The rodent Neoepiblema acreensis (Chinchilloidea: Neoepiblemidae) is member of a lineage that reached gigantic dimensions during the Late Miocene of South America—the Neoepiblemidae. In this paper, the cranial anatomy of this rodent is reviewed. Noninvasive imaging is used to reveal internal structures. Our review is based mainly on an almost complete cranium from the Upper Miocene deposits of the western Amazonia of Brazil. The cranium has an elongated rostrum, large frontal sinuses, a deep temporal fossa, well‐developed sagittal, nuchal, medial occipital, and secondary crests, and a tympanic fenestra connected to the external acoustic meatus by a thin ventral cleft. Remarkably, the cranium shows the presence of fossae on the posterior region of the frontal and parietal bones, and a “W‐shaped” fronto‐parietal suture, which are not present in other analyzed chinchilloids. This study contributes to the knowledge of the morphology of this extinct rodent as well as to the phylogenetic relationships and paleobiology of neoepiblemids.

中文翻译：

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对来自南美洲的中新世啮齿动物 Neoepiblema acreensis (Rodentia: Chinchilloidea) 颅骨形态的重新评估

啮齿动物 Neoepiblema acreensis（Chinchilloidea：Neoepiblemidae）是南美洲晚中新世时期达到巨大尺寸的一个谱系的成员 - Neoepiblemidae。本文综述了这种啮齿动物的颅骨解剖结构。无创成像用于揭示内部结构。我们的评论主要基于来自巴西亚马逊西部上中新世矿床的几乎完整的头盖骨。颅骨有一个细长的头颅、大的额窦、一个深颞窝、发育良好的矢状、颈、内侧枕骨和次级嵴，以及一个通过一个薄的腹侧裂隙与外耳道相连的鼓室窗。值得注意的是，颅骨显示在额骨和顶骨的后部区域存在窝，以及“W形”的额顶骨缝合线，在其他分析的龙猫中不存在。这项研究有助于了解这种已灭绝的啮齿动物的形态学，以及 Neoepiblemids 的系统发育关系和古生物学。