Early Miocene fossils from Shaoma, China, evidence Eurasia-North America ruminant exchange - 14/12/25
, Tao Deng a, b, Tingjiang Peng c, Bian Wang a, b, Qigao Jiangzuo a, b, Jiao Fu a, b, Danhui Sun a, b, Luda Xing a, bAbstract |
Stem pecorans radiated globally near the Oligocene–Miocene boundary but remain poorly documented in China. We report a new stem pecorans, Labrangomeryx dorcapolis nov. gen., nov. sp. and previously reported Sinopalaeoceros xiejiaensis , from the earliest Miocene (∼23–20 Ma) of Gansu, China. Labrangomeryx nov. gen. exhibits bunoselenodont dentition with unique traits: a bifurcated p4 anterior conid, strong metastylids, and absent entoconulid in molars, linking Eurasian and North American taxa (e.g., Pomelomeryx , Problastomeryx ). Sinopalaeoceros displays high hypsodonty and m3 entoconulid, resembling North American merycodontines rather than later Asian bovids. Both taxa lack cranial appendages, pointing towards a placement within stem pecorans. An enigmatic large p4 may present a tylopodan affinity, implying North American ties. These findings reveal early pecoran diversification in Eastern Asia and underscore transcontinental faunal exchanges during the early Miocene, bridging Eurasian and North American evolutionary narratives. The absence of crown-family cranial features highlights unresolved systematic positions but enriches understanding of pecoran morphological plasticity during their initial radiation.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Pecoran, New genus and species, Phylogeny, Xiejian, Hezuo Basin, Tibetan Plateau
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| ☆ | Corresponding editor: Laurent Marivaux. |
Vol 93
P. 99-115 - décembre 2025 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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