# 2025 in paleomammalogy

This article records new taxa of fossil mammals of every kind that are scheduled to be described during the year 2025, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleontology of mammals that are scheduled to occur in the year 2025.

## Afrotherians
### Proboscideans
#### Proboscidean research

* Dooley et al. (2025) reevaluate the affinities of mastodon fossil material from Oregon and Washington (United States), Alberta (Canada) and Hidalgo and Jalisco (Mexico), extending known geographical range of Mammut pacificus, and providing probable evidence of presence of both M. pacificus and M. americanum in close geographical proximity.
* Jukar, Millhouse & Carrano (2025) revise the fossil material attributed to Amebelodon floridanus, assign a neotype specimen of this specied and support its placement in the genus Amebelodon.
* Evidence of diets of Palaeoloxodon naumanni and mammoths from the Pleistocene sites in Japan, including possible evidence of different foraging behaviors of the studied proboscideans in Hokkaido, is presented by Naito (2025).
* A study on mammoth teeth from the Pleistocene strata in Alberta (Canada), providing evidence of presence of three morphotypes – including a morphotype intermediate between the woolly mammoth and the Columbian mammoth – is published by Barrón-Ortiz, Jass & Cammidge (2025).
* A study on the dietary habits of Columbian mammoths from the Tultepec I and Tultpec II sites (Mexico), providing evidence of mixed C$_3$/C$_4$ diet for the majority of the studied specimens, is published by Rodríiguez-Franco et al. (2025).

### Sirenians
#### Sirenian research

* Ducrocq et al. (2025) report the discovery of fossil material (including a well-preserved and almost complete skull) of a specimen of Metaxytherium medium from the Miocene strata in France, and estimate body size of the studied specimen.

### Other afrotherians
#### Miscellaneous afrotherian research

* Crespo & Castillo (2025) reject the arguments of Furió, Minwer-Barakat & García-Alix (2024), who considered the fossil material of Europotamogale melkarti to be remains of a water-mole of the genus Archaeodesmana, and reaffirm the validity of E. melkarti.

## Euarchontoglires
### Primates
#### Primate research

* Evidence from the study of brain endocasts of extant and extinct mammals, indicative of cortical expansion in the areas of the brain involved in producing cognitive functions that began early on during the primate evolution, is presented by Melchionna et al. (2025), who argue that selection for complex cognition likely drove the evolution of primate brains.
* Lang et al. (2025) study the size of the olfactory bulbs in extant and fossil members of Euarchontoglires, and report evidence of a reduction of the olfactory bulb size at the base of the primate crown group, as well as subsequent reductions in different primate groups.
* Evidence from the study of the anatomy of manubria and sternebrae of extant and fossil simians, indicating that the anatomy of the sternum can provide information on the form of the thorax and the positional repertoire of the clavicles in fossil simians, is presented by Middleton, Alwell & Ward (2025).
* A study on tooth wear and probable diets of Miocene and Pliocene Old World monkeys from the Turkana Basin (Kenya) is published by Fehringer et al. (2025).
* Brasil et al. (2025) revise the species-level taxonomy of South African Parapapio, and argue that the available evidence does not support assignment of the studied fossil material to more than one species.
* Kithinji, Kikuchi & Nakatsukasa (2025) describe a catarrhine talus from the Miocene strata from the Nachola site (Kenya), likely belonging to a member of the genus Nyanzapithecus, and interpret its anatomy as indicating that Nyanzapithecus was less agile while walking and running in the trees than extant Old World monkeys of similar size.
* Pugh, Strain & Gilbert (2025) study the anatomy of teeth of Samburupithecus kiptalami and interpret it as a late-occurring African member of the family Oreopithecidae.
* A study on the morphology of the lumbar vertebrae of Ekembo nyanzae, Morotopithecus bishopi and Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, and on its implications for the knowledge of the locomotion of the studied apes, is published by Williams et al. (2025).
* A study on the morphology and affinities of Kapi ramnagarensis is published by Gilbert et al. (2025), who interpret the studied primate as a stem-hylobatid.
* A study on the tooth wear of Lufengpithecus lufengensis, providing evidence of a diet that included tough foods such as leaves, is published by Fan et al. (2025).

