EARLIEST KNOWN PROCAVIID HYRACOID FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF NAMIBIA

Despite the great diversity of known fossil hyracoids that belong to t he archaic family Pliohyracidae, practically nothing has been unravell ed about the origin and diversification of the modern family Procaviid ae (containing four genera of Pliocene to Recent age). A new species o f procaviid hyrax is reported from Namibian cave breccias dating to th e earlier part of the late Miocene. The new species is represented by dental, postcranial, and fragmentary cranial specimens. Despite its 1. 0 x 10(7)-year age, the new hyracoid cannot be generically distinguish ed from the modern genus Heterohyrax. The new species differs from ext ant H. brucei in its less molarized anterior premolars, and its molar cusps that are slightly more inflated basally. The possible relevance of the new fossil for the origin and radiation of the family Procaviid ae is discussed.