Martinogale

''Martinogale'' is an extinct genus of skunk from the Late Miocene of central North America. There exist three accepted species, ''M.'' ''alveodens'', ''M.chisoensis'' and ''M.'' ''faulli'', which may have overlapped in range but occupied somewhat distinct moments of the Late Miocene. As well as the dubious ''Martinogale? nambiana''.

Description and species

''Martinogale'', as happens with most fossil skunks, has been solely described off of fragmentary craneal remains. The genus is mainly characterized by its jaws: in the upper jaw there's an absent upper Molar$^2$, and greatly enlarged but thin upper Premolar$^4$ and Molar$^1$; while the lower jaw has a small and forward P$^2$, the absence of a lingual or labial cingulum around the P$^4$ and a well developed M$^1$; neither jaw has a present Premolar$^1$. In regards to skull morphology, it is smoother and narrower than in living skunks, with a large, flask-shaped basicranial bulla.

''Martinogale alveodens''

This species was described in 1930 as a small mustelid from a fragmentary lower jaw found in the Edson Quarry, from late Hemphillian Kansas. It was described as the type of the new genus. Due to its fragmentary nature, the placement of ''Martinogale'' within Mustelidae was uncertain, but seemed feasible due to some similarities to the earlier ''Martes nambianus''. In 1938, a better preserved jaw indicated similarities with the spotted skunks of Mephitidae. The species name, ''alveodens'', hails from Latin ''alveus'', “a hollow, cavity or channel" and ''dens'', "tooth"

''Martinogale chisoensis''

The largest species, ''M. chisoensis'' hails from the early Hemphillian Crew Bean Local, it was described in 2003 based on a rather complete skull. Due to the cranial similarities with '' Buisnictis'' it was named ''"Buisnictis" chisoensis''. In 2005, along with the description of ''M. faulli'', it was reassigned to ''Martinogale''. The species name, ''chisoensis'', comes from Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, Texas, and ''ensis'', Latin for “from”.

''Martinogale faulli''

The oldest and smallest of the species, ''M. faulli'' was described in 2005 from a partial skull found in the Late Clarendonian Dove Spring Formation, from Kern County, California. ''M. faulli'' has a smoother skull than ''M. chisoensis'' and relatively smaller teeth, with a better defined basicranial bulla. The species name ''faulli'' is in honor of Mark Faull, a former ranger at Red Rock Canyon State Park.

''Martinogale? nambiana''

In 1874, a P$^3$, P$^4$and an incredibly fragmentary M$^1$were discovered in the Santa Fé Marls, New Mexico. Cope originally identified it as ''Martes nambianus'', uncertain of this association, a year later Cope moved it to ''Mustela nambiana''. When Hall erected ''Martinogale,'' he moved ''M. nambiana'' into his new genus, where it has since remained. In 2005, Wang et. al. argued that the few characteristics present in these teeth were too non-specific, arguing that they simply represent the basal mustelid condition and that ''M? nambiana'' should not be considered a part of ''Martinogale''; that the specimen can't be ascribed to a concrete genus.

Phylogeny

When compared to modern genera, both extant: ''Spilogale'', '' Mephitis'' and ''Conepatus'', as well as extinct: ''Brachyprotoma'' and '' Osmotherium'', ''Martinogale'' presents reasonable differences in the premolar structure, thin postorbital skull, slightly expanded mastoid process and the general structure of the basicranial bulla. In 2005 Wang et al.'s phylogenetic analysis recovered ''Martinogale'' as a somewhat paraphyletic association, although as their chronology advances so does their derivation:

References

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Skunks
Prehistoric caniforms
Extinct animals of the United States
Fossil taxa described in 1930
Prehistoric carnivoran genera