#### General paleoanthropology

* Lawrence, Hammond & Ward (2025) compare the orientation of the acetabulum in fossil hominins and extant primates, reporting evidence of humanlike condition in early Australopithecus.
* Evidence from the study of nitrogen and carbonate carbon isotope composition of tooth enamel of Australopithecus from the Sterkfontein Member 4 (South Africa), interpreted as indicating that the studied specimens had a plant-based diet and did not regularly eat mammalian meat, is presented by Lüdecke et al. (2025).
* Madupe et al. (2025) provide evidence of protein preservation in tooth enamel of the Australopithecus africanus specimen Sts 63 from Sterkfontein Member 4, and identify the studied individual as a male.
* A study on the surface organization of the endocast of the Taung Child is published by Hurst et al. (2025).
* Evidence of morphological variation among maxillae of specimens of Australopithecus afarensis from Hadar (Ethiopia), possibly linked to sexual dimorphism, is presented by Hanegraef & Spoor (2025).
* Zanolli et al. (2025) study the anatomy and affinities of the Pleistocene hominin mandible SK 15 from Swartkrans Member 2, South Africa (the holotype of Telanthropus capensis), and interpret this specimen as belonging to a previously unrecognized species of Paranthropus, P. capensis.
* A study on the morphology of the oval window in Paranthropus robustus, interpreted as spanning the ape-human spectrum, is published by Fernandez & Braga (2025).
* Fossil material of a young adult hominin specimen, including a complete tibia and a nearly complete femur articulating with a partial hip bone, is described from the Hanging Remnant of the Swartkrans Formation (South Africa) by Pickering et al. (2025), who assign the studied individual to the species Paranthropus robustus.
* Evidence from the study of paleosols from the hominin and archaeological sites from the Gona Paleoanthropological Project area (Ethiopia) ranging from the Oldowan to the Late Stone Age, interpreted as indicative of reliance of hominins on riverine ecosystem edge and gallery forest resources throughout their evolutionary history, is presented by Stinchcomb, Rogers & Semaw (2025).
* Curran et al. (2025) describe cut-marked bones interpreted as evidence of presence of hominins at the Grăunceanu site (Romania) at least 1.95 milion years ago.
* Evidence of systematic production of technologically and morphologically standardized bone tools by hominins living 1.5 million years ago is reported from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) by de la Torre et al. (2025).
* Pietrobelli et al. (2025) study the anatomy of fibular ends of Homo floresiensis, interpreted as indicative of presence of a versatile ankle joint consistent with a locomotor repertoire including obligate bipedalism as well as climbing.
* Chapman et al. (2025) reconstruct the skeleton of the leg of Homo naledi, and interpret its anatomy as casting doubt on the capabilities of H. naledi for endurance running.
* Mercader et al. (2025) present evidence indicating that Homo erectus occupying the Engaji Nanyori locality (Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania) one million years ago lived in extremely dry environment, and showed ability to adapt to such environment through the strategic use of water resources present in the studied area.
* Huguet et al. (2025) report the discovery of the midface of a hominin living between 1.4 million and 1.1 million years ago from the Sima del Elefante site (Spain), representing the oldest hominin face from Western Europe reported to date, and assign it to Homo aff. erectus.
* Review of the nomenclature of the Middle Pleistocene hominins is published by Reed (2025).
* A study aiming to determine the connection between facial morphology and geography in Middle Pleistocene hominins is published by Olsen & White (2025).
* Review of the studies of skeletal proteomes of Middle and Late Pleistocene hominins, as well as of challenges in the proteomic analyses of the Pleistocene material, is published by Welker et al. (2025).
* Schroeder & Komza (2025) study the morphological variation of skull of Middle Pleistocene hominins from Africa, and interpret it as consistent with attribution of the studied hominins to a single ecological species lineage.
* Evidence from the study of starch grains found on basalt tools from the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov site (Israel), indicating that Middle Pleistocene hominins from the site processed diverse plants, is preserved by Ahituv et al. (2025).
* Evidence from the study of stone tools, ochre fragments, animal remains likely accumulated by hominins and funerary practices of hominins from the Tinshemet Cave (Israel), interpreted as indicative of development of uniform behavior among mid-Middle Palaeolithic Levantine hominins that was likely related to interactions between different Homo groups, is presented by Zaidner et al. (2025).
* A study on evolutionary processes that resulted in the emergence of a mosaic of primitive and derived anatomical traits in the Middle Pleistocene hominin populations from the Neanderthal lineage is published by Rosas et al. (2025).
* Urciuoli et al. (2025) report evidence of reduction of morphological diversity of bony labyrinths in the Neanderthal lineage after the start of Marine Isotope Stage 5, interpreted as possibly related to a population bottleneck.
* Degioanni et al. (2025) determine the extent of environments that were suitable from Neanderthal occupation in Europe between 90,000 and 50,000 years ago, report that the extent of suitable areas did not significantly decrease immediately prior to the disappearance of Neanderthals, and argue that the climate change was not the primary cause of the decline of European Neanderthals.
* Evidence from the study of the Bété I site from the Anyama locality (Ivory Coast), indicative of human occupation of West African wet tropical forests dating to around 150,000 years ago, is presented by Ben Arous et al. (2025).
* Röding et al. (2025) study the morphology of teeth of a juvenile hominin individual from the Pleistocene Mugharet el'Aliya cave site (Morocco), and interpret it as consistent with affinities with the Homo sapiens lineage.
* Schürch, Conard & Schmidt (2025) study the raw material sourcing of tools from the Gravettian and Magdalenian sites in Germany, and interpret their findings as indicating that territories of foraging groups that occupied the studied sites spanned across 300 km.
* Marginedas et al. (2025) interpret evidence of manipulation of human remains from the Magdalenian site Maszycka Cave (Poland) as consistent with cannibalistic behavior.

