Eutherian mammals from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia

A collection of eutherian mammals consisting of 39 specimens (teeth and jaw fragments) from the ?Aptian or Albian Khoboor Beds in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia, is described. It contains 3 taxa: Prokenna1estes gen.n., assigned to the Otlestidae Nessov, new rank, with 2 shrew size species; P. trofimovi sp.n. and P. minor sp.n.; a heavily worn larger lower molar which will be described elsewhere. It cannot be excluded that P. trofimovi and P. minor are only sexual morphs within the same species. Prokennalestes and Bobolestes Nessov are possibly the oldest known eutherian mammals, but Prokennalestes is morphologically more primitive than Bobolestes. It has a labial mandibular foramen, 5 premolars and 3 molars, 3 cusps in parastylur region, paracone larger than metacone, unwinged conules, no pre- and posteingula, and lower molars with a 3-cusped talonid, which is narrower than the trigonid, Otlestes and Kennalestes may be derived with little modification from Prokennalestes. Prokennalestes gen.n. is congeneric with Prokennalestes Trofimov and Prozalambdalestes Trofimov, which are both nomina nuda.     

New ceratomorph perissodactyls (Mammalia) from the Middle and Late Eocene of Mongolia: their implications for phylogeny and dating

Eight species rank taxa arc described from Eocene sites in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. Irdinolophus gen. now is erected for Desmalotherium mongoliense Osborn and for Irdinolophus? tuiensis sp. nov. The genus is placed at the stem of the family Depcrctellidae. Intraspecific variation in lekolophus magnus is documented for the first time; Pachylophus is synonymized with leleoloplms; and Deperetella cf.birmanica is recorded far north of its previously known range in Burma. The first known lower teeth of Colodon inceptus support referral ofDesmalotherium Jissum to Colodon. The stratigraphic range of the hyracodontid Ardynia is extended back from the late Eocene to the early middle Eocene. A range of primitive tapiroids and rhinocerotoids arc analysed cladistically to resolve the problematic affinities of the extinct families Dc-peretellidae and Rhodopagidae. The Depcrctellidae are shown to belong to a monophyletic superfamily Tapiroidca, whilst the Rhodopagidae belongs to the Rhinocerotoidea, but is distinct from the Hyracodontidae. Veragromovia, previously synonymized with the tapiroid Helaleles, is resurrected as a valid genus within the Rhodopagidae. Tsagan Khutcl and other sites in the Kholbolchi formation may be older than Irdinmanhan faunas in Asia, equaling with those from the Arshanto Formation of China of probable early Lutetian or latest Ypresian age. The Irdinmanhan Mergen fauna may be slightly older than that from Irdin Manha, because of the primitive aspect of its Lophialetes.     

蒙古新发现的渐新世山河狸和松鼠类化石(英文)

