甘肃临夏盆地首次发现乌米兽(牛科,偶蹄类)头骨化石（英文）

报道并描述了一件来自甘肃临夏盆地的中间乌米兽(Urmiatherium intermedium)头骨化石新材料,该材料产自柳树组上部,属于晚中新世晚期杨家山动物群。中间乌米兽是一种大型的晚中新世牛科动物,角心特化,短且呈薄板状,并且在基部相互靠近。在角心前后方的额骨和顶骨上,发育大片赘生骨疣,这些骨疣与角心一起,合称角器。20世纪初,步林报道了中国北方晚中新世地层中的大量中间乌米兽化石,包括产自山西保德和甘肃庆阳的20多件头骨以及很多破碎的齿列和骨骼。本文报道的乌米兽头骨化石是乌米兽在甘肃临夏盆地的首次发现,将其在中国北方的分布向西扩展到了青藏高原东北缘地带。乌米兽被普遍认为与近旋角羊(Plesiaddax)、和政羊(Hezhengia)和柴达木兽(Tsaidamotherium)等晚中新世"麝牛类"牛科动物具有较近的亲缘关系,但其系统发育地位仍存有争议。相比其他晚中新世"麝牛类"牛科动物,乌米兽的分布较广,从伊朗至中国北方都有分布,但它鲜与其他晚中新世"麝牛类"牛科动物伴生。在临夏盆地,与其伴生的牛科动物目前仅发现中华羚(Sinotragus)一种。     

临夏盆地早中新世上庄组的巨獠犀门齿化石(英文)

记述了在临夏盆地早中新世地层中发现的兰州巨獠犀(Aprotodon lanzhouensis)的下门齿化石,其特点为非常粗壮并强烈弯曲。新材料的发现使巨獠犀在临夏盆地的延续时代跨越渐新世/中新世界线的推测得到完全证实。巨獠犀分布的地质时代和地理范围与巨犀重合,但巨獠犀的化石地点和个体数量都相当稀少。巨獠犀的下颌形态功能特点指示其生活于晚始新世至早中新世中国西北、南亚和中亚干旱环境地带中镶嵌分布的少量近水环境。巨獠犀在中中新世之前彻底绝灭,其原因可能是气候变化的结果,也说明临夏盆地早中新世的环境特征与晚渐新世的疏林系统相似,而不同于中中新世的茂密森林。     

中国新近纪牛科分类及演化规律

我国新近纪的牛科相当繁盛。至今已记录了30属,归入5个亚科(Hypsodontinae,Urmiatheriinae,Caprinae,Antilopinae和Bovinae)。化石主要出现在我国北方且大部分为土著类型,以颊齿中等高冠至高冠、前臼齿列短、头骨粗壮、弯曲和角心特化为特征。在整个新近纪时期,牛科经历了5个发展阶段和4次大的更替。与同时代欧亚大陆其他地区的牛科类群相比,中国牛科化石出现的时间早,且基本组成不同。在中新世,我国的牛科主要由Hypsodontinae,Urmiatheriinae,Caprinae的早期特化类型和Gazella组成,Boselaphini稀少并缺乏转角羚羊(Antilopinae);在上新世,除Gazella外,我国北方仍生活着Caprinae的一组土著类型。     

关于大角鹿类的进化

本文讨论了从中新世末期到晚更新世在欧亚大陆已绝灭的大角鹿类。原始大角鹿头骨某些特点与晚中新世的Cervavitus鹿相似。已知欧洲最古老的大角鹿化石是Neomegaloceros gracilis,亚洲是Praesinomegaceros asiaticus。更新世时欧洲大角鹿类存在两个支系:一支与Megaceros giganteus相连,另一支与Praemegaceros verticornis相连。中国大角鹿类由晚上新世在苏联塔什干地区发现的塔什干大角鹿Sinomegaceros tadzhikistanis进化而来。     

陕西蓝田灞河组陕西转角羚一新种(英文)

