Class Mammalia
Order Rodentia
Family Cricetidae
Subfamily Neotominae
Genus Neotoma
Gidley (1922) described this species from the Benson beds of Arizona:
Description.—Length of anterior cheek tooth
3.2 millimeters; width 2.2 millimeters; about
the size of N. intermedia gilva. The following
characters distinguished this from all living
species: First upper cheek tooth relatively
short and wide; no indication of an· anterior
internal reentrant valley; posterior internal
reentrant valley nearly as long as the the external
one; posterior notch of anterior palatial
opening opposite the anterior: root of the first
cheek tooth.
The two lower teeth referred to this species
also show distinctive characters. The anterior
one (p4) is entirely devoid of the anterior
reentrant valley so prominent in such a form as
N. cinera [sic!], and both these teeth are like the·
corresponding ones of this species in having the posterior external reentrant valleys pitted in a
way to form a nearly circular enamel lake in
well-worn teeth. These lower teeth differ from
those of all living species in having the main
cross lophs directed somewhat obliquely inward
and backward instead of squarely across
the long axis of the tooth.
The lower-jaw specimen shows nothing peculiar
except that the capsular bulb at the base of
the incisor is somewhat less prominent than is
usual in the living species.
Sites.
Late Blancan: Jack Rabbit Trail, San Timoteo Badlands (Albright 2000).
Literature. Albright 2000; Gidley 1922.
Last Update: 13 Jul 2014