New artiodactyla fossils from Middle Miocene deposits of Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The fossil site Dhok Bun Ameer Khatoon (DBAK) is located 35 km southeast from Chakwal district, Punjab, Pakistan. It has yielded a significant amount of fossil artiodactyls including five families: Bovidae, Tragulidae, Suidae, Giraffidae, and Anthracotheriidae. This site principally exposes Middle Miocene strata that have been dated approximately as 14.2–11.63 Mya. A detailed study was carried out on the fossils found at DBAK and 29 specimens have been described herein. The collection comprises isolated upper and lower teeth and fragments of mandibular ramii. Gazella lydekkeri, Elachistoceras khauristanensis, Dorcatherium majus, Listriodon pentapotamiae, Giraffokeryx punjabiensis, Giraffa priscilla, and Merycopotamus nanus have been described in this article. The newly discovered material is productive to understand the fauna of this Middle Miocene locality and it enhances our knowledge about the described species. Merycopotamus nanus have been reported for the first time from this locality. Palaeoenvironmental data indicates that the Miocene climate of Pakistan was most likely to be monsoonal. All the feeding habits and distribution of those animals suggested the presence of abundant forests, herbaceous, grassy, and bushy vegetation in the DBAK and its surroundings.