Pachycrocuta (hyaenids) from the Pliocene of east Africa

Hyaenas belonging to the genusPachycrocuta were the largest hyaenas known. They had a wide distribution in the Plio-Pleistocene, having been found throughout Eurasia and in South Africa. The genus has been reported several times from east Africa, but these finds have been poorly documented. I here describe newly identified specimens ofPachycrocuta from the Turkana Basin, Kenya. It is concluded that although there are certain differences between east and South African specimens, these are of a nature that can be explained by individual variation, and therefore all African specimens are assigned to the Eurasian speciesPachycrocuta brevirostris. The migration patterns of the species are discussed and although these are still equivocal, I speculate that the species originated in Asia and migrated from there to Africa ca. 3.5 Ma and to Europe ca. 1.6 Ma.     

An Eocene tomistomine from peninsular Thailand

Skull and mandibular elements of a tomistomine crocodilian are described from the late Eocene to early Oligocene lignite seams of Krabi, peninsular Thailand. The Thai tomistomine is a longirostrine form characterized by a rostrum/skull ratio of about 0.6; a mandibular symphysis reaching the level of the eleventh alveolus; a deep participation of the splenial in the symphysis to the level of the ninth alveolus; an enlarged fifth maxillary alveolus; long nasals reaching the premaxillae at the level of the fifth maxillary alveolus but not contributing to the external nares; undivided posterior processes of premaxillae; a short prefrontal, excluded by a longer lacrimal from the posteromedial margin of maxillae; vomers visible on the palate. A phylogenetic analysis recovers the Thai specimen among derived tomistomines, on the stem lineage of the extant Tomistoma schlegelii, as a close ally of Maomingosuchus petrolica, a late Eocene tomistomine from southern China. The present recognition of Maomingosuchus sp. in late Eocene Thai deposits expands the distribution of Eocene tomistomines from southern China to the tropics. The origin of Tomistominae in Asia is briefly discussed.     

Gradual evolution in the African hunting dog lineage Systematic implications

The hunting dog, Lycaon pictus, is one of the most representative species of the extant African fauna and one of the most efficient predators in the World. This species is actually a relict within Sub-Saharan Africa, but its lineage is well recorded in Eurasia during the Pliocene, and in Eurasia and Africa during the Early Pleistocene, while its record during the Middle Pleistocene is not well documented. Though postcranial skeletal remains dating from the Early Pleistocene show a tetradactyl forelimb, a characteristic feature of the extant lycaon, unique among canids, the upper and lower dentitions show gradual evolution from a primitive morphology in the Late Pliocene specimens to the highly specialized trenchant carnassials of the extant predatory species. We propose a new systematics for the lineage, grouping all the forms within the genus Lycaon. To cite this article: B. Martínez-Navarro, L. Rook, C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

Elephas reckiDietrich,, 1915 (Proboscidea,Elephantidae)). Évolution au cours du Plio-pléistocène en Afrique orientale

A revision of the presently available materialrefered to the species Elephas reckiDietrich.. 1915, collected in East african plio-pleistocene levels, leads up to distinguish a succession of five subspecies within the species: E. r. brumpti n. subsp.; E. r. shungurensis n. subsp.; E. r. atavusArambourg 1947; E. r. ileretensis n. subsp. and E. r. reckiDietrich,, 1915.The five subspecies diagnosis are proposed here. They together represent a monophyletic lineage, the study of which allows to propose new interpretations regarding the history and evolutionary trends of the genus in Africa.     

Les métapodes d'Equus sensu lato (Mammalia,Périssodactyla)

Biometrical study of the metapodials of modern wild species (E. grevyi, E. burchelli boehmi, E. zebra hartmannae, E. africanus, E. hemionus and E. przewalskii) and some fossil forms (E. stenonis vireti and cf. vireti from the Villafranchian of France and Spain; E. tabeti and E. mauritanicus from the Lower and Middle Pleistocene of Northern Africa; E. mosbachensis from the Middle Pleistocene of Germany). Classical functional and evolutive interpretations of some characters are discussed: development of the distal keel, of the distal supra-articular and articular widths, of the proximal widths and antero-posterior diameters.     