1997～ 2 0 0 1年 ,中科院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所与芬兰赫尔辛基大学合作 ,于灞河组地层中发现哺乳动物化石计 45种。其中牛科化石种类与蓬蒂期典型三趾马动物群中的种类不同 ,至少存在分别归属于Shaanxispira、Protoryx、Dorcadoryx和Gazella的 4个新的种类。本文仅记述其中陕西转角羚羊一新种 :灞河陕西转角羚 (Shaanxispirabaheensissp .nov .)。该种主要鉴定特征 :角心长而直 ,粗壮 ,横断面呈圆形 ,具一条发育的棱 ,起始于前内侧 ,右角上呈顺时针方向旋转一周至一周半 (从角基部视 ) ,角心前视向两侧中等程度散开 ,侧视中等后倾 ,起始于眼眶之后 ,角柄短。鼻骨窄 ,向上隆起 ,其后缘延伸至眼眶前棱之后的位置 ;眶前窝较宽浅 ,面部长而窄 ;角前额顶宽、稍隆起 ,眶上孔成椭圆形 ,眶上窝发育 ,向前的沟槽可延伸至泪骨 ;额骨在角前轻微隆起 ;角后颅顶宽、短 ,颅轴与面轴交角约为 90°。枕面宽、平 ,面向后下方。牙齿齿冠中等高度。臼齿上底柱与肋皆不发育。p4的下后尖位于下原尖之后 ,在老年个体上与下内尖连接 ,封闭后内谷。与已知大型转角羚羊相比较 ,灞河组新发现的种类与周氏陕西转角羚最为接近。不同的是该新种角心只发育一条棱 ,而不是两条 ,角心横断面呈圆形 ;顶骨较短 ;臼齿列相对较短 ,下臼?     

陕西蓝田晚中新世新罗斯祖鹿(鹿科,偶蹄目)（英文）

描述了陕西蓝田地区蓝田组底部发现的新罗斯祖鹿化石。该种中等大小,具三分支鹿角,主枝弯曲,角基脊延伸至额骨上;年轻个体的角环与第一分支间距离长,眉枝长且弯曲;下颊齿的古鹿褶不发育或缺失。整理中国发现的祖鹿化石,认为中国晚中新世至早更新世应该有5个种存在:新罗斯祖鹿(Cervavitus novorossiae)、山西祖鹿(C.shanxius)、化德祖鹿(C.huadeensis)、最后祖鹿(C.ultimus)和凤岐祖鹿(C.fenqii)。新的生物年代学数据以及对比分析提示祖鹿可能起源于欧洲,随着东亚夏季风的加强从保德期开始迁入中国。不同于新罗斯祖鹿,山西祖鹿为适应气候与环境改变而出现了较明显的形态改变。上新世之后冬季风的加强致使祖鹿的分布范围越来越小,到更新世早期仅在中国南方有遗存。     

青海柴达木盆地晚中新世深沟小哺乳动物群

描述了2002-2005年间在青海德令哈深沟上油砂山组采集的小哺乳动物化石。化石共有16种,隶属食虫目、啮齿目和兔形目的12科,代表了迄今青藏高原发现种类最多、材料最丰富的小哺乳动物群。深沟动物群的组成与陕西蓝田灞河组下部层位发现的小哺乳动物组合最为接近,两者有相似的群体结构,共有Sciurotamias,Lophocricetus,Protalactaga,Myocricetodon,Nannocricetua,Pararhizomys和Ochotona 7属。但由于深沟动物群含有略进步的属、种,其时代似乎稍晚,很可能属晚中新世早期,或者中国陆生哺乳动物时代的保德期早期,与欧洲MN10上部或MN11下部的时代相当。深沟动物群指示了一个温带开阔干旱草原为主体的景观。晚中新世柴达木盆地的气候似乎没有现在这样干燥,在草原中尚有一些灌丛甚至林地。动物群的组成及所指示的生态环境都表明,青藏高原在中新世以后有过较大幅度的上升。深沟动物群中含有一鼠科新种——细弱许氏鼠(Huerzelerimys extguus sp.nov.)。Huerzele—rimys属过去只发现于欧洲,新种为该属在亚洲的首次发现。其特征为:与现知最小种H.minor相比,其臼齿更小,M1中t1的位置相对靠后,c6和t9间有超过50%的标本具一弱脊连接,m1和m2的唇侧齿带狭窄、附尖弱小。Ochotonoma primitiva(Zheng & Li,1982)是动物群中较为多见的一种鼠兔。该种最先发现于甘肃天祝,并作为Ochotona属描述。正型地点的标本不多,但尺寸和形态完全落入深沟标本的变异范围,因此认为同属一种。该种的特征增订为:中等大小的鼠兔。P2冠面长三角形,舌侧长度明显大。p3的下前边尖宽大,一般具有两个前褶或凹槽,而且至少有一褶具水泥质充填物;连接前边尖和后边尖间的齿桥(dentine isthmus)宽;前褶(paraflexis)比O.anatolica的短而狭窄,向后延伸没有O.csarnotana的那样明显。     

