GIRAFFOIDS FROM THE SIWALIKS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

AbstractAlthough today they occur in Africa, during the Miocene Giraffoids were widespread in Eurasia. We describe the giraffoid faunas found in the Siwaliks of Pakistan. These faunas are extremely rich and provide with several new giraffoid taxa that are morphologically different to what taxa known before and give new insights in the taxa. Non-Siwalik localities that contribute key information are: Fort Ternan, Kalodirr, Tung Gur, Gebel Zelten, Gebel Hamrin and Bou Hanifia. (1) The Palaoemerycidae are distinct with ossicones and an occipital horn. The list of taxa includes five new palaeomerycids:Tauromeryx canteroinov. sp.,Charis gratianov. gen. sp. nov.,Fovea fossatanov. gen. sp. nov,Goniomeryx flynnigen. nov. sp. nov., andLateralia morganinov. gen. nov. sp. nov.; (2) new climacoceratids:Vittoria soriaegen nov. sp nov.Orangemeryx badgleyinov. sp. We also define two new ranks within the Climacoceridae family: the Climacocerinae and the Prolibytheriinae. (3) Preliminary systematics suggest that Giraffidae can be subdivided into two clades: the long and the short neck groups. The Siwaliks sample a total of twelve different giraffids:Progiraffa exigua, Giraffokeryxpunjabiensis,Ua pilbeami,Orea leptia,Injanatherium hazimi,Giraffa punjabiensis, Giraffa sivalensis,Decennatherium asiaticum,Bramatherium megacephalum,Bramatherium perminese,Bamiscus micros, andSivatherium giganteum.Palaeotragus germaniiandBohlinia tungurensisare new determinations. Progiraffinae and Bramatheriinae as new subfamilies. The subfamilies of Giraffidae seem to hold as isolated evolutionary silos. They are: Progiraffinae, Giraffokerycinae, Okapiinae, Bohlininae, Giraffinae, Palaeotraginae, Samotheriinae, Bramatheriinae and Sivatheriinae. It is hard to connect these subfamilies as they most appear around 15 Ma.