The first known fossil record of pipehorses (Teleostei: Syngnathidae: Haliichthyinae) from the Miocene Coprolitic Horizon from the Tunjice Hills,Slovenia

The first known fossil specimens of pipehorses (Haliichthyinae) were unearthed from the Middle Miocene (Sarmatian) beds of the Coprolitic Horizon in the Tunjice Hills, Slovenia. These fossil pipehorses belong to a new genus and species Hippohaliichthys edis, which was similar to the extant species Haliichthys taeniophorus. The body morphology indicates that the described fossil pipehorses were also closely related to the pygmy pipehorse Hippotropiscis frenki and the seahorse Hippocampus sarmaticus, two taxa which were also found in the Coprolitic Horizon. The described fossil material of pipehorses indicates that seahorses evolved from a group of pipehorses that were similar in size and shape to extant and fossil pipehorses of the Haliichthyinae subfamily.     

Origines du peuplement mammalien en Afrique du Nord durant le miocène terminal

The late Miocene North African mammalianassemblage is considered here from three viewpoints: survivals, extinctions, and immigrations. The Eurasiatic affinities of the large mammals slightly prevail over the Ethiopian affinities. Amongst the North African large mammals, 4 to 8 taxa are Eurasiatic immigrants, while 4 to 6 are of Subsaharian origin. Contrarily, the micromammalian fauna is highly endemic, with only one species, a murid (Paraethomys miocaenicus), considered here as being related to an Asiatic form (Karnimata darwini). Our study of Eurasian and African Miocene faunas reveals that during the late Astaracian-early Turolian interval, the Saharo-Arabic belt permitted very little latitudinal faunal exchanges. However, during the middle and late Turolian such faunal exchanges became frequent. The micromammal record unequivocally indicates that a brief period of faunal exchange occurred between Africa and western Europe at the end of the Miocene, corresponding with the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The increased intercontinental faunal exchange between Africa and Eurasia during the late Miocene coincides with, and counterbalances the extinction of more than 10 taxa at the Mio/Pliocene boundary.     

Revision of the rhinoceros remains (Rhinocerotidae,Mammalia) from the late Pliocene of Etouaires (Auvergne,France) and the morphological distinction between the postcranial bones of Stephanorhinus elatus and S. etruscus

This work revises the rhinoceros remains from the well-known early Villafranchian locality of Étouaires (Auvergne, France), which have been collected on multiple occasions since the late 18th century. The species Stephanorhinus elatus and S. etruscus are present, both represented mainly by postcranial elements. To identify them, a detailed preliminary analysis of the morphological differences between the postcranial skeletons of the two species has been undertaken, using the material from Vialette (Haute-Loire, early Villafranchian) and Senèze (Haute-Loire, early late Villafranchian) as comparison for S. elatus and S. etruscus respectively, plus some specimens of S. etruscus from Upper Valdarno (Tuscany, middle Villafranchian). These localities have been chosen because they all yielded only one of the two species. The morphological distinction between the two species is not easy, since the interspecific variability often overlaps and includes polymorphic characters. However, a few diagnostic characters are described, and intra-specific variability has been investigated as much as possible with the fossil material under investigation.     

Civettictis braini nov. sp. (Mammalia: Carnivora), a new viverrid from the hominin-bearing site of Kromdraai (Gauteng,South Africa)

A new Plio-Pleistocene viverrid species is described based on two newly discovered maxillae (KW 10141 and KW 10383) from the recent excavations at the hominin-bearing site of Kromdraai (Gauteng, South Africa). This major site allows us to address the conundrum of Paranthropus and Homo origins in South Africa and presents a highly diverse carnivore spectrum (at least 22 species) including herpestids and viverrids. Civettictis braini nov. sp. is a viverrid species comparable in size to the extant African civet Civettictis civetta (Schreber, 1776). However C. braini nov. sp. differs significantly from the extant species in its dental proportions. Its canine and three premolars (P1–P3) are relatively robust, while its carnassials (P4) and two molars (M1, M2) are extremely reduced. This new species supplements our knowledge on carnivore taxonomic diversity and paleoecology in Southern Africa about 2 millions of years ago.     