### Rodents

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Farangimys | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Calede & Socki | Hemingfordian | Pawnee Creek Beds | United States ( Colorado) | A stem geomyoid. The type species is F. megalotrogos. | |

#### Rodent research

* Grau-Camats et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of Miopetaurista webbi from the Gray Fossil Site (Tennessee, United States) and interpret the species as likely closely related to the Eurasian species M. thaleri.
* Escamilla et al. (2025) describe fossil material of members of the genera Prolagostomus and Chasicomys from the Miocene strata in the Calahoyo locality (Jujuy Province, Argentina), representing the first recorded co-occurrence of members of the two genera and extending known temporal range of Prolagostomus.
* A study on the brain morphology of Pliocene specimens of Eumysops chapalmalensis is published by Fernández Villoldo et al. (2025).
* De Santi & Verzi (2025) revise the Pleistocene tuco-tuco species Ctenomys latidens, interpreting it as a distinct species and likely a senior synonym of C. dasseni and C. intermedius.

### Other euarchontoglires
#### Miscellaneous euarchontoglires research

* Chester et al. (2025) describe a specimen of Mixodectes pungens from the Paleocene Nacimiento Formation (New Mexico, United States) representing the most complete mixodectid specimen reported to date, and interpret its anatomy as supporting the primatomorphan affinities of mixodectids.
* New information on the anatomy of the skull of Plesiolestes nacimienti is provided by Crowell, Beard & Chester (2025).