临夏盆地发现晚中新世牛科一新种:柴达木兽

正最早的柴达木兽化石发现于中国青海柴达木盆地,材料稀少,并自1935年首次报道以来,一直再无此类化石发现。中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所史勤勤博士在临夏盆地发现了一种新的晚中新世柴达木兽化石——短吻柴达木兽(Tsaidamotherium brevirostrum),该项发现是相隔70多年之后的该类牛科动物的第二次发现,《中国科学:地球科学(英文版)》(57卷2期)刊发了该项研究成果。     

中国最原始的嵌齿象——意外嵌齿象(Gomphotherium inopinatum)在临夏盆地的发现兼论中国的嵌齿象(英文)

临夏盆地下中新统的甘池梁地点发现了一件残破下颌带有m2和m3齿列。在齿列前方,其水平支伸长,并且不向下转折或倾斜。下颌角位置较低。颊齿小,冠面结构特征原始。齿谷在前后方向宽度中等,副齿柱侧及主齿柱中心小尖不分裂,副齿柱中心小尖不发育。这些特征与哈萨克斯坦图尔盖地区早中新世的意外嵌齿象(Gomphotherium inopinatum)相同,应归为该种。这是该种在中国的首次报道,并且是中国发现的最原始的种。进一步讨论了中国的嵌齿象各种的系统关系。维曼嵌齿象(G.wimani)代表了一种在欧亚大陆东部发现的进步类型,可以与欧洲的施泰因海姆嵌齿象(G.steinheimense)相联系。间型嵌齿象(G.connexum)则似乎是属于真正的"狭齿嵌齿象类群",因为其与狭齿嵌齿象(G.angustidens)的颊齿具有相似性。亚似貘型嵌齿象(G.subtapiroideum)或许代表了一个与狭齿嵌齿象不同的分支,而陕西嵌齿象("G.shensiensis")则可能是其中的一种变异。     

吉林乾安大布苏发现完整原始牛骨架化石

１９９８年７月长春科技大学（原长春地质学院）退休教师刘翰先生在赴吉林省乾安大布苏泡子一带进行地质旅游考察过程中，在大布苏泡子东北命字井村牛道沟口（东经１２３°４１＇４６＂，北纬４４°４３＇４５＂）发现并抢救性挖掘到一具比较完整的牛科骨架化石。该化石角心粗大，弯曲，横断面近圆形，基部侧伸且较直，并逐渐向前转向，角面上具有明显的纵沟。额部与枕部夹角小于９０°，枕孔近圆形。牙齿粗壮，上臼齿近方形，磨蚀的上、下臼齿的原尖、次尖呈扁圆形或圆形，齿柱较发育。另外，经过对修复后的左侧盆骨观察，发现其髂骨颈较细…     

The importance of Late Miocene faunal exchanges between Eastern Mediterranean areas and Central Europe

Recent studies of mammal faunas from the Vienna and Pannonian Basins—in particular the assemblage from Kohfidisch in Burgenland (Austria)—provide new data on the faunal turnover at the Vallesian—Turolian transition. They demonstrated a considerable influence of the faunal exchanges between Greco-Iranian, Eastern European and Central European faunal provinces on renewal of mammal communities in Central Europe, particularly at MN10/MN11 boundary around 8.7 Ma. Five new comers from the Balkano-Iranian region (Gazella aff. pigrimi, ?Nisidorcas, Tragoportax gaudryi, Protoryx and Palaeoryx) coexisted in the Early Turolian of Central Europe with the Middle Miocene autochthonous (Orygotherium, Dorcatherium naui, Micromeryx, Euprox, Amphiprox anocerus and Miotragocerus pannoniae) and Late Miocene invaders from Eastern Europe (Procapreolus and Cervavitus). Dispersal events were close related to palaeoenvironmental and climatic changes.     