Comparative observations on some middle and upper miocenehyaenids,Genera: PercrocutaKretzoi, AllohyaenaKretzoi, AdcrocutaKretzoi (Mammalia,Carnivora, Hyaenidae)

This study deals with the «percrocutoid hyaenids,present in Eurasia and in Africa in faunas of late Middle Miocene (Astaracian) to terminal Miocene (Vallesian, Turolian) age. These hyaenid species are characterized by certain dental apomorphies (loss of M^2/2, specialization of the carnassials P⁴/M₁, tendency for the hypertrophy of the anterior premolars) which differentiate them from other hyaenids with which they are found associated. In recent literature, these hyaenids have been attributed to the genera PercrocutaKretzoi and AdcrocutaKretzoi, the latter of which is monospecific. In fact some should be removed from the genus Percrocuta and assigned to the genus AllohyaenaKretzoi, itself subdivided into the two subgenera, AllohyaenaKretzoi and DinocrocutaSchmidt-Kittler. The genus Adcrocuta is retained and the characters which distinguish this genus from HyaenictisGaudry are discussed.This study is based on revision of all, or nearly allsuch specimens, described and figured or in collections, of which certain among them have been hardly or poorly known. Particular attention has been given to their geologic age and their distribution in Neogene mammalian faunas (Mein's zones). Their apomorphies, considered in relation to their temporal distributions, permit an interpretation of the phylogenetic relationships of their several lineages which is consistant with the proposed systematic revision of the group.The radiation of «percrocutoid hyaenids would appear to have occurred in three phases. At the beginning of the Astaracian, after the dispersal of Anchitherium, the genus Percrocuta appeared with several species of relatively small size; in Eurasia this genus does not seem to have persisted after the middle Astaracian, although it did so in the sub-Himalayan Siwaliks. At the end of the Astaracian it was apparently succeeded by the genus Allohyaena, and resulting in gigantic forms (subgenus Dinocrocuta) coincident in Eurasia and in Africa with the extension of Hipparion. The third phase of the radiation is represented by the genus Adcrocuta, which unlike the others, was monospecific. This single species, A. eximia, occurs initially, and very rarely in the upper Vallesian; however, in the middle Turolian it is common and widespread throughout Eurasia where it, perhaps, limited the expansion of Dinocrocuta.     

Dicerorhinus miguelcrus afonti nov. sp., une nouvelle espèce de rhinocéros (Mammalia,Perissodactyla) du gisement pliocène supérieur de Layna (Soria,Espagne) et de la formation pliocène de Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales,France)

More than 90 remains of rhinoceroses bones and teeth have been recovered from the Layna Pliocene deposit. They correspond to a middle sized animal with stout bones and is quite different from both the large sized Pliocène D. megarhinus, the lower Villafranchian D. jeanvireti and the slim small Villafranchian D. etruscus. Its a new species belonging to the Dicerorhinus genus: D. miguelcrusafonti nov. sp. This species is also found in the Perpignan Pliocene formation, together with D. megarhinus.     

Tragoportax cf. rugosifrons (Schlosser, 1904) from the late Miocene of Cessaniti (Southern Italy)

This paper describes remains attributable to Tragoportax cf. rugosifrons (Schlosser, 1904) found in the late Miocene site of Cessaniti (Vibo Valentia, Calabria) and the surrounding area. The studied specimens come from the Clypeaster sandstones, included in a marine/fluvial succession dated between 8 and 7.2 Ma. At Cessaniti, Tragoportax is associated with Stegotetrabelodon syrticus Petrocchi, 1941; Samotherium cf. boissieri Forsyth-Major, 1888; Bohlinia cf. attica Matthew, 1929; and an undetermined Rhinocerotid still under study. The genus Tragoportax was common in Eurasia and Africa during the late Miocene. The occurrence of Tragoportax cf. rugosifrons at Cessaniti confirms the peculiarity of the assemblage, with its association of species of North African and Pikermian (Greco-Iranian bioprovince) affinities.     