## Laurasiatherians
### Artiodactyls
#### Cetaceans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Cochimicetus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Cedillo-Avila, González-Barba & Solis-Añorve | Oligocene | San Gregorio Formation | Mexico | A member of the family Eomysticetidae. The type species is C. convexus. | |
| Eophyseter | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Bisconti et al. | Pliocene | Sabbie d'Asti Formation | Italy | A member of the family Physeteridae. The type species is E. damarcoi. | |

##### Cetacean research

* Paul & Larramendi (2025) provide new estimates of body size of Perucetus colossus, interpreted as most likely to have body length of 15 to 16 m and body mass of 35 to 40 tonnes.
* Redescription and a study on the affinities of Prosqualodon australis is published by Gaetán et al. (2025).
* Nelson, Lambert & Uhen (2025) revise the validity of European members of the family Squalodontidae, recognizing only 8 valid species, and redescribe Squalodon grateloupii.
* Hernández Cisneros & Velez-Juarbe (2025) describe the skeletal anatomy of Fucaia goedertorum, and interpret the studied cetacean as a raptorial feeder with high maneuverability.
* Nobile et al. (2025) describe the skull of an archaic chaeomysticete, possibly closely related to the Oligocene Horopeta, from the Miocene (Burdigalian) Chilcatay Formation (Peru), representing the oldest chaeomysticete specimen from the southeastern Pacific reported to date.

#### Other artiodactyls

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Country | Notes |
| Aegyptomeryx | Gen. et sp. nov | In press | Pickford & Gawad | Miocene | Egypt | An anthracothere. Genus includes new species A. grandis. |
| Masrimeryx | Gen. et comb. nov | In press | Pickford & Gawad | Miocene | Egypt | An anthracothere. Genus includes "Afromeryx" palustris Miller et al. (2014). |
| Mogharameryx | Gen. et comb. nov | In press | Pickford & Gawad | Miocene | Egypt | An anthracothere. Genus includes "Brachyodus" mogharensis Pickford (1991). |

##### Other artiodactyl research

* Robson & Theodor (2025) reevaluate the anatomy and affinities of Bunomeryx, and consider its classification as purported early tylopod to be uncertain.
* A study on the dental morphology and on the affinities of "Parachleuastochoerus" valentini is published by Alba et al. (2025), who interpret the studied species as distinct from Conohyus simorrensis and Versoporcus steinheimensis, and interpret the genus Parachleuastochoerus as likely polyphyletic.
* Marra (2025) reports the discovery of fossil material of Bohlinia attica from the Miocene strata from Cessaniti (Italy), representing the westernmost record of the species reported to date.
* Evidence from the study of tooth enamel of Pleistocene cervids and bovids from Southeast Asia, interpreted as indicative of dietary shifts of chitals, Eld's deers, bantengs and gaurs that were likely related to habitat shift from open environments to forests, as well as indicating that extant wild water buffaloes and sambar deers have more restricted diets and habitat compared to Pleistocene ones, is presented by Shaikh, Bocherens & Suraprasit (2025).
* A study on tooth histology and growth of Procervulus ginsburgi is published by Cuccu et al. (2025).
* Bouaziz et al. (2025) study the morphology of the anterior teeth of Indohyus indirae, and interpret the studied teeth as forming a grasping device used to capture preys, similar to teeth of stem cetaceans.

### Carnivorans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Civettictis vulpidens | Sp. nov | Valid | Churcher et al. | Pliocene | Varswater Formation | South Africa | A member of the family Viverridae, a species of Civettictis. |
| Panthera uncia lusitana | Ssp. nov | | Jiangzuo et al. | Pleistocene | | Portugal | A subspecies of the snow leopard. |
| Sivaonyx sarwari | Sp. nov | Valid | Mahmood et al. | Miocene | Dhok Pathan Formation | Pakistan | An otter. |
| Urva fanchangensis | Sp. nov | | Jiangzuo et al. | Pleistocene | | China | A mongoose, a species of Urva. |

#### Carnivoran research

* Ruiz et al. (2025) compare the morphology of Speothos pacivorus and the extant bush dog, and support the classification of the two species as distinct.
* A study on mitogenomes of specimens of Arctodus simus is published by Salis et al. (2025), who find no evidence of genetic differences compatible with the previously proposed subspecies, but report probable evidence of sexual dimorphism.
* Fossil material of the youngest European member of the genus Promephitis reported to date is described from the Pliocene (Ruscinian–Villafranchian) strata from the Lucești locality (Moldova) by Araslanov et al. (2025).
* Revision of the fossil material of mustelids from the Early Pleistocene site of Schernfeld (Germany) is published by Marciszak & Rössner (2025).
* New fossil material of Lutra simplicidens is described from the Pleistocene strata from the Corton site (United Kingdom) and Żabia Cave (Poland) by Marciszak & Bower (2025).

