Fossil bovids from the Linxia Basin of Gansu Province, China, and their implications for regional biostratigraphy, palaeogeography and palaeoecology

Abstract

Fossil bovids are key components of the Neogene mammal faunas in Eurasia, showing high diversity and rapid rates of evolution, with important implications for biostratigraphy and understanding past climate change. The Linxia Basin (Gansu Province, China) contains rich Miocene to Early Pleistocene bovid assemblages that provide an opportunity to study the evolution of this group. This paper reviews the fossil record of bovids in the Linxia Basin, which comprises more than 20 genera within seven tribes, spanning nine stratigraphic horizons and distributed across 43 fossil localities. Findings show that the diversity of fossil bovids in the Linxia Basin increased dramatically from the Early to Late Miocene but fell suddenly at the end of the Late Miocene before reaching a second peak in the Early Pleistocene. The Late Miocene mammal assemblages from the Linxia Basin may indicate somewhat younger age than previously thought based on fossil bovid comparisons. With diverse species and rich material, the bovids of the Linxia Basin present an excellent opportunity for further studies on morphology and adaptations within the group.