The systematic position of Hoplitomerycidae (Ruminantia) revisited
Hoplitomeryx Leinders was originally described only on cranial characters. The type specimens were found during the 1970’s in karstic fissure fillings, most likely of Messinian age, in Gargano (Apulia, southeastern Italy), between Poggio Imperiale (418490300 N, 158210580 E) and Apricena (418470060 N, 158260410 E). During the 1990’s, Hoplitomeryx remains were also discovered in the lower […]
Molecular and Morphological Phylogenies of Ruminantia and the Alternative Position of the Moschidae
The ruminants constitute the largest group of ungulates, with >190 species, and its distribution is widespread throughout all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Six families are traditionally recognized within the suborder Ruminantia: Antilocapridae (pronghorns), Bovidae (cattle, sheep, and antelopes), Cervidae (deer), Giraffidae (giraffes and okapis), Moschidae (musk deer), and Tragulidae (chevrotains). The interrelationships of the […]
The phylogeny of Cetartiodactyla: The importance of dense taxon sampling, missing data, and the remarkable promise of cytochrome b to provide reliable species-level phylogenies
We perform Bayesian phylogenetic analyses on cytochrome b sequences from 264 of the 290 extant cetartiodactyl mammals (whales plus even-toed ungulates) and two recently extinct species, the ‘Mouse Goat’ and the ‘Irish Elk’. Previous primary analyses have included only a small portion of the species diversity within Cetartiodactyla, while a complete supertree analysis lacks resolution […]
New artiodactyl ruminant mammal from the late Oligocene of Pakistan
Dental and postcranial material of the bovid−like ruminant Palaeohypsodontus zinensis sp. nov. is reported from the Oligocene of the Bugti Hills (Balochistan, Pakistan). This finding extends the geographic distribution of this dentally highly derived ruminant, which was previously restricted to the early Oligocene of Mongolia and China. The inclusion of Palaeohypsodontus within the Bovidae is […]
First comprehensive morphological analysis on the metapodials of Giraffidae
Giraffids are a group of relict pecoran ruminants with only two living taxa. During the Miocene, however, this group was much more diverse, with more than 20 different species showing a wide range of variability. In addition to many other parts of the skeleton this variability is also represented in their metapodials. We find inter-specific […]
Evolution of ruminant headgear: a review
The horns, ossicones and antlers of ruminants are familiar and diverse examples of cranial appendages. We collectively term ruminant cranial appendages ‘headgear’; this includes four extant forms: antlers (in cervids), horns (in bovids), pronghorns (in pronghorn antelope) and ossicones (in giraffids). Headgear evolution remains an open and intriguing question because phylogenies (molecular and morphological), adult […]