Some New Remains of Middle Miocene Mammals from the Chinji Formation, Northern Pakistan

New mammalian material excluding proboscideans described from four main fossil sites of the Chinji Formation, northern Pakistan, allow identifying Miotragocerus gluten, Tragoportax cf. punjabicus, Elachistoceras sp., Helicoportax sp., Boselaphini sp. indet., Gazella sp., Giraffokeryx punjabiensis, Giraffa priscilla, Dorcatherium minus, Microbunodon silistrensis, Merycopotamus nanus, Listriodon pentapotamiae, Conohyus
sindiensis, Gaindatherium browni and Hespanotherium matritense. The tooth positions of all the fifteen species are documented. The findings enlarge our knowledge on the anatomic features of the described species. Quantitatively, the bovid taxa are the most predominant and provide existing evidence of small (Elachistoceras) and medium (Miotragocerus, Tragoportax, Helicoportax, Gazella) size bovids with other Middle Miocene mammalian taxa. The composition of the fauna suggests a Middle Miocene age. The palaeoclimate of this age (14.2 and 11.2 Ma) can be interpreted warm and humid having extensive forest component and developed grassy sub areas.

Publish DateJuly 14, 2021
Last UpdatedJuly 14, 2021
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