<i>Moralesictis intrepidus</i> gen. et sp. nov., the long journey of a Miocene honey badger´s relative to the New World

We describe a new genus and species of mellivorine mustelid from the late early Hemphillian (Hh2, c. 7.5 Ma) Box T Local Fauna of Texas, USA. Our phylogenetic analysis indicates that it is a basal eomellivorin. <i>Moralesictis intrepidus</i> is intermediate in size between <i>Eomellivora</i> and <i>Mellivora capensis</i>, the smaller extant honey badger. It is characterised by its strong muzzle, relatively convex skull profile, robust and unicuspid P1-P3, and a distinctive P4. The P4 has a mesially located robust and enlarged protocone, and is shorter in relative to the M1 width. The M1 occlusal morphology is primitive for a mellivorine. These traits distinguish it from other large-sized mustelids such as <i>Eomellivora wimani</i> from the Hemphillian (Hh3-4) of California, <i>Plesiogulo</i> spp. from several Hh3-4 North American localities, and <i>Hoplictis</i> cf. <i>grangerensis</i> from the late Clarendonian (Cl2), Nebraska. It also differs from the Barstovian <i>Legionarictis fortidens</i> and undescribed North American Clarendonian specimens of <i>Sthenictis</i> and <i>Mionictis. Moralesictis intrepidus</i>, previously identified as <i>Eomellivora</i>, unquestionably represents the oldest immigrant mellivorine to North America (Hh 2) and implies the entrance of <i>Eomellivora</i> to North America as a separate immigration event in Hh3-4. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:96AEE149-5B98-4779-AF65-152E8680527D本研究记述了一件产自美国德克萨斯州Box T本地动物群（晚早亥姆菲尔阶，Hh2，约750万年前）的蜜獾亚科鼬科动物新属新种。系统发育分析显示，该物种属于基干始蜜獾类群。 无畏莫拉雷斯鼬（*Moralesictis intrepidus*）的体型介于始蜜獾属（*Eomellivora*）与现存体型较小的蜜獾（*Mellivora capensis*）之间。该物种具有如下鉴别特征：强壮的吻部、相对隆起的颅骨轮廓、粗壮且为单尖齿的P1-P3前臼齿，以及形态独特的P4第四前臼齿；其中P4具有位于近中侧的粗壮膨大原尖，且其尺寸相对M1第一臼齿的宽度更短。M1第一臼齿的咬合面形态在蜜獾亚科中属于较为原始的类型。 上述特征将其与其他大型鼬科动物区分开来，包括产自加利福尼亚州亥姆菲尔阶（Hh3-4）的威氏始蜜獾（*Eomellivora wimani*）、北美多个Hh3-4地层产出的*Plesiogulo*属物种，以及产自内布拉斯加州晚克拉伦登阶（Cl2）的比较型标本*Hoplictis cf. grangerensis*。此外，该物种还区别于产自巴斯特维阶的*Legionarictis fortidens*，以及北美克拉伦登阶未被正式描述的*Sthenictis*和*Mionictis*标本。 此前被鉴定为始蜜獾属（*Eomellivora*）的无畏莫拉雷斯鼬（*Moralesictis intrepidus*），无疑是已知最古老的迁入北美的蜜獾亚科物种（产自Hh2地层），这一发现也暗示始蜜獾属（*Eomellivora*）在Hh3-4时期以一次独立的迁入事件进入北美。 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:96AEE149-5B98-4779-AF65-152E8680527D