Dormaaliinae

Partial cranium and jaws of Macrocranion nitens, from Novacek et al. (1985).

Belongs within: Lipotyphla.

The Dormaaliinae are an Eocene group of small mammals of uncertain relationships. Novacek (1985) regarded them as belonging to the Erinaceomorpha, among the relatives of the hedgehogs. Butler (1988) pointed out that the dormaaliine Macrocranion lacked the synapomorphies of Lipotyphla and excluded it from that group, but did not propose a specific alternative position. One subgroup, the amphilemurines, had bunodont molars superficially similar to those of Primates.

Characters (from Novacek 1985): P_1-2 reduced, single-rooted; P₃ very small, single-rooted; P₄ premolariform with large protoconid, small metaconid and paraconid, short weakly basined or unbasined talonid with one or two minute cuspules; M_1-3 with paraconids transverse, sharp, crestiform, closely approximated to metaconids; trigonids on M_1-3 distinctly canted anteriorly, anteroposteriorly compressed in occlusal view; P⁴ with sweeping metastylar crest, vestigial or absent metacone, weak posterolingual extension of cingulum; M^1-2 with well-developed hypocone.

<==Dormaaliinae
    |--Dormaalius N85
    |--Macrocranion nitens B88
    `--Amphilemurini N85
         |--Pholidocercus N85
         |--Amphilemur Heller 1935 N85, S62
         |    `--A. eocaenicus Heller 1935 S62
         |--Alsaticopithecus Hürzeler 1947 N85, S62
         |    `--*A. leemanni Hürzeler 1947 S62
         `--Gesneropithex Hürzeler 1946 N85, S62
              `--G. peyeri Hürzeler 1946 S62

*Type species of generic name indicated

==References==

[B88] Butler, P. M. 1988. Phylogeny of the insectivores. In The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, vol. 2. Mammals (M. J. Benton, ed.) pp. 117-141. Clarendon Press: Oxford.

[N85] Novacek, M. J. 1985. The Sespedectinae, a new subfamily of hedgehog-like insectivores. American Museum Novitates 2822: 1-24.

Novacek, M. J., T. M. Bown & D. Schankler. 1985. On the classification of the early Tertiary Erinaceomorpha (Insectivora, Mammalia). American Museum Novitates 2813: 1-22.

[S62] Simons, E. L. 1962. A new Eocene primate genus, Cantius, and a revision of some allied European lemuroids. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History): Geology 7 (1): 1-36.