Pinniped (Mammalia: Carnivora) fossils from Black Rock, a new late Neogene vertebrate locality in Victoria, Australia
Author
Rule, James P.
Author
Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.
text
Palaeontologia Electronica
2022
a 32
25
3
1
12
http://dx.doi.org/10.26879/1235
journal article
10.26879/1235
1094-8074
11063353
Suborder
PINNIPEDIA Illiger, 1811
Referred specimen.
NMV
P254178, an isolated phalanx collected by B.S.J. Francischelli in 2019 (
Figure 2
).
Diagnosis.
An intermediate or proximal phalanx from the manus (from either digits II, III, or IV) of a pinniped, due to the straight medial and lateral surfaces, a distal end narrower than a proximal end, and a slightly concave ventral surface.
Description.
The proximal end is rounded, and is missing the articular surface (
Figure 2
G-J). The distal surface is trochleated (
Figure 2
G-H), and larger medio-laterally than dorso-ventrally. The shaft is sub-circular in cross section. Due to the lack of diagnostic features beyond
Pinnipedia
, we are unable to make meaningful comparisons to other species.