Miotragocerus cf. maius ( Meladze, 1967 )

Kostopoulos, Dimitrios S. & Bernor, Raymond L., 2011, The Maragheh bovids (Mammalia, Artiodactyla): systematic revision and biostratigraphiczoogeographic interpretation, Geodiversitas 33 (4), pp. 649-708 : 689-690

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5252/g2011n4a6
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EE374D-576D-C96D-FD48-FAACFF6AFAFD
treatment provided by	Marcus
scientific name	Miotragocerus cf. maius ( Meladze, 1967 )
status

Treatment

Miotragocerus cf. maius ( Meladze, 1967) ( Figs 24 View FIG ; 25 View FIG )

Tragocerus (Mirabilocerus) maius Meladze, 1967: 98 , pls 26, 27.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Bazaleti, Georgia (late Miocene).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — MNHN.F: Frontlet, MAR1311 (Wshc = 115.7 mm, Wso = 43.8 mm, TDhcbdex = 40.3 mm TDhcbsin = 37.3 mm, APDhcbdex = 65.0 mm, APDhcbsin = 71.3 mm); basioccipital,MAR3241 (Woco = 54.8 mm, W bmas = c. 110 mm, Watb = 40.2 mm); left horn-core, MAR1073 (TDhcb = 37.4 mm, APDhcb = 74.0 mm);

Kostopoulos D. S. & Bernor R. L.

part of horn-core MAR1078; right p2-m2, MAR1887 (Lp = 43.8 mm); right p4-m3, MAR1886 (Lm = 65.8 mm); left p2-p4, MAR2981 (Lp = 41.2 mm); left p2-p3, MAR3004.

DESCRIPTION AND REMARKS

Although geographically widespread and usually abundant in the fossil record, the late Miocene Eurasian boselaphines remain a complicated and hitherto imperfectly understood group. The Maragheh boselaphines have never been thoroughly studied. Based on a Maragheh horn-core and some dental remains, Rodler & Weithofer (1890) reported? Tragocerus amaltheus (Roth & Wagner, 1854) . A better sample has been described by Mecquenem (1925) as Tragocerus amaltheus var. rugosifrons Schlosser, 1904 . Solounias (1981) referred some Maragheh specimens in Paris and New York to his new boselaphine-like genus and species Samokeros minotaurus and at the same time ( Solounias 1981: fig. 31) he referred the cranium illustrated by Mecquenem (1925: pl. VI, fig. 3) to Miotragocerus monacensis Stromer, 1928 . Bernor (1978) described numerous toothrows of Miotragoceros rugosifrons and he later ( Bernor 1986) reported that there are three Miotragocerus species in Maragheh, a small and primitive unnamed form, Miotragocerus amalthea (Roth & Wagner, 1854) from Kopran and a large, advanced and undescribed Miotragocerus , represented by specimens in MMTT 7 and MMTT 13 localities, as well as in the MNHN.F collection. Watabe (1990) attributed several additional cranial and dental remains in the KUE collection to Miotragocerus monacensis . Bernor et al. (1996) in their updated faunal list of Maragheh included Miotragocerus monacensis , Tragoportax amalthea , Tragoportax rugosifrons and probably Samokeros minotaurus . Spassov & Geraads (2004) recently confirm the presence of both Miotragocerus and Tragoportax in the MNHN.F Maragheh collection.

The Paris horn-cores (MNHN.F. MAR1311, 1073, 1078; Fig. 24 View FIG ) form a rather homogeneous sample in terms of preservation and morphology. They are short and robust with a strong anterior keel that descends antero-medially showing a weak homonymous torsion towards the tip ( Fig. 24A, C View FIG ). The keels extend onto the pedicles, defining a wide intercornual furrow on the frontals ( Fig. 24A View FIG ). Small horn-core steps can be occasionally seen along the anterior keel but 10-11 cm above the base, the keel disappears abruptly and a clear demarcation is shown ( Fig. 24D View FIG ). A variably developed groove runs along the rounded posterior face of the horncore, which in lateral view is weakly concave in its proximal part. The medial face of the horn-cores is flat and the basal cross-section of the horn-cores is narrow pear-shaped. The horn-cores are strongly inclined backwards ( Fig. 24B View FIG ). The supraorbital foramina are placed close and lateral to the anterior extension of the anterior keels. A postcornual fossa is present. Large sinuses are present within the frontals and the base of the horn-cores. The similar preservation suggest that occiput MAR3241 and the mandibles MAR1886 and MAR1887 may represent a single locality (or closely associated localities) occurrence for these specimens. The occiput is narrow and high, with laterally facing foramen ovale. The basioccipital lacks a medial groove but a rather strong crest runs between the anterior tuberosities. The horizontal ramus of the mandible is low and the premolar row is long compared to the molars ( Fig. 25 View FIG ). The p3 and p4 are elongated (with p3 <p4> m1; Fig. 25 View FIG ) and have a simple structure with elongated and distally directed metaconid and well-distinct paraconid. The lower molars bear moderate basal pillars and anterior folds. The overall horn-core and occipital morphology, and the long simple premolars suggest referral to a species of Miotragocerus ( Spassov & Geraads 2004; Kostopoulos 2005) larger than M. monacensis and with shorter and more robust horn-cores than M. valenciennesi (Gaudry, 1861) ( Kostopoulos 2005) . The latter species also differs in the presence of weak heteronymous torsion on its horn-cores and the development of the p4 metaconid. Most of the Maragheh features approach Miotragocerus maius ( Meladze, 1967) from Bezalethi, Georgia. This species was originally placed into Mirabilocerus Hadjiev, 1961 but most of its morphological characters (braincase shape, basioccipital structure, horn-core morphology) fall within the Miotragocerus concept provided by Spassov & Geraads (2004). The lower premolar rows MNHN.F. MAR2981 and 3004 labelled as Bovidae indet. might belong to the same taxon as well.