Giraffoids From the Siwaliks of Pakistan

Although today they occur in Africa, during the Miocene Giraffoids were widespread in Eurasia and Africa. We describe the giraffoid faunas found in the Siwaliks of Pakistan. These faunas are extremely rich in fossil mammals among which there are several new giraffoid taxa. In total, 28 species. They are an addition to taxa known before and give new insights in evolutionary relationships of all the taxa. Non-Siwalik localities that contribute key information are: Fort Ternan, Kalodirr, Tung Gur, Gebel Zelten, Gebel Hamrin and Bou Hanifia. (1) The Palaeomerycidae are distinct with ossicones and an occipital horn. The list of taxa includes five new Palaeomerycidae: Tauromeryx canteroi nov. sp., Nuchalia gratia nov. gen. sp. nov., Fovea fossata nov. gen. sp. nov., Goniomeryx flynni gen. nov. sp. nov., and Lateralia morgani nov. gen. nov. sp. nov.; (2) new Climacoceridae: Vittoria soriae gen nov. sp nov. Orangemeryx badgleyi nov. sp. Pachya moruoroti gen. nov. sp. nov. Prolibytherium fusus has already been described. 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 fourteen different giraffids: Progiraffa exigua , Giraffokeryx punjabiensis , Ua pilbeami , Orea leptia new gen and new sp, Injanatherium hazimi , Giraffa punjabiensis, Giraffa sivalensis , Decennatherium asiaticum , Bramatherium megacephalum , Bramatherium perminese , Bamiscus micros new gen and new sp., and Sivatherium giganteum . Palaeotragus germanii from Bou Hanifia and Bohlinia tungurensis from Tung Gur are new determinations. Progiraffinae and Bramatheriinae are new subfamilies of Giraffidae. The subfamilies of Giraffidae seem to hold as isolated evolutionary silos. Thus, they are hard to connect systematically. They are: Progiraffinae, Giraffokerycinae, Okapiinae, Bohlininae, Giraffinae, Palaeotraginae, Samotheriinae, Bramatheriinae and Sivatheriinae. It is hard to connect these subfamilies as they appear distinct around 16 Ma.