Forelimb anatomy of Serengetilagus praecapensis (Mammalia: Lagomorpha): a Pliocene leporid from Laetoli, Tanzania

Abstract

The forelimb elements of the leporid Serengetilagus praecapensis, from the famous Laetoli sites in Tanzania, occur in three stratigraphic levels. Most come from the Upper Laetolil Beds, the middle unit. Size frequency distributions of limb dimensions demonstrate one highly variable population with no clear trends through time. Statistical analyses cannot be used to support the presence of more than one species. Sexual dimorphism also is not apparent in the samples, but may have contributed to the variability in sizes. Anatomical traits of the forelimb ally Serengetilagus praecapensis with smaller, less cursorial leporids like the modern European rabbit Oryctolagus. Serengetilagus praecapensis has a predicted body mass in the range of 1.2–1.6 kg. Like some smaller modern rabbits, its forelimb suggests the capability for burrowing.

Keywords::

• Serengetilagus
• Lagomorpha
• anatomy
• Tanzania
• Pliocene

Acknowledgements

We thank Y. Kimura, Y. Kobayashi, L. Flynn and L. Jacobs for the opportunity to contribute to this volume honouring our friend and colleague Yukimitsu Tomida. Paul Msemwa, former Director, and Amandus Kweka (National Museums of Tanzania), Andy Current (Natural History Museum of London), and W.-D. Heinrich and O. Hampe (Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt University, Dietrich collections) kindly provided access to specimens of Serengetilagus. Robert Asher (formerly at the Museum für Naturkunde, Humboldt University) and E. Westwig (American Museum Natural History) provided access to extant comparative material. Michael Kiel kindly translated key German publications into English. This manuscript benefited from engaging discussions on leporids with M. Erbaeva and R. Angermann. We thank M. Erbaeva and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. Email: [email protected]

^2. Email: [email protected]

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Geographic Society [#9075-12], Leakey Foundation and National Science Foundation [#BCS-9903434, BCS-0309513, BCS-1350023] grants to T. Harrison.