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Jiangzuo Q, Rabe C, Abella J, Govender R, Valenciano A. Langebaanweg's sabertooth guild reveals an African Pliocene evolutionary hotspot for sabertooths (Carnivora; Felidae). iScience 2023; 26:107212. [PMID: 37609637 PMCID: PMC10440717 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe and revise craniodental material from Langebaanweg 'E' Quarry (South Africa, early Pliocene, ∼5.2 Ma), which represents one of the largest and best-preserved collections of sabertooth felids from Mio-Pliocene deposits of Africa. Four taxa, including two new species, are recognized: Lokotunjailurus chinsamyae sp. nov., Adeilosmilus aff. kabir, Yoshi obscura, and Dinofelis werdelini sp. nov. The felid guild composition analyzed herein suggests the presence of a mosaic environment with open components in the region, and shows a potential relationship with that of Yuanmou, suggesting a similar environment and/or dispersal route/event. The reassessment of the rich early Pliocene felids from Langebaanweg is a step toward understanding the transition and evolution of the felids in the southern hemisphere during the late Miocene to early Pliocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qigao Jiangzuo
- Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, NY 10024, USA
| | - Caitlin Rabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - Juan Abella
- Departament de Botànica i Geologia, Grup d'Investigació en Paleontologia de Vertebrats del Cenozoic (PVC-GIUV), Universitat de València, Burjassot, 46100 València, Spain
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito 170131, Ecuador
| | - Romala Govender
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
- Research and Exhibitions, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
| | - Alberto Valenciano
- Research and Exhibitions, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
- Departamento de Estratigrafía, Geodinámica y Paleontología, Faculty of Geological Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Jannello JM, Chinsamy A. Osteohistology and palaeobiology of giraffids from the Mio-Pliocene Langebaanweg (South Africa). J Anat 2023; 242:953-971. [PMID: 36748181 PMCID: PMC10093165 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The reconstruction of life history traits, such as growth rate, age at maturity and age at death can be estimated from the histological analysis of long bones. Here, we studied 20 long bones (metapodials, tibia and femora) of Sivatherium hendeyi and Giraffa cf. Giraffa jumae recovered from the Miocene-Pliocene locality of Langebaanweg on the West Coast of South Africa. We analysed the long bone histology and growth marks of juvenile and adult specimens of these taxa. Our results show that bone tissue types and vascular canal orientation varies during ontogeny, as well as between the different skeletal elements, and also across single cross sections of bones. Majority of our specimens appear to be still growing, with only an adult metacarpal of S. hendeyi being skeletally mature as indicated by the presence of an outer circumferential layer. We propose that the growth marks preserved in the cortices of the bones studied are most likely related to multiple catastrophic events as opposed to being annual/seasonal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Marcos Jannello
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rhodes Gift, South Africa.,Instituto de Evolución, Ecología Histórica y Ambiente (IDEVEA) CONICET-UTN-FRSR, San Rafael, Argentina
| | - Anusuya Chinsamy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rhodes Gift, South Africa
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