Sur le crâne de Propalaeotherium isselanum (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Palaeotheriidae) de Pépieux (Minervois, Sud de la France)

The preparation of the skull of Propalaeotherium from Pépieux formerly described and figured by Filhol (1888) has been improved. A new study of this specimen corroborates its assignment to the species P. isselanum, through the comparison with a partial skull from Issel. Moreover it is brought to light that the teeth are slightly larger, slightly higher, more lophodont and less bulky, with a thinner enamel, than those of the rather rich Geiseltal MK material, up to now referred to as P. "isselanum". The skull is otherwise characterized by a rather low degree of encephalization; it is narrower, has less elongate postcanine diastemata than the Geiseltal ones and contrarily presents optic foramina joining together in a single optic canal. These observations lead to the conclusion that the Geiseltal MK form might represent a new, so far undefined, species.