First record of the mustelid <i>Trochictis</i> (Carnivora, Mammalia) from the early Late Miocene (MN 9/10) of Germany and a re-appraisal of the genus <i>Trochictis</i>

We present the first record of the mustelid <i>Trochictis</i> from the Late Miocene (MN 9/10) of Germany, a partial mandible with p4, m1, and m2 from Eppelsheim. <i>Trochictis peignei</i> sp. nov. is characterised by the combination p4 with a distal accessory cuspid and a basal lingual enlargement, m1 with a length/width index larger than 2.5, a rounded lingual wall of the paraconid, an entoconulid present, the metaconid as high as the paraconid, and cuspules present on the posterior talonid edge, and m2 with a very reduced talonid. Comparison to similar sized Middle and Late Miocene mustelids and a stratocladistic analysis place <i>T. peignei</i> sp. nov. closest to <i>T. narcisoi</i> from MN 9 of Can Llobateras, <i>T. depereti</i> from several MN 6 to MN 7/8 European localities, and cf. <i>Trochictis</i> sp. from MN 9 of Rudabánya. We also suggest synonymy of <i>T. carbonaria</i> and <i>T. artenensis</i> and verify that m2 of <i>Trochictis</i> occasionally is double-rooted. The analysis does not corroborate a close relationship of <i>Trochictis</i> to <i>Taxodon</i> or the subfamily Ictonychinae, but can also not discard confidently such an assignment. With a body mass of about 3 kg, <i>Trochictis peignei</i> sp. nov. represents the hitherto smallest described carnivoran of the Eppelsheim Formation.