Comparisons and relationships of the African and European Miocene carnivoran assemblages

In the present article, the Middle and Late Miocene carnivoran faunas of Europe and Africa are compared for establishing their relationships. The Middle Miocene carnivoran assemblages from both continents are quite different at the specific and generic levels, less expressed in family composition. The comparison of the Late Miocene carnivoran assemblages indicates the following: the African carnivoran assemblage is different from the European ones both at the generic and specific level; the carnivoran faunas of Europe can be split into two geographic groups, “western” and “eastern”; the Turolian African assemblage is more diversified at the family level; the African carnivoran assemblage differs from the European ones in the presence of herpestids, the higher abundance of mustelids and the fewer hyaenids. It is more similar to the Late Miocene carnivoran assemblages of western and central Europe than eastern Europe.     

Paleoenvironment of Dryopithecus brancoi at Rudabánya, Hungary: evidence from dental meso- and micro-wear analyses of large vegetarian mammals

The environment of the hominoid Dryopithecus brancoi at Rudabánya (Late Miocene of Hungary) is reconstructed here using the dietary traits of fossil ruminants and equids. Two independent approaches, dental micro- and meso-wear analyses, are applied to a sample of 73 specimens representing three ruminants: Miotragocerus sp. (Bovidae), Lucentia aff. pierensis (Cervidae), Micromeryx flourensianus (Moschidae), and one equid, Hippotherium intrans (Equidae). The combination of meso- and micro-wear signatures provides both long- and short-term dietary signals, and through comparisons with extant species, the feeding styles of the fossil species are reconstructed. Both approaches categorize the cervid as an intermediate feeder engaged in both browsing and grazing. The bovid Miotragocerus sp. is depicted as a traditional browser. Although the dental meso-wear pattern of the moschid has affinities with intermediate feeders, its dental micro-wear pattern also indicates significant intake of fruits and seeds. Hippotherium intrans was not a grazer and its dental micro-wear pattern significantly differs from that of living browsers, which may suggest that the fossil equid was engaged both in grazing and browsing. However, the lack of extant equids which are pure browsers prevents any definitive judgment on the feeding habits of Hippotherium. Based on these dietary findings, the Rudabánya paleoenvironment is reconstructed as a dense forest. The presence of two intermediate feeders indicates some clearings within this forest; however the absence of grazers suggests that these clearings were most likely confined. To demonstrate the ecological diversity among the late Miocene hominoids in Europe, the diet and habitat of Dryopithecus brancoi and Ouranopithecus macedoniensis (Greece) are compared.     

Associations of ruminants in Miocene ecosystems of Eastern Alpine Region

The dynamics of biodiversity of ruminants and changes in their adaptations in the Late Miocene of Austria are analyzed in connection with changes in environment and climate. At the end of the Middle Miocene through the beginning of the Late Miocene, the major reorganization of ruminant associations was recorded at the Vallesian-Turolian transition (about 8.7 Ma).     

柴达木盆地晚中新世三趾马化石

Bohlin描述的柴达木动物群中的三趾马材料非常少 ,仅能证明三趾马在这个地点的存在。近年来新的野外考察在这一地区发现了更多的三趾马化石材料 ,至少包括 3个种 ,即Hipparioncf.H .chiai、H .weihoense和H .teilhardi。H .cf.H .chiai和H .weihoense在柴达木盆地的发现进一步证实了晚中新世早期 (保德早期 )动物群在这个地区的存在。柴达木盆地的H .teilhardi基本上与H .cf.H .chiai和H .weihoense产自同一层位 ,其时代也应为保德早期。H .cf.H .chiai和H .weihoense在柴达木盆地的发现为该地区在晚中新世早期为草原型环境的判断提供了更多的证据。H .teilhardi更细长的远端肢骨也是对开阔环境的一种适应性状     

