The first discovery of Holocene Ailuropoda melanoleuca subfossils from Xiangxi, Hunan, China

doi:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.250511

Abstract

Abstract:

A new cranium and two mandibles of Ailuropoda melanoleuca from Xiangxi, Hunan Province are described here. The materials were discovered in a karst cave on the Bamian Mountain at an altitude of 1200 m, with AMC carbon-fourteen isotope dating indicating an age of 2800±30 BP. Historically, the giant panda was widely distributed in southern China and parts of Southeast Asia during the Pleistocene epoch, but it is now confined and isolated to six mountain ranges in southwest China's Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. The subfossil materials reported here represent the first discovery of the living species of giant panda in Xiangxi, Hunan. This extends their geographical distribution in southern China during the Holocene epoch eastward to the eastern edge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and their recent altitude range down to 1200 m.

Key words: Xiangxi, Hunan, Bamian Mountain, Holocene, Ailuropoda melanoleuca

摘要：

报道并描述了来自湖南湘西的大熊猫头部骨骼亚化石新材料。该材料发现自海拔1200 m的八面山的一个岩溶洞穴中，AMC碳十四同位素年龄测定为2800±30 BP。大熊猫在更新世期间广泛分布于中国南部和东南亚部分地区，现在则被限制并孤立在中国西南部的四川、陕西和甘肃的6座山脉中。这是大熊猫现生种在湖南湘西的首次发现，将其在全新世中国南部的地理分布向东扩展到了云贵高原东部边缘地带，将其近期的海拔分布范围向下扩展到1200 m。

关键词: 湖南湘西, 八面山, 全新世, 大熊猫

CLC Number:

Q915.874

TONG Guang-Hui, LIU Li, LI Yong-Xiang, WANG Wen-Zhe, CAI Xing-Lin. The first discovery of Holocene Ailuropoda melanoleuca subfossils from Xiangxi, Hunan, China. Vertebrata Palasiatica, 2025, 63(3): 242-247.

童光辉, 刘立, 李永项, 王文哲, 蔡杏琳. 2025, 63(3): 242-247, 湖南湘西全新世大熊猫亚化石的首次发现. 古脊椎动物学报.

Figures/Tables 4

References 23

[1]	Abella J, Montoya P, Morales J, 2011. A new species of Agriarctos (Ailuropodinae, Ursidae, Carnivora) in the locality of Nombrevilla 2 (Zaragoza, Spain). Estud Geol, 67: 187-191
[2]	Chen L X, Ran J H, Luo G, et al. 2019. A study on distribution changes of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in Liangshan Mountains and its driving factors. Guiyang: The 8th Western China Zoology Academic Seminar. 7-10
[3]	Hu H Q, Tong H W, Shao Q F, et al. 2023. New remains of Ailuropoda melanoleuca baconi from Yanjinggou, China: throwing light on the evolution of giant pandas during the Pleistocene. J Mamm Evol, 30: 137-154
[4]	Huang W P, 1993. The skull, mandible and dentition of giant pandas (Ailuropoda): morphological characters and their evolutionary implications. Vert PalAsiat, 31: 191-207
[5]	Huang Y, Qiao B, Wei W, et al. 2014. Population distribution of giant panda and it's sympatric species in Labahe Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province. J Ecol Rural Environ, 30: 189-195
[6]	Jablonski N G, Ji X P, Liu H, et al. 2012. Remains of Holocene giant pandas from Jiangdong Mountain (Yunnan, China) and their relevance to the evolution of quaternary environments in south-western China. Hist Biol, 24: 527-536
[7]	Jiangzuo Q G, Spassov N, 2022. A late Turolian giant panda from Bulgaria and the early evolution and dispersal of the panda lineage. J Vert Paleont, 42: e2054718
[8]	Jin C Z, Ciochon R L, Dong W, et al. 2007. The first skull of the earliest giant panda. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA, 104: 10932-10937
[9]	Li Y X, Cai H Y, 1986. A paleolithic site at Puding, Guizhou. Acta Anthrop Sin, 5: 162-171
[10]	Luo L L, Zhou H, Feng T J, et al. 2020. Niche differentiation between giant pandas and its sympatric species in altitude distribution. Acta Theriol Sin, 40: 337-345 DOI
[11]	Min-Shan K A, Zhang Y Q, Yang M A, et al. 2018. Mitochondrial genome of a 22,000-year-old giant panda from southern China reveals a new panda lineage. Curr Biol, 28: R693-R694
[12]	O'Grady P, Abella J, Alba D M, et al. 2012. Kretzoiarctos gen. nov., the oldest member of the giant panda clade. PLoS One, 7: e48985
[13]	Ouyang Z Y, Liu J G, Xiao H, et al. 2001. An assessment of giant panda habitat in Wolong Nature Reserve. Acta Ecol Sin, 21: 1869-1874
[14]	Pei W C, 1962. Quaternary mammals from the Liucheng Gigantopithecus Cave and other caves of Kwangsi. Vert PalAsiat, 6: 211-218
[15]	Ran J H, Zeng Z Y, Wang H J, et al. 2005. A survey of the Giant Panda population and habitats in the Xiaoxiangling Mountains. Acta Theriol Sin, 25: 345-350
[16]	Ran J H, Zeng Z Y, Liu S C, et al. 2006. A survey of the Giant Panda population and habitats in the Daxiangling Mountains. J Sichuan Univ, Nat Sci Ed, 43: 889-893
[17]	State Forestry Administration, 2021. The 4th National Survey Report on Giant Panda in China. Beijing: Science Press. 1-250
[18]	Wang J K, 1974. On the taxonomic status of species, geological distribution and evolutionary history of Ailuropoda. Acta Zool Sin, 20: 191-201
[19]	Wang L H, Lin Y F, Chang S W, 1982. Mammalian fossils found in northwest part of Hunan Province and their significance. Vert PalAsiat, 20: 350-358
[20]	Zhang M, Yuan S B, Zhang Z J, 2013. A preliminary study on geohistoric distributions of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). J China West Normal Univ Nat Sci, 34: 323-330
[21]	Zhu J, Long Z, 1983. The vicissitudes of the giant panda. Acta Zool Sin, 29: 93-104
[22]	Zong G F, 1997. Carnivora. In: He Z Q ed.ed. Yuanmou Hominoid Fauna. Kunming: Yunnan Science and Technology Press. 69-88
[23]	Zong G F, Jiang C, 1991. A preliminary observation on Carnivora from the Neogene locality of Yuanmou, Yunnan. Vert PalAsiat, 29: 136-142

