Date of Presentation
4-28-2026 9:30 AM
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Faculty Sponsor(s)
Dr. Holbrook
Poster Abstract
The suid genus Hippopotamodon with its type species H. sivalense, is well known from Upper Miocene deposits in Eurasia. Its taxonomic history has been characterized by considerable instability, including early misassignments to genera such as Sus and Potamochoerus, and subsequent reclassifications involving Propotamochoerus, Dicoryphochoerus, and Microstonyx. This confusion primarily resulted from an overreliance on variable dental and canine morphology. Subsequent systematic revisions attempted to resolve these issues by proposing synonymies among these taxa, although debate has continued regarding the relationship between Hippopotamodon and Microstonyx. Recent work supports the synonymy of these taxa based on shared diagnostic features across Eurasian material. The newly recovered material (PC-01/26) used in this study comprises an isolated left I1 and a right maxillary fragment with P3–M1. This P3–M1 exhibits large size, deep occlusal furrows, prominent accessory cusps, and moderately thick enamel, aligning it with large Siwalik suids, particularly Hippopotamodon and Tetraconodon. However, distinct premolar morphology, especially the non-bulbous P3–P4, differentiates it from Tetraconodon and supports attribution to Hippopotamodon. Bivariate comparisons of incisors, premolars, and molars indicate that the studied specimens possess larger cheek teeth than previously recorded Siwalik representatives, while incisor dimensions closely resemble those of H. sivalense. The observed dimensions of P3–M1 do not correspond to any recognized species within the genus, hence, the material is provisionally ascribed as Hippopotamodon sp., pending further comparative and systematic evaluation.
Disciplines
Biology
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Expanding the Fossil Record of Hippopotamodon (Suidae, Artiodactyla) from the Hasnot Area, Siwalik, Pakistan
The suid genus Hippopotamodon with its type species H. sivalense, is well known from Upper Miocene deposits in Eurasia. Its taxonomic history has been characterized by considerable instability, including early misassignments to genera such as Sus and Potamochoerus, and subsequent reclassifications involving Propotamochoerus, Dicoryphochoerus, and Microstonyx. This confusion primarily resulted from an overreliance on variable dental and canine morphology. Subsequent systematic revisions attempted to resolve these issues by proposing synonymies among these taxa, although debate has continued regarding the relationship between Hippopotamodon and Microstonyx. Recent work supports the synonymy of these taxa based on shared diagnostic features across Eurasian material. The newly recovered material (PC-01/26) used in this study comprises an isolated left I1 and a right maxillary fragment with P3–M1. This P3–M1 exhibits large size, deep occlusal furrows, prominent accessory cusps, and moderately thick enamel, aligning it with large Siwalik suids, particularly Hippopotamodon and Tetraconodon. However, distinct premolar morphology, especially the non-bulbous P3–P4, differentiates it from Tetraconodon and supports attribution to Hippopotamodon. Bivariate comparisons of incisors, premolars, and molars indicate that the studied specimens possess larger cheek teeth than previously recorded Siwalik representatives, while incisor dimensions closely resemble those of H. sivalense. The observed dimensions of P3–M1 do not correspond to any recognized species within the genus, hence, the material is provisionally ascribed as Hippopotamodon sp., pending further comparative and systematic evaluation.