Italian Cenozoic crocodilians: taxa, timing and palaeobiogeographic implications

Crocodylian remains are collected in 39 fossil-bearing localities but only in seven localities specimens with reliable taxonomic attributions, at least to genus level have been collected. Three species have been reported from the early Lutetian Purga di Bolca site: Pristichampsus cf. Pristichampsus rollinati, Asiatosuchus sp., Hassiacosuchus sp. (=Allognathosuchus sp.). The three crocodilians discovered at Purga di Bolca have been reported also from Geiseltal and Messel (Middle Eocene, Germany). Bolca at that time was part of a Tethysian archipelago and no mammals have been found there till now. Crocodilians and turtles clearly arrived from the European mainland across a marine water barrier. Among the other fossiliferous localities of Veneto, very interesting is the Monte Zuello site, of late Middle Eocene age, yielding a longirostrine crocodilian, Megadontosuchus arduini, a tomistomine species. Tomistomines are known in contemporaneous sediments of both Europe and Africa, but the European forms Dollosuchus and Kentisuchus seem the closest taxa. Remains of Oligocene age have been collected in Veneto and Liguria, but the fossils discovered in the second region are teeth or fragmented bones. The fossil crocodilians of Monteviale (Veneto), of Early Oligocene age, have been assigned to two species but they have been recently all identified as Diplocynodon ratelii, known from several European sites of Late Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene age. This species arrived in the Monteviale area from the European mainland across a narrow sea. Several crocodilian fossils of Miocene age are very fragmentary or represented by isolated teeth. In the Middle and Late Miocene of Sardinia, a well-established species, Tomistoma calaritanum is present. Remains of Tomistoma of the same age have been reported in some localities in Tuscany, Apulia, Sicily and Malta. In the Mediterranean area, the genus is known from European and African sites (of older age). The colonisation of Europe by this genus is the result of a dispersion from Africa (or less probably from Asia). During Late Miocene Sardinia and Tuscany belong to the same palaeobioprovince characterized by the Oreopithecus-Maremmia fauna. In Tuscany, a crocodilian identified as Crocodylus bambolii is present in the late Miocene site of Monte Bamboli. If the generic attribution of this form is correct, its ancestors must have arrived from Africa. Another fossil assemblage of Late Miocene age characterizes the Apulia-Abruzzi palaeobioprovince (Hoplitomeryx-Microtia fauna) and testifies complete isolation between the two palaeobioprovinces. In this last area, remains of Crocodylus sp. have been collected in coastal sandstones at Scontrone (Abruzzi) and in several fissure fillings of Gargano of slightly younger age. The ancestors of this species arrived from Africa while no African elements are present among the mammalian fauna. The dispersion of the genus Crocodylus in the Italian palaeoislands may have taken place once, with allopatric differentiation of the two populations (Tuscany-Sardinia and Apulia-Abruzzi) or twice with independent colonisation of each area.     

Geopalaeontological setting,chronology and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin continental successions (Late Miocene,Italy)

The Latest Miocene succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin in southern Tuscany (Italy) recorded a faunal turnover documenting the extinction of an older, insular, endemic faunal complex characterised by the extinct ape Oreopithecus bambolii and the setting of a new, continental, European faunal complex including the colobine monkey Mesopithecus. A similar turnover pattern (Late Miocene ape/Latest Miocene Cercopithecidae) is generally observed in Late Miocene continental successions of Eurasia, from Spain to central Europe, Southwest Europe, the near East, and Southwest Asia. Abundant literature reports that the Late Miocene Eurasian hominoid primate distribution closely tracks the climatic/environmental changes occurring during the 12–9 Ma interval, until their extinction in western Europe. In the primate record, the dispersion of Cercopithecidae and the contraction of hominids is interpreted as an event depicting a pattern of “continentalisation” in the Old World. The sedimentary succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano basin, one of the longest continuous vertebrate-bearing continental successions in the Neogene Italian record, contributes to the debate on this hypothesis. This paper provides an overview of the main characteristics of the sedimentary succession, the chronological constraints (biochronology, radiometric datings, magnetostratigraphy), and the palaeoenvironmental evolution as derived from palaeobiological approaches and from the study of stable carbon and oxygen isotope contents along the entire sedimentary succession. The 2 myr geological history of the Baccinello Cinigiano Basin, which documents the evolutionary history of Oreopithecus and associated faunas, does not have a direct relation with the event of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The evolutionary history of Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin and its palaeontological record have been mainly driven by the regional tectonism and palaeogeographic changes that affected the northern Tyrrhenian regions in Late Miocene (Latest Tortonian–Messinian) times.     

