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A Diverse Metailurine Guild from the Latest Miocene Xingjiawan Fauna, Yongdeng, Northwestern China, and Generic Differentiation of Metailurine Felids

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Abstract

A collection with several complete crania and mandibles recently found in the Latest Miocene Xingjiawan Fauna, Yongdeng, northeastern China enables a re-discussion of generic differences of metailurine felids. Four metailurine felids, including three new species, i.e., Yoshi yongdengensis sp. nov., Yoshi faie sp. nov., Paramachaerodus schlosseri, and Paramachaerodus yingliangi sp. nov., are recognised in the fauna. The two derived species previously assigned to Paramachaerodus, i.e., Paramachaerodus orientalis and Paramachaerodus maximiliani, are separated from Paramachaerodus and assigned to Pontosmilus Kretzoi, 1929. P. schlosseri is resurrected as the type species of Paramachaerodus, with wide distribution in northern Eurasia during the Turolian or Baodean. Yoshi, Metailurus, and Paramachaerodus are three closely related metailurine felids but can be differentiated by a suite of craniodental traits. The great diversity of metailurines in the Xingjiawan Fauna, especially the multiple species in the same genus, suggests the start of environment change and the presence of the a mosaic environment.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Second Comprehensive Scientific Expedition on the Tibetan Plateau for supporting the financial and logistical support in the field work. For their help in accessing collections, we thank J. Meng, R. O’Leary, and J. Galkin (AMNH fossil mammal collections); M. Surovy, E. Hoeger, S. Ketelsen, N. Duncan, and N. Simmons (AMNH modern mammal collections); G. Takeuchi (LACMHC fossil collection of Rancho La Brea); P. Holroyd (UCMP fossil collections); B. MacFadden and R. Hulbert (UF fossil collections); and Z. Qiu and J. Chen, Y. Rong, W. He, S. Chen, and L. Zhang (fossil collections of the IVPP and HMV), L. Liu (fossil collection of YLSNHM). We thank A. Valenciano, X. Wang, S. Roussiakis and N. Spassov for allowing using their photos. We thank K. Wu and H. Zeng for preparing the specimens. This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB26000000 and XDA20070203), Key Frontier Science Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. QYZDY-SSW-DQC-22 and GJHZ1885), Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (Grant 2019QZKK0705), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42102001, 41430102, 41872001, 41872005 and 41772018), China Scholarship Council, and the Frick Fund, Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, Division of Paleontology, AMNH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, 100871, Beijing, China

    Qigao Jiangzuo

  2. Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Qigao Jiangzuo, Shijie Li, Jiao Fu & Shiqi Wang

  3. CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, China

    Qigao Jiangzuo, Shijie Li, Jiao Fu & Shiqi Wang

  4. Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA

    Qigao Jiangzuo

  5. Yingliang Stone Natural History Museum, 362300, Nanan, China

    Kecheng Niu

  6. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China

    Shijie Li & Jiao Fu

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Correspondence to Qigao Jiangzuo.

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Jiangzuo, Q., Niu, K., Li, S. et al. A Diverse Metailurine Guild from the Latest Miocene Xingjiawan Fauna, Yongdeng, Northwestern China, and Generic Differentiation of Metailurine Felids. J Mammal Evol 29, 845–862 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-022-09622-8

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