分类: 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间: 2020-03-31 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要: The elephantimorph proboscideans, Serridentinus gobiensis Osborn & Granger, 1932, and Miomastodon tongxinensis Chen, 1978, from the Middle Miocene of northern China, were revised as Zygolophodon gobiensis (Osborn & Granger, 1932). However, their phylogenetic positions are still being debated because of their intermediate morphology between the typical bunodont (Gomphotheriidae) and zygodont (Mammutidae) elephantimorphs. In the present paper, we compare their dental and mandibular morphology with that of the Eurasian Z. turicensis, Gomphotherium subtapiroideum, and G. tassyi, as well as the North American Mio. merriami and G. productum. It appears that S. gobiensis and Mio. tongxinensis share with Mio. merriami the slightly more bunodont molar morphology than that of Z. turicensis, e.g., the thicker enamel, thicker pretrite crescentoids, higher interlophid enamel pillars in buccal view, and the narrower contour majorly caused by the narrower posttrite half loph(id)s. S. gobiensis and Mio. merriami also possess an “erected oval cross-sectioned mandibular tusk”, in which the cross-section is mediolaterally compressed (dorsoventral diameter being larger than the mediolateral one). Whereas, in Z. turicensis and G. productum, the mandibular tusk is “laid oval cross-sectioned”, in which the cross-section is dorsoventrally compressed (dorsoventral diameter is smaller than the mediolateral one). Therefore, it is reasonable to revive the genus Miomastodon Osborn, 1922, which contains the species that were previously attributed to Zygolophodon, but they have relatively bunodont molar morphology (i.e., the robust type of the Z. turicensis group). The mandibular tusk with erected oval cross-section seems to be a synapomorphy of Miomastodon species. Furthermore, the molar morphology of G. subtapiroideum and G. tassyi also exhibits intermediate status between the typical bunodonts and zygodonts. However, the mandibular symphysis of G. subtapiroideum and G. tassyi is stronger than that of Miomastodon, and the mandibular tusk is pyriform cross-sectioned. The validity of Miomastodon and G. subtapiroideum/tassyi obscures the boundary between the Gomphotheriidae and Mammutidae, and suggests that the evolutions of the Gomphotheriidae and Mammutidae are deeply involved in with each other, rather than straightforwardly detached. This phenomenon has been revealed by a collagen sequence analysis among Notiomastodon, Mammut, and extant elephants, which should be further studied.
分类: 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间: 2020-03-31 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要: Many cervid specimens were uncovered during the field exploration for Nihewan beds at the beginning of the 1980s from Taijiaping, Shuichongkou and Dazhuangke localities along Xinyaozi Ravine at Nangaoya Township of Tianzhen County, Shanxi Province in North China. Recent studies on the cervid material identified seven species of Cervidae in total: Muntiacus bohlini, Cervavitus cf. C. huadeensis, Axis shansius, Nipponicervus elegans, Elaphurus davidianus predavidianus, E. bifurcatus from the Early Pleistocene deposits at Taijiaping and Shuichongkou localities, and Cervus (Elaphus) elaphus from uncertain horizon at Dazhuangke. At least the previous six species of cervids were from Nihewan Formation (Nihewanian or equivalent to European middle and late Villafranchian), i.e. the Early Pleistocene, in Sangganhe Basin area.Cervavitus cf. C. huadeensis and A. shansius were survivors from the Late Neogene; M. bohlini,N. elegans, E. davidianus predavidianus and E. bifurcatus are new forms of the Early Pleistocene.If Dazhuangke horizon can be dated as those of Shuichongkou and Taijiaping localities, the appearance of elaphoid cervids could be traced back to the Early Pleistocene, and the evolution of elaphoid antler would start from absence to presence of bez tine. The presence of Elaphurus and Nipponicervus in mainland China and Japanese archipelago implies further that the sea level was dropped down that these cervids could migrate from the mainland to the islands. The abundance of folivorous cervid specimens in the Xinyaozi Ravine area indicates the existence of a certain scale of forested environment in Sangganhe Basin area during the Early Pleistocene.
分类: 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间: 2020-03-31 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要: An adult amynodont skull, collected from the Middle Eocene Niezhuang Formation of Jiyuan Basin (Henan, China), is recognized as a new species Amynodontopsis jiyuanensis sp. nov. The specimen possesses the typical features of the genus Amynodontopsis, such as a dolichocephalic skull with elevated roof, premaxilla-nasal contact, large preorbital fossa extending posteriorly medial to the orbit, inner surface of anterior orbital bar concave in continuation with the preorbital fossa, antecrochet usually presented on M1, and metastyle of M3 strongly deflected labially. A. jiyuanensis is diagnosed by a combination of the following characters: long nasals, nasal process of premaxilla extending far back laterally below the nasal and excluding the maxilla from the border of external nares, nasal notch above the post-canine diastema, more transverse and proportionally longer protoloph and metaloph on upper molars. Comparison with known species of Amynodontopsis indicates that it is the most primitive one in the genus, due to the possession of primitive characters. Associated fossil mammals support a correlation of the strata bearing A. jiyuanensis with the Shara Murun Formation of the Erlian Basin, Nei Mongol, China, namely the Middle Eocene Sharamurunian Asian Land Mammal Age (ALMA), prior to all other known Amynodontopsis species. The earlier geologic age and primitive morphological features of A. jiyuanensis suggest that Amynodontopsis has an Asian origin in the Middle Eocene and later immigrated into North America.
分类: 生物学 >> 动物学 提交时间: 2020-03-31 合作期刊: 《古脊椎动物学报》
摘要: A skull with mandible and several cervicals of a new species of Huerzelerimys, H.asiaticus, collected from the Late Miocene Liushu Formation in Linxia Basin, Gansu Province,is described in this paper. The skull is the first one ever found for the genus Huerzelerimys. Its main characters are: size small; skull broad and short with stout rostrum; interorbital roof narrow;premaxillary laterodorsal crest well developed; frontal crests weak and subparallel; incisive foramina long, with their posterior ends lined up with anterior root of M1; posterior palatal foramina located mesial to M2; caudal border of hard palate lying posterior to M3;interpterygoid foramen absent; alisphenoid canal bony; bulla large and inflated; internal carotid foramen located near the basilar tubercle; mandible having low horizontal ramus and deeply concave diastema; anterior end of masseteric ridge lined up with anterior margin of m1; mental foramen situated slightly anterior to masseteric ridge and anteroventral to m1, near to mandibular diastema; upper incisors orthodont; M1 having slightly anteriorly located t1; in M1 and M2 t6 and t9 connected by distinct crest and t12 crest-like; t1 and t3 of M2 and t1 of M3 connected to t5; M3 having t3 and a large isolated t8; small Acc of m1 connected with both Alc and Abc; m1 and m2 having distinct buccal cingula, larger c2 attached to protoconid, and low crest-like posterior heel; m2 and m3 having isolated Abc; c1 absent in m3. The evolutionary level of the described skull tends to show that the age of the upper part of the Liushu Formation yielding H. asiaticus may belong to late Bahean, corresponding to European upper MN11 or lower MN12.