### Chiropterans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Rhinophylla garbogginii | Sp. nov | | Salles et al. | Quaternary | | Brazil | A species of Rhinophylla. | |

### Perissodactyls
#### Perissodactyl research

* Pandolfi et al. (2025) describe new fossil material of Tapirus priscus from the Vallesian strata of the Vallès-Penedès Basin (Spain), providing new information on the anatomy of members of the species and extending its known chronostratigraphic range in Western Europe.
* Purported tooth fragments of Brachypotherium sp. from the late Miocene strata in Japan is reinterpreted as fossil material of an indeterminate member of Aceratheriinae by Handa & Taru (2025).
* A study on the ecology of Equus neogeus and Hippidion principale from the Argentine Pampas is published by Bellinzoni, Valenzuela & Prado (2025), who report evidence of greater dietary flexibility of E. neogeus and greater vulnerability of H. principale to environmental changes.

### Other laurasiatherians

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
| Bastetodon | Gen. et comb. nov | | Al-Ashqar et al. | Oligocene | Jebel Qatrani Formation | Egypt | A member of Hyaenodonta belonging to the family Hyainailouridae. The type species is "Pterodon" syrtos. |
| Ichhutherium | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Armella et al. | Miocene (Burdigalian) | Potrero Grande Formation | Argentina | A mesotheriid notoungulate. The type species is I. wayra. |
| Sekhmetops | Gen. et comb. nov | | Al-Ashqar et al. | Oligocene | Jebel Qatrani Formation | Egypt | A member of Hyaenodonta belonging to the family Hyainailouridae. The type species is "Pterodon" africanus, genus also includes "P." phiomensis. |

#### Miscellaneous laurasiatherian research

* Mulcahy, Constenius & Beard (2025) report the first discovery of fossil material of a uintathere from the Kishenehn Formation (Montana, United States), representing the northernmost record of the group in North America reported to date.
* A study on toxodontid fossils from the Ribeira of Iguape Valley (Brazil) is published by Costa, Chahud & Okumura (2025), who identify a tooth likely representing the southernmost record of Mixotoxodon larensis reported to date, and identify cut marks on bones of Toxodon platensis.

## Xenarthrans
### Cingulatans
#### Cingulatan research

* A study on the morphology of the osteoderms of Quaternary pampatheriids and a revision of their taxonomy is published by Ferreira et al. (2025)
* New evidence of trauma-induced alterations of the body armor of glyptodont specimens is presented by Lima, Porpino & Ribeiro (2025).
* Magoulick et al. (2025) determine that environmental conditions in Central America during the Plio-Pleistocene enabled dispersal of Glyptotherium from South America to North America, and possibly also its migration back to South America during the Rancholabrean.
* Fossil material of Pucatherium parvum, representing the first finding of a mammal from the Eocene Río Nío Formation (Argentina), is described by Gaudioso et al. (2025).

### Pilosans
#### Pilosan research

* New megatherioid ground sloth specimen, possibly representing a new taxon, is described from the Miocene strata of the La Venta site (Colombia) by Miño-Boilini et al. (2025).
* Evidence interpreted as indicating that megathere ground sloths had lower body temperatures than reported in other large terrestrial mammals, as well as indicative of varied fur coverage depending on the environment, is presented by Deak et al. (2025).

