New fossils of Alcelaphini and Caprinae (Bovidae: Mammalia) from Awash, Ethiopia, and phylogenetic analysis of Alcelaphini
Date
1997
Authors
Vrba, E. S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
Alcelaphine antelopes comprise one of the most species-rich groups among the mammalian
assemblages from the Middle Awash, Ethiopia, and in Africa as a whole. I describe a new genus and
species Awashia suwai from Matabaietu 3, and other new alcelaphine species, Damaliscus ademassui
from Gamedah I and Beatragus whitei from Matabaietu 3-5, all dated ca. 2.5 m.y. (millions of years).
Other new a lcelaphine fossils from Middle Awash include an Early Pliocene species allied to
Damalops, Late Pliocene records of Parmularius c f.pandatus and Beat rag us amiquus, and Middle
Pleistocene records of Megalotragus kattwinkeli, P. angusticornis, Damaliscus niro, Connochaetes
taurinus olduvaiensis, Numidocapra crassicornis, and Alcelaphus buselaphus. My comparisons of
these fossils with all other known fossil and Recent Alcelaphini inc ludes a cladistic analysis . The
results suggest that during or before the Miocene-Pliocene transition two alcelaphine subtribes
dive rged for which I suggest the names Alcelaphina and Damaliscina. Alcelaphina consists of two
ancient subclades: ( I) the s is te r-group of Damalacra neanica and Beatragus known since 5.0-4.5
m.y. ago, and (2) a large c lade first recorded 4.4 m.y. ago (genera Damalops, Numidocapra,
Alce/aphus, Rabaticeras, Megalotragus, Oreonagor, and Connochaetes) that had a high diversification
rate since 3 m.y. ago. The earliest record of Damaliscina is the form that Gentry ( 1980) named
Damalacra acalla, which emerges as the hypothetical direct ancestor of the Early-Middle Plioce ne
split into Parmularius and the Damaliscus group. The placement of the new genus Awashia remains
problematic. A new ov ibovine genus and spec ies, Nitidarcus asfawi, and a new caprine genu and
species, Bouria anngettyae, both from Bouri I, are also described. I discuss some evolutionary and
biogeographic implications of the new fossils from Middle Awash.
Description
Main article
Keywords
Alcelaphini, Caprinae, Awash, Ethiopia
Citation
None