Paleobiogeographic implications of Paleocene ostracods from Senegal and related West and North Africa basins

This work summarizes biostratigraphic and paleogeographic data on Paleocene ostracods from the Senegalese-Mauritanian, West African and North African basins. In the Senegalese-Mauritanian basin, late Paleocene ostracods of high diversity suffered a mass extinction in the early Eocene. Comparison between Senegalese faunas and others of the Gulf of Guinea, Sahara and North African basins shows great similarities, with 10 common species identified: Bairdia ilaroensis Reyment and Reyment, Buntonia apatayeriyerii Reyment, B. fortunata Apostolescu, B. tichittensis Apostolescu, Cytherella sylvesterbradleyi Reyment, Dahomeya alata Apostolescu, Isohabrocythere teiskotensis Apostolescu, Phalcocythere vesiculosa (Apostolescu) Quadracythere lagaghiroboensis (Apostolescu) and Trachyleberis teiskotensis (Apostolescu). I. teiskotensis and P. vesiculosa are restricted to the upper Paleocene and are good stratigraphic markers for these basins. Faunal exchanges between West African, trans-Saharan and North African basins are highlighted. The directions of migration of some species are specified. Many West African species migrated to North Africa at the end of the Paleocene-Early Eocene. Migrations are related to climatic and paleobathymetric changes of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) that occurred during the Paleocene-Eocene transition.     

Diversity of hipparionines (Perissodactyla: Equidae) from the late Miocene–Pliocene Siwalik deposits at Haritalyangar,India

The present work is focused on the hipparionine remains from the late Miocene to early Pliocene deposits of the Haritalyangar areas, Himachal Pardesh, India. These remains are taxonomically ranked to five genera (Plesiohipparion, Proboscidipparion, Cormohipparion, Sivalhippus, and Eurygnathohippus) and seven species. The described taxa are predominantly known from China, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Among these, Proboscidipparion is reported for the first time from the Siwaliks; the material assigned to Plesiohipparion sp. is a potential candidate for a new species. Hipparionines from this area have long been poorly known and are helpful to understand the palaeontological context of the Indian Siwalik mammalian fauna. The hipparionines suggest a wide variety of environmental conditions ranging from grasslands to forests.     

Stretching the time span of hominin evolution at Kromdraai (Gauteng,South Africa): Recent discoveries

The Plio-Pleistocene locality of Kromdraai B has yielded the type specimen of Paranthropus robustus, as well as 27 additional fossil hominin specimens. In a number of both cranial and dental features, the states shown by the Kromdraai Paranthropus are more conservative when compared to the more derived conditions displayed by both South African conspecifics and the post-2.3 Ma eastern African Paranthropus boisei. Since 2014, we excavated the earliest known infilling of the Kromdraai cave system in a previously unexplored area. This new locality provided as yet 2200 identifiable macrovertebrate fossils, including 22 hominins, all tied in the earliest part of the stratigraphic sequence, representing three distinct depositional periods. Since we report here, for the first time, the occurrence of fossil hominins in Members 1 and 2, our discoveries stretch the time span of hominin evolution at Kromdraai and contribute to a better understanding of the origin of Paranthropus in southern Africa.     

A peculiar anseriform (Aves: Anseriformes) from the Miocene of Gargano (Italy)

A new large representative of the Anseriformes, Garganornis ballmanni n. gen. et n. sp., from the Miocene of Gargano, Italy, is described from the distal end of a left tibiotarsus. G. ballmanni displays morphological features that are characteristic of the Anseriformes, but differs from all extant and fossil Anseriformes, as well as from taxa closely related to Anseriformes. G. ballmanni is characterized by a very wide and shallow fossa intercondylaris, a less pronounced difference in width of the lateral and medial condyle, reduced epicondyli, and a circular opening of the distal canal. G. ballmanni is larger than any living member of Anseriformes, and with an estimated body mass between 15.3 and 22.3 kg, it was most likely flightless. Although the observed similarities between G. ballmanni and basal taxa might indicate that G. ballmanni represents an insular relict of a stem lineage, it is considered more likely that G. ballmanni was a species of waterfowl highly adapted to a terrestrial lifestyle in an insular environment where mammalian carnivores are rare.     

