?Necromantis fragmentum

Overview

?Necromantis fragmentum is a bat from Eocene North Africa encountered through its tiny teeth. Inconspicuous cusps and valleys on those teeth are key to recognizing the animal. These small fossils hold an ancient chapter in bat evolution.^[1]

Key facts

The name fragmentum is associated with the meaning 'fragment'. Research has compared tiny pieces of canines, premolars and molars. Even without a large skeleton, features that distinguish a species can survive at a very small scale.^[1]

Time and place

This bat comes from Eocene strata summarized as spanning roughly 56–41 million years ago. Its fossil locality is Jebel Chambi in the Kasserine region of present-day Tunisia. It shows that North Africa was an important setting for investigating early bat diversification.^[1][2]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

It is smaller than the comparison taxon Cryptobune, and the cusps on its lower molars are taller and more distinct. The low shelf at the rear of the molar is also more developed. Magnification reveals terrain more complex than a simple pointed tooth.^[1]

In specimen CBI-2-011 of ?Necromantis fragmentum, a bat provisionally assigned to the genus Necromantis, the right second lower molar is 2.26 mm long. Although very small, its cusps and intervening valleys reveal structures used to process food.^[3]

Habitat and reproduction

The story of a bat's diet can begin with its teeth. This study examined robust teeth and the arrangement of their cusps, comparing them with those of other fossil bats. The shape of the chewing surface offers clues to the foods used by different bats.^[1]

Fossil discovery

A 2016 study presented canines, premolars and molars from several sites at Chambi. Some fragments are small enough to be illustrated beside a 1 mm scale bar. Comparing teeth from different positions revealed diversity among fossil bats.^[1]

References

1. Ravel et al.2016 — Early diversification of Eocene North African bats
2. Paleobiology Database — Age records for ?Necromantis fragmentum
3. Ravel et al. (2016) — Origine et radiation initiale des chauves-souris modernes : nouvelles découvertes dans l’Éocène d’Afrique du Nord
4. Simmons et al. (2008) — Early bats from Wyoming and the evolution of flight
5. Royal Ontario Museum — A new fossil in bat evolution

Research questions

What does a question mark before a scientific name mean? Researchers provisionally proposed placing this species in Necromantis. Further comparison of similarities and differences in its teeth will help clarify ancient relationships among bats.^[1]

Observation

Move your gaze from the large central cusp to the low shelf at the rear. Following the outline of a tiny molar reveals subtle differences used to distinguish bats.^[1]