New Early Pleistocene Perissodactyl remains associated with Gigantopithecus from Yangliang Cave, Guangxi of southern China

Abstract

Herein the new Perissodactyl fossils associated with Giantopithecus blacki recovered from Yanliang Cave, Guangxi of southern China were described as Hesperotherium sinense, Tapirus sanyuanensis and Rhinoceros fusuiensis, which are all the common elements of the typical Early Pleistocene Gigantopithecus–Sinomastodon fauna in southern China. Especially, we analyse and compare to the metacarpus and metatarsus among extinct Rhinoceros fusuiensis and extant Asian rhinos based on quantitative indexes of measurements. The results show that the sizes between genera Rhinocers and Dicerorhinus are different. Specifically, the sizes of metacarpus and metatarsus of Rhinoceros fusuiensis are smaller than those of the living Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis and Rhinoceros sondaicus), but greater than those of Dicerorhinus sumatrensis. So, the measurements of metacarpus and metatarsus can be considered to provide available evidence in identifying rhino fossils. The assemblage of Perissodactyl remains from Yanliang Cave is most similar to those of Longgupo Cave, Chongqing and Mohui Cave, Guangxi, indicating its age as the early Early Pleistocene (∼2.0 Ma). These Perissodactyl fossils also implied a tropical bushy and forested environment with the humid and warm climate favourable for habitation of high-evolved primates such as Giantopithecus blacki.