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First record of a diacodexeid artiodactyl in the middle Eocene Pondaung Formation (Myanmar)

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An Erratum to this article was published on 12 September 2016

Abstract

A fragmentary maxilla referred to a new diacodexeid artiodactyl, Magwetherium burmense, n. gen. and sp., is described from Sabapondaung locality in the middle Eocene Pondaung Formation in Myanmar. Comparisons with other basal artiodactyls known in the Eocene of Asia, Europe, and North America reveal that this unexpected new taxon displays an unusual combination of derived and primitive features. Magwetherium further displays more morphological affinities with the diacodexeid Jiangsudon from the middle Eocene Shanghuang fissure fillings in eastern China than with any other Holarctic dichobunoids. This study also suggests that fossil remains from Pondaung recently described as indeterminate artiodactyls can likely be referred to dichobunids. The occurrence of a diacodexeid artiodactyl in Southeast Asia extends the fossil record of the family in this part of the continent, it represents the youngest representative of the family, and it further documents the adaptive radiation of diacodexeids in Asia during the Eocene.

Kurzfassung

Wir beschreiben hier ein fragmentarisches Oberkiefer von einer neuen diacodexeiden Paarhufer Art, Magwetherium burmense, n. gen. und n. sp., aus der Sabapondaung Lokalität in der mittel-eozänen Pondaung Formation in Myanmar. Der Vergleich mit anderen basalen Paarhufern aus dem Eozän Asiens, Europas, und Nord-Amerikas, zeigt, daß diese unerwartete, neue Art, eine ungewöhnliche Kombination primitiver und fortgeschrittener Merkmale besitzt. Darüber hinaus weist Magwetherium mehr morphologischen Ähnlichkeiten mit dem diacodexeiden Jiangsudon aus der mittel-eozänen Shanghuang Spalten-Füllung in Ost-China auf, als mit vielen anderen holarktischen Dichobunoiden. Zudem schlägt diese Studie vor, daß die fossilen Überreste aus Pondaung, die kürzlich als unbestimmte Artiodactyla beschrieben wurden, sehr wahrscheinlich den Dichobuniden zugeordnet werden können. Das Vorkommen eines diacodexeiden Paarhufers in Südostasien, erweitert den Fossilbericht dieser Familie auf diesem Kontinent. Es repräsentiert den jüngsten Vertreter dieser Familie und dokumentiert darüber hinaus die adaptive Radiation der Diacodexeiden während dem Eozän in Asien.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the villagers of Bahin, Paukkaung, Nyaungpinle, and Maggyigan of Pondaung area and their authorities for their help, kindness, and enthusiasm that greatly facilitated our fieldwork. We also thank L. Foley-Ducrocq who corrected the English, T. Lehmann (Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt) for his help with the German abstract, and J.M. Theodor and T. Tsubamoto for their useful comments on this manuscript. This work has been supported by the ANR-09-BLAN-0238 Program, the CNRS UMR 7262, the University of Poitiers, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. iPHEP, CNRS UMR 7262, Université de Poitiers, UFR SFA, Bât B35, 6 rue M. Brunet, TSA 51106, 86073, Poitiers cedex 9, France

    Stéphane Ducrocq, Vincent Lazzari, Yaowalak Chaimanee, Xavier Valentin & Jean-Jacques Jaeger

  2. Department of Geology, Defense Services Academy, Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar

    Aung Naing Soe

  3. Department of Geology, Hinthada University, Hinthada, Myanmar

    Chit Sein

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  1. Stéphane Ducrocq
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Correspondence to Stéphane Ducrocq.

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An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12542-016-0321-9.

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Ducrocq, S., Soe, A.N., Sein, C. et al. First record of a diacodexeid artiodactyl in the middle Eocene Pondaung Formation (Myanmar). PalZ 90, 611–618 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-016-0283-y

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