Preliminary exterior skull osteology of Prionodon pardicolor

doi:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.251027

Abstract

Abstract:

Linsangs (Prionodon Horsfield, 1822) are small, arboreal feliform carnivorans that live in the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia and southern China. Several lines of morphological evidence from the soft tissues, dentition, and basicranium support their placement in either Prionodontinae or Viverrinae of Viverridae. However, molecular evidence has not only excluded the linsangs from Viverridae but also established that they constitute a monogeneric family Prionodontidae sister to Felidae. For that reason, the examination of the skull osteology of linsangs and related taxa is necessary to better understand how morphological and molecular data - particularly morphology - have contributed to the reconstruction of the Feliformia phylogeny. During the summer field season in July of 2020, we stumbled across the carcass of a spotted linsang (P. pardicolor) in a karst cave on the outskirts of Chongzuo City. To contribute to the knowledge about the morphology of this enigmatic feliform carnivoran, we present a preliminary description of the exterior skull osteology of P. pardicolor. The craniodental morphology provides strong evidence for a closer phylogenetic relationship between P. pardicolor and Viverrinae. However, since both morphological and molecular approaches have inherent limitations, caution is urged when inferring feliform phylogeny based on either discipline alone.

Key words: Chongzuo, modern, Prionodontidae, Feliformia, skull, morphology, convergent evolution

摘要：

林狸(Prionodon)是一种生活在东南亚及中国南方热带-亚热带森林中的小型树栖猫型食肉类。一些基于软组织、牙齿和颅基部的形态学证据支持将其归入灵猫科(Viverridae)的林狸亚科(Prionodontinae)或灵猫亚科(Viverrinae)中。然而，分子生物学证据不仅将林狸排除在灵猫科之外，还支持它们与猫科构成姐妹群，单独构成林狸科(Prionodontidae)。因此，对林狸以及相关类群的头骨进行骨骼学研究，有助于更好地理解形态学和分子生物学证据在重建猫型亚目(Feliformia)系统发育过程中所起的作用。2020年7月的野外调查于广西崇左市郊的一处溶洞内偶然发现了一具斑林狸(Prionodon pardicolor)标本。为了对这种神秘的小型猫型食肉类有更多的了解和认识，在此对斑林狸头骨外部特征逐一进行骨骼学描述。其颅骨与牙齿的形态特征为斑林狸和灵猫亚科之间存在更近的系统发育关系提供了有力证据。不过，由于形态学和分子学方法都各自有其固有的局限性，在仅基于其中一种方法推断猫型亚目系统发育关系时需格外谨慎。

关键词: 崇左, 现代, 林狸科, 猫型亚目, 头骨, 形态学, 趋同演化

CLC Number:

Q915.874

WANG Yi-Duo, PAN Yue, ZHANG Ying-Qi. Preliminary exterior skull osteology of Prionodon pardicolor. Vertebrata Palasiatica, 2026, 64(1): 74-99.

王一朵, 潘越, 张颖奇. 2026, 64(1): 74-99, 斑林狸头骨外部特征的骨骼学初步观察. 古脊椎动物学报.

Figures/Tables 8

Table 1 Details of the specimens involved in the present study

Taxon	Specimen	Number	Catalog	Institution
Prionodon pardicolor	skull	1	OV2813	IVPP
Viverricula indica	skull	1	OV2814	IVPP
Felis/Prionailurus sp.	skull	5	OV2815-2819	IVPP
Prionodon pardicolor	skull	2	IOZ 24001, 30096	IOZ
Viverra megaspila	skull	2	IOZ 35465, 35466	IOZ
Viverra zibetha	skull	4	IOZ 10310, 23628, 23629, 35478	IOZ
Viverricula indica	skull	4	IOZ 14933, 22857, 35463, 17564	IOZ

Fig. 1 Cranium of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in dorsal view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 2 Cranium of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in anterior view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 3 Cranium of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in lateral view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 4 Cranium of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in ventral view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 5 Cranium of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in posterior view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 6 Mandible of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in lateral view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

Fig. 7 Mandible of Prionodon pardicolor (IVPP OV2813) from Chongzuo in dorsal view A. CT surface reconstruction; B. annotated line drawing Scale bar = 10 mm

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