A morphometric mapping analysis of lower fourth deciduous premolar in hominoids: Implications for phylogenetic relationship between Nakalipithecus and Ouranopithecus

Clarifying morphological variation among African and Eurasian hominoids during the Miocene is of particular importance for inferring the evolutionary history of humans and great apes. Among Miocene hominoids, Nakalipithecus and Ouranopithecus play an important role because of their similar dates on different continents. Here, we quantify the lower fourth deciduous premolar (dp4) inner morphology of extant and extinct hominoids using a method of morphometric mapping and examine the phylogenetic relationships between these two fossil taxa. Our data indicate that early Late Miocene apes represent a primitive state in general, whereas modern great apes and humans represent derived states. While Nakalipithecus and Ouranopithecus show similarity in dp4 morphology to a certain degree, the dp4 of Nakalipithecus retains primitive features and that of Ouranopithecus exhibits derived features. Phenotypic continuity among African ape fossils from Miocene to Plio-Pleistocene would support the African origin of African apes and humans (AAH). The results also suggest that Nakalipithecus could have belonged to a lineage from which the lineage of Ouranopithecus and the common ancestor of AAH subsequently derived.     

The Late Pleistocene Orangutan from Tham Prakai Phet: New discoveries

This paper describes the collection of isolated orangutan fossil teeth identified in the newly excavated material from Tham Prakai Phet, a site located in the Chaiyaphum Province in northeast Thailand. The collection is composed of 18 isolated teeth belonging to Pongo. The morphology of the upper and lower teeth is similar to that of fossil and extant orangutans from mainland Indochina and Indonesia. Only the wrinkles on the occlusal surface are less pronounced and sometimes simpler than extant orangutans. The dimensions of the teeth fall in the range of variation of fossil and extant specimens, but the distribution of the crown areas of the Tham Prakai Phet specimens fall above the mean value observed for extant orangutans. This new collection of continental orangutans confirms the persistence of this taxa in this part of Thailand up to the late Pleistocene, and provides new data useful for understanding the evolution of this hominoid and advance in the reconstitution of the evolutionary lineage of Pongo. The size of the sample from Tham Prakai Phet is not sufficient to determine an accurate taxonomic attribution; pending the increase of the current sample, we attribute the material to Pongo sp. (Pongo aff. weidenreichi).     

Les Rhinocerotidae (Mammalia,Perissodactyla) du Miocène terminal au Pleistoène supérieur d'Europe Occidentale comparés aux espèces actuelles: Tendances évolutives et relations phylogénétiques

In the five lineage constituted by the Aceratheriinae, Dicerorhininae, Dicerotinae, Rhinocerotinae and Teleoceratinae subfamilies, the evolutionary trends are analysed by statistical comparisons of specific samples of different ages; in several species it leads to the definition of successive evolutionary stages. A tentative phylogenetic interpretation is given.     

A new species of cormorant (Aves: Phalacrocoracidae) from the Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge,Tanzania

Phalacrocorax owrei nov. sp. is a small cormorant from the Lower Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge. Osteological proportions are established for the four subgenera of Phalacrocorax, and P. owrei is assigned to the subgenus Stictocarbo. The species was the most abundant bird in the Bed I deposits and is also represented by a few specimens in the middle part of Bed II. Its last known appearance coincides with a change in the local environment when the climate became more arid and the Olduvai Lake became more saline and more alkaline. At other localities in Bed II the extinct P. tanzanice occurs, as well as P. africanus and P. corbo, which breed on the African lakes and seacoast today.