Table of Content

15 June 2005, Volume 43 Issue 02

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NEW OLIGOCENE SCIURIDS AND APLODONTIDS(RODENTIA , MAMMALIA) FROM MONGOLIA

Wang Banyue, Demberelyin Dashzeveg

2005, 43(02):  85-99. 

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A new species of Kherem, K. asiatica, and three new forms of Prosciurus (P. mongoliensis sp. nov., P. cf. P. mongoliensis and P. pisinnus sp. nov.) from Oligocene of Mongolia are described here. Kherem asiatica, known from Shand Member (late early Oligocene-?late Oligocene) of Mongolia , is characterized by : cheek teeth larger and wider than those of K. hsandgoliensis; m1~3 with subequally high metaconid and large hypoconid , with more distinct entolophid and entoconid separated from posterolophid by shallow groove. Kherem is referred to the North American subfamily Cedromurinae. It might be derived from an Oligospermophilus-like form. The three genera so far described from Asia (Sciurus, Oligosciurus and Kherem) may represent three different lineages, indicating the Oligocene diversity of the sciurids in Asia. Prosciurus mongoliensis is known from Shand and Tatal Members of the Hsanda Gol Formation, Oligocene, in Mongolia. Its main features are: brachydont cheek teeth have mesostylid connected with metastylid crest, weak mesoconid, and weak or no ectomesolophid; anteroconid and anterior cingulum are absent on p4; an accessory crest extends from ectolophid to hypolophid on m1; metalophid II is well developed on m2～3; hypolophid bends posteriorly to join with posterolophid on p4～m1 , but straight to join with ectolophid on m2～3. Prosciurus cf. P. mongoliensis from Shand Member is different from P. mongoliensis in having smaller cheek teeth in size, p4 having distinct ectomesolophid , p4 and m1 having gently curved hypolophid , m1 lacking accessory crest from ectolophid to hypolophid , and m2～3 having shorter metalophid II. Prosciurus pisinnus, collected from Tatal Member, is small in size. Its cheek teeth are brachydont with distinct cingulum. The metalophid II is short, and the hypolophid is transverse, low, and joins with ectolophid. The mesoconid and ectomesolophid are well developed, and the hypoconid extends more anterobuccally. The protoconid of p4 has more developed anterior arm. The new material of the Mongolian Aplodontidae not only has confirmed the early existence of Prosciurus in Asia, but also shows that Prosciurus experienced considerable diversity during the Oligocene in Asia. Both the sciurids and aplodontids found from Oligocene of Asia have closer relationships with those of North America than with Europe.

ANCHITHERIUM FROM THE MIDDLE MIOCENE HALAMAGAI FORMATION OF NORTHERN JUNGGAR BASIN, XINJIANG

Ye Jie, Wu Wenyu, Meng Jin

2005, 43(02):  100-109. 

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Summary can be seen in PDF.

LIMB BONES OF ELASMOTHERIUM (RHINOCEROTIDAE, PERISSODACTYLA) FROM NIHEWAN (HEBEI, CHINA)

Deng Tao, Zheng Min

2005, 43(02):  110-121. 

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Limb bones (mainly distal elements) of Elasmotherium caucasicum, which belong to the Nihewan collection in Tianjin Natural History Museum , are described and discussed in detail herein. Previously , the material of Elasmotherium was relatively rare, especially its limb bones. The rhinocerotid fossils from the Nihewan fauna include Dicerorhinus yunchuensis , Coelodonta nihowanensis, and Elasmotherium caucasicum , but the first two species are much smaller than the last one in size. The material from Nihewan reveals additional limb bone characters for the genus Elasmotherium. Compared with the known limb bones of E. caucasicum, the specimens from Nihewan are identical with them. On the basis of the limb bones of E. caucasicum from Nihewan , a more complete comparison shows that E. caucasicum and E. sibiricum have many common characters but some differences in morphology. Most characters of the limb bones of E. caucasicum from Nihewan are derived , but some are primitive, which is consistent with its phylogenetic position.

MEGANTEREON FOSSIL REMAINS FROM RENZIDONG CAVE, FANCHANG COUNTY, ANHUI PROVINCE, CHINA

Liu Jinyi

2005, 43(02):  122-134. 

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Some Megantereon fossil remains from RZD ( abbreviation of Renzidong Cave), Fanchang County, Anhui Province, are described and compared in the present paper. In addition, the geological age and the systematic classification of Megantereon are discussed.

HYSTRIX SUBCRISTATA ( MAMMALIA , RODENTIA) FROM TIANYUAN CAVE, A HUMAN FOSSIL SITE NEWLY DISCOVERED NEAR ZHOUKOUDIAN (CHOUKOUTIEN)

Tong Haowen

2005, 43(02):  135-150. 

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In 2001 , a Late Pleistocene mammalian fossil locality was discovered 6 km southwest of the Peking Man site at Zhoukoudian. Some human fossils and quite a number of mammalian fossils were found during the excavation in 2003. The most interesting element of the fauna is Hystrix, which represents the latest records of this kind of animal in North China.

MESONYCHIDS FROM LUSHI BASIN, HENAN PROVINCE, CHINA

Jin Xun

2005, 43(02):  151-164. 

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Mesonychids from the Lushi Formation , Middle Eocene , Lushi Basin, Henan Province, China are described. They include at least four taxa: Harpagolestes orientali, Pachyaena sp., Mongolestes cf. M. alxaensis and a new species —Harpagolestes leei.