New material of Sivaonyx bathygnathus (Lutrinae, Mustelidae) from the early Pliocene of Siwaliks, Pakistan

Abstract

Seven species of Sivaonyx genus have been described so far from Eurasia and Africa. The type species of the genus is Sivaonyx bathygnathus (Lydekker), of which the holotype specimen is GSI D33. In this paper, new fragmentary material from the Dhok Pathan Formation (Middle Siwaliks) of Hasnot, Pakistan is described. Among the known late Miocene-Pliocene fossiliferrous localities, Hasnot is the only fossil bearing locality that preserves a significant fossil record of the genus Sivaonyx. Phylogenetic relationships and stratigraphic implications of the newly discovered material with already described specimens from the Siwaliks as well as with all known species of Sivaonyx from Africa and Asia are given. The new description of the specimen from the early Pliocene (5.3- 3.5Ma) show a younger stratigraphic range than described earlier in the Siwalik continental deposits.