Bovidae, Gray, 1821

Kostopoulos, Dimitrios S. & Bernor, Raymond L., 2011, The Maragheh bovids (Mammalia, Artiodactyla): systematic revision and biostratigraphiczoogeographic interpretation, Geodiversitas 33 (4), pp. 649-708 : 698

Bovidae indet.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — HUW: left M3, MMT- T1A/339 (L = 22.9 mm; Wanterior lobe = 21.3 mm; Wposterior lobe = 19.7 mm).

REMARKS

An upper left, possibly third molar from MMTT1A ( Fig. 30 ) of Maragheh shows moderately wrinkled enamel, low crown, strong lingual cingulum that forms a low double basal pillar, a posteriorly placed and weak hypoconal fold ( Fig. 30A ), a moderately developed central islet, and well-developed styles and ribs ( Fig. 30B ) with the paracone converging with the parastyle towards the base of the crown. These morphological features distinguish MMTT1A/339 from similar-sized antelopes from Maragheh and point to an “ovibonine”-like bovid of medium size. The tooth is about 35% shorter and 25% narrower than the M3 of Urmiatherium polaki from Maragheh described by Mecquenem (1925), significantly wider (the width to length ratio is 0.93 in MMTT1A/339 versus 0.77 in MAR1055) and with much less square posterior lobe. MMTT1A/339 is about 15% smaller than the M3 of “ Plesiaddax ” from Garkin (Bosscha- Erdbrink 1978) and U. intermedium from China ( Bohlin 1935a) and wider (the index W/L range from 0.70 to 0.90, n = 11 in Garkin and between 0.72 and 0.74 in the Chinese Urmiatherium ). MMTT1A/339 is slightly smaller than the M3 of Criotherium argalioides Major, 1891 from Samos and Turkey, but differs in the less posteriorly expanded metastyle, the stronger mesostyle and the presence of lingual cingulum. The width to length ratio is also larger in MMTT1A/339 than in Criotherium (0.78-0.85 in M3, n = 10).

Figures

FIG. 30.— Bovidae indet.,upper left molar (?M3) (MMTT1A/339) from Maragheh in occlusal (A) and labial (B) views. Scale bar: 2 cm.