The Asiatic Genus Eomellivora in the Pliocene of California

Abstract

Despite our growing knowledge of the relationships of Pliocene faunas of Asia and North America, relatively few cases are on record in which a given mammalian genus has been found to occur in both continental areas. It is a matter of considerable interest therefore, to discover in the collections of fossil mammals obtained by the California Institute in the Kern River Pliocene deposits of California, a mustelid that resembles closely Eomellivora wimani, described by Zdansky from the red clays of the provinces of Honan and Shansi, China. Indeed, so similar are these two forms that an examination of our specimen, in the light of Zdansky's description and good illustrations of the Chinese material, makes it difficult to establish any very noteworthy differences on which to base a specific distinction.