Mosaicomeryx gen. nov., a ruminant mammal from the Oligocene of Europe and the significance of ‘gelocids’

The description of new material and the reassessment of specimens previously assigned to Gelocus quercyi lead us to propose a new genus for this species, Mosaicomeryx gen. nov. Moreover, the description of a juvenile skull and other specimens of Prodremotherium elongatum, and comparison with Dremotherium, provide evidence that these two genera are not closely related as previously thought. A phylogenetic analysis based on 40 dental, cranial and postcranial features highlights the misidentification of Gelocus quercyi and suggests that Mosaicomeryx gen. nov. is closely related to Prodremotherium elongatum. Mosaicomeryx quercyi and Prodremotherium elongatum form a monophyletic group of stem Pecora that first appeared in Western Europe by the late Early Oligocene (MP25–26), and Prodremotherium elongatum persisted up to MP28; following this time both taxa appear to be replaced by Dremotherium and Amphitragulus. This time interval covers two major Oligocene faunal and climate changes: Extinction 1 (MP24), associated with regression of the inner European sea, and Extinction 3/Migrations 3 (MP28), associated with Late Oligocene Warming.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CC044612-B707-4CCD-B121-0830DA304396