Eocene actinopterygian fishes from Pakistan, with the description of a new genus and species of channid (Channiformes)
egypt; fayum; India; oligocene; paleobiogeographic implications; Paleontology; skeleton; teleostei
A collection of fossil material from Eocene deposits of Pakistan includes remains belonging to various taxa of actinopterygian fishes. The material comes from predominantly freshwater deposits, as well as a few marine deposits, in the Kuldana Formation in the Kala Chitta Hills, and from the Chorgali Formation near Gali Jaghir, in Attock District of Punjab Province. The Kuldana and Chorgali formations are early to middle Eocene in age. Isolated bones and teeth are identified as belonging to Eotrigonodontidae, Pycnodontiformes, Amiidae, Osteoglossidae, Siluriformes (cf. Bagridae), and Perciformes, as well as unidentified Teleostei. Some of the fossils are skulls of a channiform fish, which is here described as a new genus and species, Anchichanna kuldanensis. The faunal affinities of the Indo-Pakistan area during the Eocene are not clear, with previous studies suggesting it is faunally more similar to other parts of modern Asia, others as it representing a region of endemism, or even as being similar to northern Africa. The fish material reported here indicates a relationship between the Pakistan fauna in the Eocene with that of northern Africa.
Murray A M; Thewissen J G M
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
2008
2008-03
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28%5B41:eaffpw%5D2.0.co;2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28%5B41:eaffpw%5D2.0.co;2</a>
Skull of Megalohyrax eocaenus (Hyracoidea, Mammalia) from the Oligocene of Egypt
age; eocene; eutherian mammals; evolution; fayum; order; Paleontology; phylogeny; tree
The cranial anatomy of Megalohyrax eoceanus Andrews, 1903, a pliohyracid (Hyracoidea, Mammalia) from Oligocene levels of the Jebel Qatrani Formation of the Fayum Depression in Egypt, is described. Megalohyrax is the largest of the Fayum hyracoids, its skull is 391 mm long and the specimen described here is probably the best-preserved pliohyacid skull known. Megalohyrax has a strong lambdoid crest, a primitive alisphenoid canal, a notch for the minor palatine neurovascular group, orbits which are not anteriorly displaced, and a broad contact between the maxilla and frontal. In all of these features, Megalohyrax differs from modem hyracoids. Contrary to previous suggestions, the dental formula of Megalohyrax is 3.1.4.3, not similar to early sirenians (which have 5 premolars). Basioccipital morphology suggests that Megalohyrax may have had a eustachian sac.
Thewissen J G M; Simons E L
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
2001
2001-03
Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021%5B0098:somehm%5D2.0.co;2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021%5B0098:somehm%5D2.0.co;2</a>