Bothriogenys gorringei ( ANDREWS et BEADNELL, 1902)

Al-Kindi, Mohammed, Pickford, Martin, Al-Sinani, Yusouf, Al-Ismaili, Ibrahim, Hartman, Axel & Heward, Alan, 2017, Large Mammals From The Rupelian Of Oman - Recent Finds, Fossil Imprint 73 (3 - 4), pp. 300-321 : 313

Bothriogenys gorringei ( ANDREWS et BEADNELL, 1902)

M a t e r i a l. ONHM TN 2017-01, first phalanx.

D e s c r i p t i o n. The Omanitherium type locality yielded a first phalanx of an anthracothere in situ in indurated marl ( Text-fig. 20 ). The specimen, ONHM TN 2017-01, is complete. The distal end shows a moderate central valley between the two articular surfaces, a feature of artiodactyl phalanges, which distinguishes this fossil from proboscidean phalanges that have an almost obsolete central valley ( Gheerbrant et al. 2005, Delmer et al. 2006). The specimen is 41.4 mm long, and the distal end is 15.3 mm broad by ca. 9 mm tall, and is thus compatible in dimensions with the species Bothriogenys gorringei , which has already been recorded from the Ashawq Formation on the basis of upper and lower molars ( Pickford 2015c)

D i s c u s s i o n. The anthracothere phalanx from the Omanitherium type locality proves the association of this family with fossils of the arsinoithere, Arsinoitherium andrewsi , and the numidotherioid, Omanitherium dhofarense . This association was already noted at the Thaytiniti locality excavated by the Thomas Expedition of 1992 ( Pickford 2015c).

Sileem et al. (2015, 2016) and Sallam et al. (2016) extended knowledge of Bothriogenys and other anthracotheres in the Fayum deposits of northern Egypt, in particular regarding stratigraphic distribution of various taxa, reporting specimens from the Late Eocene Qasr el Sagha Formation and the Jebel Qatrani Formation. The results of this work agree with the Omani record, which, it must be admitted, is still rather sparse. It suggests that the Ashawq Formation is close in age to Quarry L 41 in the Jebel Qatrani Formation (Rupelian) ( Seiffert 2006), although a correlation to the earlier Qasr el Sagha Formation (Priabonian) cannot be discounted ( Sileem et al. 2016).

The fossil record of anthracotheres in the Arabian Peninsula is filling in, but there are still long gaps in the stratigraphic representation of the family. The next youngest anthracotheres following the Ashawq records ( Pickford 2015c) and those from the Usfan and Shumaysi Formations, Western Saudi Arabia ( Zalmout et al. 2012) of Early Oligocene age, are those from the Early Miocene deposits at Wadi Sabya, southwestern Saudi Arabia ( Brachyodus DEPÉRET, 1895 , at 17°12’46.3”N: 42°47’08.8”E 79 m a.s.l. – Madden et al. 1983) and Ghaba, Oman ( Afromeryx zelteni PICKFORD, 1991 – Roger et al. 1994a).

Figures

Text-fig. 20. ONHM TN 2017-01, anthracothere 1st phalanx in situ in indurated marl at the Omanitherium type locality.