蒙古中部地区的三达河组(HsandaGolFormation)是亚洲渐新世陆相地层的经典地层之一。三达河组的沉积岩层现被分成两个岩性段:上部早渐新世晚期-?晚渐新世山地段(ShandMember)和下部早渐新世早期塔塔尔段(TatalMember);两岩段间有时夹有KharKhoroo玄武岩层(BryantandMcKenna,1995;MengandMcKenna,1998)。该玄武岩层的时代用40Ar/39Ar法被确定为距今31.5Ma(Hcketal.,1999,他们称其为BasaltI)。三达河组中产有丰富的哺乳动物化石,特别是啮齿类化石(MatthewandGranger,1923;Kowalski,1974;RussellandZhai,1987;Hcketal.,1999)。近年来,本文的后一作者在三达河组中又采集到一批啮齿类化石,其中包括松鼠和山河狸2科的化石。本文是对这两类化石新材料的记述。现生的松鼠科分异很大,而且大多数都分布在亚洲。然而,松鼠科化石在古近纪时在北美和欧洲却很丰富。在北美出现于晚始新世,在渐新世时已明显分异;在欧洲出现于早渐新世,在中新世时分异很大。相反,亚洲古近纪的松鼠化石却发现得很少,标本也很破碎。已报道的只有3件标本。2件产自党河下游地区:Bohlin(1946)报道的晚渐新世的Sciurussp.,标本只是2枚单个臼齿(M3和m2);王伴月、邱占祥(2004)报道的早渐新世的党河鲜松鼠(Oligosciurusdangheensis),标本只是一段带m1～2的下颌骨。还有一件是Minjin(2004)报道的蒙古渐新世的三达河克热姆鼠(Kheremhsandgoliensis),标本也只是一段带m1～3的下颌骨。本文报道的松鼠化石产自蒙古国的巴彦洪戈尔省的塔石盖贝(TashgainBel)地点的三达河组上部山地段,时代为早渐新世晚期-?晚渐新世。这批松鼠化石标本包括1件具P3～M3的上颌骨(PC369)和2段下颌骨(PC3610和PC3611)。这是亚洲古近纪目前已知的最好的一批松鼠化石标本,代表松鼠科Kherem属的一新种:亚洲克热姆鼠(Kheremasiaticasp.nov.)。其主要特征是颊齿较大,较宽;下内尖的高度和下次尖的大小从m1到m3变化不大,彼此相近;下内脊较明显;下内尖较明显,与下后边脊间有浅沟分开等。K.asiatica的形态特征表明,Kherem属应归入北美的Cedromurinae亚科。新的发现表明,亚洲渐新世的松鼠已发生了分异,至少可分为3支。以Kherem为代表的一支,与北美早期的cedromurines有较近的系统关系。它可能是由类似于北美Oligospermophilus的种类演化并迁徙到亚洲来的。现生的山河狸只有一种(Aplodontiarufa),仅生活在北美西部沿海地区。但从始新世到中新世,山河狸却遍布全北区。它们在北美较繁盛,分异大,但在亚洲发现得很少。在亚洲渐新世地层中虽曾报道过3属4种山河狸化石,但材料都很少(Prosciurusordosicus和P.?shantungensis均只有一枚单个的牙)。山河狸化石在蒙古渐新世地层的新发现表明,亚洲渐新世的山河狸化石比已知的要丰富。本文描述的山河狸化石分别采自蒙古南戈壁省Shunkt地点的山地段和前杭爱省UlaanKhongil(=TatalGol)地点的塔塔尔段。它们代表原松鼠属的3类:蒙古原松鼠(新种)(Prosciurusmongoliensissp.nov.)、蒙古原松鼠(相似种)(P.cf.P.mongoliensis)和小原松鼠(新种)(P.pisinnussp.nov.)。蒙古原松鼠的主要特征是下颊齿的下中附尖与下后附尖脊连,下中尖发育较弱,下外中脊弱或无;p4无下前边尖和下前齿带;m1具从下外脊伸向下次脊的小刺;m2和m3的下后脊II较发育;下次脊在p4和m1后弯,与下后边脊连,在m2和m3横向,伸达下外脊等。蒙古原松鼠(相似种)与蒙古原松鼠的区别是:颊齿尺寸较小,p4具明显的下外中脊,p4和m1的下次脊弯曲度较缓,m1缺从下外脊伸向下次脊的小刺,m2～3的下后脊II较短等。小原松鼠的主要特征是:个体较小;齿冠较低;下臼齿的下中附尖孤立;下颊齿的下次脊横向、较低,与下外脊连,下中尖和下外中脊均较明显,下次尖明显向前颊侧延伸,具明显的齿带等。蒙古渐新世啮齿类化石的新发现表明,亚洲渐新世的松鼠和山河狸与北美的关系要比与欧洲的近。     

The lower jaw of an aegialodontid mammal from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia

A partial lower jaw is described of an aegialodontid mammal, Kielantherium gobiensis Dashzeveg, 1975, from the Guchin Us beds of Mongolia (?Aptian or ?Albian). The jaw has four molars and four or five premolar loci. A count of P5 M4 is argued to be primitive for the Tribosphenida. McKcnna's interpretation of the postcanine dentition of Peramus as P5 M3 is accepted. It follows that the Peramura could not lead to the Tribosphenida, which apparently arose from unknown 'pantotheres' with not less than nine postcanine teeth.     

Further data on Prokennalestes (Mammalia, Eutheria inc. sed.) from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia

Four new incomplete lower jaws of Prokennalestes are described. bringing new data for establishing the primitive cutherian dental formula and its evolution in later placentals, as well as the possible relationships of the genus.