Evolution of bird communities in the Neogene of Central Asia,with a review of the Neogene fossil record of Asian birds

A complete taxonomic review of Neogene birds of continental Asia is provided. To date, avifauna from the latter half of the Miocene and Pliocene of Central Asia (Mongolia and adjacent regions of Inner Asia) are most thoroughly investigated. Available data enable a reconstruction of successive replacement of Early and Middle Miocene avifaunas by communities of the Recent type. Middle Miocene avifaunas of Mongolia include a great number of extinct genera and species, many of which were widespread in Eurasia. Extant genera became dominant in the Late Miocene and taxa close to living species appear in the Late Pliocene fossil record. Late Pliocene communities of birds of Central Asia were complex in genesis, composed of Miocene relicts (Struthio), immigrants from the European regions of the Palearctic (phasianid Plioperdix), North American immigrants (Calcarius), and also autochthonous elements, the origin of which is apparently connected with the arid belt of Central Asia (diverse passerines).     

Ruminant diets and the Miocene extinction of European great apes

The successful evolutionary radiations of European hominoids and pliopithecoids came to an end during the Late Miocene. Using ruminant diets as environmental proxies, it becomes possible to detect variations in vegetation over time with the potential to explain fluctuations in primate diversity along a NW–SE European transect. Analysis shows that ruminants had diverse diets when primate diversity reached its peak, with more grazers in eastern Europe and more browsers farther west. After the drop in primate diversity, grazers accounted for a greater part of western and central European communities. Eastwards, the converse trend was evident with more browsing ruminants. These opposite trends indicate habitat loss and an increase in environmental uniformity that may have severely favoured the decline of primate diversity.     

Sexual and individual morphometric variation in Libycosaurus (Mammalia, Anthracotheriidae) from the Maghreb and Libya

Anthracotheres of late Middle Miocene and Late Miocene age have been described from several localities in northern Africa, all of them currently assigned to the genus Libycosaurus Bonarelli, although in several previous works they were assigned to Merycopotamus Falconer and Cautley, a considerably younger and specialised form from the Indian subcontinent which has quite different dental and cranial morphology. Three species of Libycosaurus have been named, but there has been some doubt about the morphometric variation within the various species, with some authors such as Gaziry (1987) placing the fossils from Sahabi (Latest Miocene, Libya) and Beglia (end Middle Miocene to basal Late Miocene, Tunisia) into the same species despite marked size differences, and others (Ducrocq et al., 2001) creating a species for a restricted sample of small specimens from Nementcha (Late Middle Miocene, Algeria), but which overlaps with the range of size variation of Beglia fossils. The aim of this paper is to examine the available samples in greater depth in order to understand the morphometric variation in these anthracotheres. It is confirmed that the Beglia sample is quite variable (Black, 1972), both morphologically and metrically, but it is concluded that it nevertheless belongs to a single species, because specimens from some of the localities within the Beglia Formation (e.g. Loc. 17 in the lower levels at Beglia) span the entire range of variation (Pickford, 1994). The sample from Nementcha cannot be distinguished from the Beglia sample on any consistent metric or morphological basis, but in general the specimens fall at the low end of the range of variation of the Beglia sample. It is thus likely that L. algeriensis is a synonym of L. anisae. The Sahabi and Chad samples (L. petrocchii), in contrast, fall above the known range of variation of the Beglia material in almost all metric features, but are close to it morphologically, and they are considered to represent a species distinct from the Beglia sample.