OLDEST PLACENTAL MAMMAL FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: EOCENE MICROBAT FROM TANZANIA - EVIDENCE FOR EARLY EVOLUTION OF SOPHISTICATED ECHOLOCATION

ABSTRACT

A partial skeleton of a new fossil microbat, Tanzanycteris mannardi, is the oldest placental mammal found in sub-Saharan Africa. It came from early Lutetian (46 Ma) lake sediments in north-central Tanzania. T. mannardi has enlarged cochleae indicating it was capable of a highly derived form of echolocation. Modern bats sharing similar morphology are capable of precise navigation in dense forest undergrowth. The phylogenetic relationships of T. mannardi are unclear. It shares character states with Eocene Hassianycterididae, with extant Microchiroptera, and with Rhinolophoidea within Microchiroptera. T. mannardi is important in documenting early evolution of sophisticated bat echolocating abilities and demonstrating that Tanzanian crater lakes offer an opportunity for future discoveries of Eocene mammals from the African interior.

Gregg F. Gunnell. Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079, USA.
Bonnie Fine Jacobs. Environmental Science Program, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275-0395, USA.
Patrick S. Herendeen. Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Jason J. Head. Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560, USA.
Elizabeth Kowalski. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1063, USA.
Charles P. Msuya. Department of Anatomy & Histology, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences, PO Box 65001, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. (no email available)
Ferdinand A. Mizambwa. Antiquities Department, PO Box 2280, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania. (no email available)
Terry Harrison. Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Jörg Habersetzer and Gerhard Storch. Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Senckenberganlage 25, Frankfurt am Main, D-60325, Germany.

KEY WORDS: Eocene, bats, Africa, echolocation, crater lakes