New proviverrines ( H yaenodontida) from the early E ocene of E urope; phylogeny and ecological evolution of the P roviverrinae

We describe six proviverrine species from the E arly E ocene of F rance. Three species are new: Minimovellentodon russelli sp. nov. from M utigny [mammal palaeogene ( MP )8 + 9], Boritia duffaudi sp. nov. from L a B orie ( MP 8 + 9), and Leonhardtina godinoti sp. nov. from G rauves ( MP 10). We describe new specimens and propose new generic combinations for three species from MP 10: P rotoproviverra palaeonictides , M atthodon menui , and O xyaenoides lindgreni . We also propose a new generic combination for the primitive E oproviverra eisenmanni ( MP 7). M atthodon menui was previously considered as a possible oxyaenodontan, but the new fossils clearly support its reference to H yaenodontida. L eonhardtina godinoti and Ma . menui are the oldest occurrences for these genera, which were previously unknown before the M iddle E ocene. Moreover, the discovery of the proviverrine M i. russelli in M utigny implies that the P roviverrinae dispersed in N orthern E urope between biozone Palaeocene‐Eocene (PE) III ( A bbey W ood) and biozone PE IV ( M utigny). This also supports a homogenization of the E uropean faunas during the E arly E ocene. The dispersal is concomitant with the disappearance of the oxyaenodontans, arfiines, and sinopines ( H yaenodontida) from E urope. The proviverrines may have filled the ecological niches left vacant by the disappearance of the other carnivorous mammals. With 20 genera and over 30 species, proviverrines were successful in E urope. We performed the first phylogenetic analysis comprising almost all the P roviverrinae. Our analyses indicate that the P roviverrinae diversified greatly during the E arly E ocene C limatic O ptimum and show a general trend towards specialization throughout the E ocene. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London