A fossil chrysochlorid skull in the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History : Robert Broom's missing specimen unearthed?
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Date
Authors
Mason, Matthew J.
Bennett, Nigel Charles
Pickford, Martin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of Witwatersrand.
Abstract
Anunlabelled, fossilized skull of a golden mole from the Ditsong NationalMuseumof Natural History, Pretoria, was examined through
micro-computed tomography. Reconstructions show that the species in question has alveoli for nine teeth in each upper jaw, although
only six teeth in total remain. The skull resembles those of the extant chrysochlorids Amblysomus and Calcochloris, which also have nine
teeth, but in most respects it is closer to Amblysomus. The ear region, examined in detail, also proved to be very similar to that of
Amblysomus. Damage to the teeth and palate are consistent with the brief descriptions of a fossil golden mole skull first mentioned
by Robert Broom in 1948. This specimen, dating from the Plio-Pleistocene and provisionally identified as Proamblysomus antiquus,
subsequently went missing. We argue that the skull described here is Broom’s lost specimen, but whether this fossil species really
deserves generic distinction from extant groups remains unclear.
Description
Keywords
Golden mole, Chrysochloridae, Afrotheria, Proamblysomus, Inner ear, Malleus
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Mason, M.J., Nigel, C.B. & Martin, P. 2019, 'A fossil chrysochlorid skull in the
Ditsong National Museum of Natural History : Robert Broom’s missing specimen unearthed?', Palaeontologia africana, vol. 53, pp. 207–218.