New early aeluroid carnivoran (Mammalia, Carnivora, Feliformia) from the classical palaeontological locality Valeč, the Czech Republic

Abstract

During the field work in 2017, a left carnivoran hemi-mandible was found at the locality ValečŠibeniční Vrch (= Waltsch-Galgenberg), the Czech Republic. Valeč-Šibeniční Vrch is located on the south-eastern periphery of the complex Doupovské Hory shield volcano (North Bohemia), and is formed by volcanosedimentary series. The hemi-mandible was found in pyroclastic deposits under the laminated limestones, from which so-called “rodent from Valeč” originated. This carnivoran represents an early aeluroid and is described as Fejfarictis valecensis n. gen., n. sp., belonging to a lineage hitherto unrecognized in Europe. It differs from early Oligocene aeluroids of Europe by its differently specialized dentition and is most similar to aeluroid genera Alagtsavbaatar and Asiavorator from the late Eocene and early Oligocene of Mongolia. Fejfarictis valecensis n. gen., n. sp., is most probably of earliest Oligocene age, and together with Anictis represent the earliest migration of aeluroids to Europe.