indicate that the petrosal morphology of P. celer is similar to that of other protoceratids, implying that, contrary to previous evidence, petrosal morphology is conserved within the Protoceratidae.