Chronologic range.—Early Miocene, from early Arikareean (Lower Harrison local fauna of Nebraska) to middle Miocene, late Hemingfordian (Upper Rosebud local fauna, South Dakota, and the Deep River Formation, Montana). According to MacDonald (1963:149-150), the Upper Rosebud is middle Miocene rather than early Miocene.
Description.—Size small, about as in small kinds of Thomomys; known only from fragmentary mandible, including molariform dentition in place, and isolated cheek teeth, including M1 (see Wood, 1936:26-28 and fig. 32; Galbreath, 1948:316-317 and fig. 1; and Black, 1961:13-14 and fig. 58); upper incisors unknown; cheek teeth hyposodont, persistently rooted, and having crowns of medium height compared with Recent geomyids; enamel investment complete and uninterrupted in all molariform teeth in all stages of wear; P4 unknown, but probably formed like p4; p4 persistently biprismatic, two crowns joined at mid-points by relatively narrow isthmus separating lateral re-entrant folds; anterior lophid of p4 having distinct anteroexternal inflection; molars also biprismatic throughout life; two lophids of lower molars first uniting at mid-points as in p4, and, with additional wear, m1 and m2 secondarily uniting at edge of protomeres and forming isolated enamel fossette between point of connection (detailed description of stages of wear discussed in account of phylogeny of subfamily); m3 permanently joined at mid-point only, without lateral union at edge of protomeres; upper molars, judging by M1 (M2 and M3 unknown), having same pattern as lower molars, but first union of lophs decidedly on lingual side of center, consequently, lingual re-entrant fold small; M1 probably developing U-pattern in advanced stages of wear by union of protomeres, with minute lingual fossette developing in transition as lophs secondarily become united at lingual edge of columns; mandible stout and geomyidlike; masseteric ridge weakly developed; basitemporal fossa absent.
Evidently, Dikkomys matthewi is more primitive than Dikkomys woodi. The modified H-pattern in m1 and m2, with the metalophid and hypolophid joined at both their mid-points and also at their protomeres (by union of the protostylid and hypostylid in the lower dentition), is persistent throughout life. Therefore, the enclosed enamel fossette is not eradicated with wear. In m1 and m2 of Dikkomys woodi, the fossette is shallower, and, at least in advanced stages of wear, it would disappear, therefore, forming a U-pattern on the occlusal surface, as in M1 and M2, but lateral inflection horizontally shallow rather than deep as in entoptychines.
Specimen (No. P 26284 FMNH) reported as Dikkomys matthewi by Galbreath (1948:316) is referable to the recently described species Dikkomys woodi Black, 1961.
Specimens examined.—One, no. P 26284, Field Mus. Nat. Hist., from upper Rosebud, Shannon Co., South Dakota.
Referred species.—two:
Dikkomys matthewi Wood, 1936. Amer. Mus. Novit., 866:26, July. Type from early Arikareean Lower Harrison deposits (early Miocene) near Agate, Sioux County, Nebraska.
Dikkomys woodi Black, 1961. Postilla, Yale Peabody Museum, 48:13, January 16. Type from Deep River Formation, late Hemingfordian (middle Miocene), Meagher County, Montana; also known from Upper Rosebud deposits (middle Miocene) near Wounded Knee, Shannon County, South Dakota.