## Metatherians

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes | Images |
| Dimartinia | Gen. et sp. nov | | Suarez et al. | Miocene (Chasicoan) | Cerro Azul Formation | Argentina | A member of Sparassodonta. The type species is D. pristina. | |
| Streptorhynchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Junior homonym | Carneiro et al. | Eocene | Itaboraí Basin | Brazil | A member of the family Derorhynchidae. The type species is S. tropicalis. The generic name is preoccupied by Streptorhynchus King (1850). | |

### Metatherian research

* Chornogubsky et al. (2025) study the body mass of members of the family Polydolopidae, providing evidence of increase of body size over time, but not evidence that Bergmann's rule applied to members of the group.
* A study on tooth wear in extant and fossil kangaroos is published by Arman, Gully & Prideaux (2025), who interpret their findings as indicating that Pleistocene kangaroos had more generalist diets than indicated by the anatomy of their skull and teeth, and likely indicating that extinctions of Pleistocene kangaroos were not driven by climate and environmental changes.

## General mammalian research

* Review of studies on the early evolution of the mammalian skull anatomy and its impact on the mammalian feeding efficiency and hearing ability is published by Schultz (2025).
* Evidence from the study of morphology, puncture performance and breakage resistance of saber teeth, interpreted as indicating that repeated evolution of saber teeth in mammalian carnivores is a result of selection for functionally optimal morphology, is presented by Pollock et al. (2025).
* Ugarte, Nascimento & Pires (2025) study the distribution and completeness of the fossil record of Cenozoic mammals from South America, as well as its implications for the knowledge of the evolution of South American mammals.
* Lihoreau et al. (2025) describe fossil material of Ypresian mammals from three new localities in the south of France, providing new information on the biochronology of early Paleogene European mammals.
* A study on mammalian communities from western North America across the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition is published by Shupinski et al. (2025), who report that the Great American Interchange and environmental changes related to glaciation did not result in significant changes of the structure of the studied communities, in spite of changes of their composition.
* Evidence from the study of Plio-Pleistocene mammal communities from Esquina Blanca (Uquía Formation, Argentina), Laetoli (Tanzania) and Thum Wimam Nakin (Thailand), indicating that niche exploitation profiles of tropical mammal communities can be used to determine past climate conditions of their environment, is presented by Kovarovic & Lintulaakso (2025).
* Review of the history of reporting of large mammals from the cave sites from the Cradle of Humankind (South Africa), their biochronology and their implications for paleoenvironmental reconstructions is published by Malherbe et al. (2025).
* Linchamps et al. (2025) study the composition of the assemblage of small mammals from the Pleistocene strata of the Lower Bank of Member 1 at the Swartkrans cave site (South Africa), and interpret the studied fossils as indicative of environment dominated by grassland and bushland habitats, with components of forest and woodland habitats.
* Bai et al. (2025) study the composition of Pleistocene mammalian faunas from parts of China affected by summer monsoons, and interpret the studied faunas as providing information on Pleistocene forest and steppe dynamics.
* Hu et al. (2025) report the discovery of new fossil material of Pleistocene mammals from the Dayakou pit (Chongqing, China), including first records of Ailuropoda melanoleuca wulingshanensis, Tapirus sinensis and Leptobos sp. in the Yanjinggou area, and providing new information on changes of mammal faunas from south China during the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition.
* Gelabert et al. (2025) study sedimentary ancient DNA from the El Mirón Cave (Spain), reporting evidence of presence of 28 taxa (humans, 21 herbivores and 6 carnivores), evidence of longer survival of leopards and hyenas in the Iberian Peninsula than indicated by fossil record, and evidence of the presence of a stable human population in the region of the cave during and after the Last Glacial Maximum.
* Faria et al. (2025) determine the age of teeth of extinct members of mammalian megafauna from Itapipoca and the Rio Miranda valley in the Brazilian Intertropical Region, and report evidence of survival of the studied mammals until the middle and late Holocene, including survival of Palaeolama major and Xenorhinotherium bahiense until approximately 3500 years Before Present.