Item		Measurements
1	greatest length of skull	316.82
2	condylobasal length	283.04
3	basal length	263.58
4	length of rostrum	107.61
5	skull length at sagittal crest	152.41
6	minimum width of sagittal crest	7.00
7	maximum height of sagittal crest	31.70
8	palatal length	140.14
9	zygomatic breadth	224.48*
10	distance between the M2	39.10
11	cranial height	100.99
12	length of P2‒P4	59.80
13	length of M1‒M2	63.65
14	length of P2‒M2	122.35
15	12/14	0.49
16	13/14	0.52
17	14/1	0.39

Item		Measurements
1	greatest length of skull	316.82
2	condylobasal length	283.04
3	basal length	263.58
4	length of rostrum	107.61
5	skull length at sagittal crest	152.41
6	minimum width of sagittal crest	7.00
7	maximum height of sagittal crest	31.70
8	palatal length	140.14
9	zygomatic breadth	224.48*
10	distance between the M2	39.10
11	cranial height	100.99
12	length of P2‒P4	59.80
13	length of M1‒M2	63.65
14	length of P2‒M2	122.35
15	12/14	0.49
16	13/14	0.52
17	14/1	0.39

Item		BMS-002	BMS-003
1	mandibular length	217.46	220.76
2	height of horizontal ramus posterior to p3	44.96	42.42
3	height of horizontal ramus at m1‒m2	57.62	50.20
4	height from top of ascending ramus to bottom of horizontal ramus	170.24	‒
5	height from top of condyle to bottom of angular process	55.78	55.46
6	distance between the p4s	42.24	33.18
7	distance between the m3s	45.68	‒
8	length of p2‒p4	45.16	50.36
9	length of m1‒m3	76.55	79.98
10	length of p2‒m3	119.82	129.40
11	8/10	0.38	0.39
12	9/10	0.64	0.62
13	10/1	0.55	0.59

Item		BMS-002	BMS-003
1	mandibular length	217.46	220.76
2	height of horizontal ramus posterior to p3	44.96	42.42
3	height of horizontal ramus at m1‒m2	57.62	50.20
4	height from top of ascending ramus to bottom of horizontal ramus	170.24	‒
5	height from top of condyle to bottom of angular process	55.78	55.46
6	distance between the p4s	42.24	33.18
7	distance between the m3s	45.68	‒
8	length of p2‒p4	45.16	50.36
9	length of m1‒m3	76.55	79.98
10	length of p2‒m3	119.82	129.40
11	8/10	0.38	0.39
12	9/10	0.64	0.62
13	10/1	0.55	0.59