Main Menu

Class Mammalia
Order Lagomorpha
Family Leporidae

rule

Aluralagus virginiae Downey 1970—Virginia RabbitRegional Pleistocene distribution of Aluralagus virginiae

Right lower toothrow of Aluralagus virginiae

Vanderhill (1986) discusses specimens from two localities in the Mesilla basin, noting that one set (UTEP 97-51) is the only known association of upper and lower dentition for the species.

Characteristics of the genus are based primarily on the lower third premolar (p3). Vanderhill (1986) describes this element as lacking an anterior enamel reentrant, lingual reentrants, or an internal enamel lake. The posterior labial reentrant extends lingually over about 85% of the occlusal surface with the anterior of the reentrant having two or three large folds and the posterior wall thin and uncrenulated.

The specimens differ from Aluralagus bensonensis, known from southeastern Arizona, in that the external reentrant of p3 leaves a significant space between it and the medial wall and lacks the complex crenulation of both anterior and posterior walls of the reentrant. Also, the dentary has two mental foramina whereas that of A. bensonensis has one (Vanderhill 1986).

Fig. 1. Right lower toothrow of Aluralagus virginiae (UTEP 33-76).

Sites.

Late Blancan: Curtis Ranch (Lindsay 1984); La Union (Morgan and Lucas 2003); San Simon Fauna (Morgan and White 2005).

Literature. Lindsay 1984; Morgan and Lucas 2003; Morgan and White 2005; Vanderhill 1986.

rule

Last Update: 10 Mar 2013