Acta Anthropologica Sinica ›› 2014, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (03): 389-400.

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Melinae Fossils from the Lufengpithecus Locality, Yunnan

QI Guoqin   

  • Online:2014-09-15 Published:2014-09-15

Abstract: Some Melinae fossils from the forth layer of the section D of the Lufengpithecus locality, Lufeng, Yunnan are described in this paper. They are identified as a new genus and species of the Melinae Yunnanotherium lufengnense gen. et sp. nov. mainly based on the character of their teeth (especially M1) and mandible. The Trochotherium yuanmouese sp. nov. (only M1, so called m2 do not belong to this kind of animal) identified in “Yuanmou Hominoid Fauna” published in 1997 by Zong[3] and the M1 and m2 described in “Lufengpithecus hudienensis Site” by Qi and Dong 2006 [4] as well as the m1 from the sixth layer of the section D of the Lufengpithecus locality, Lufeng can be included in this genus. There are some similar character in tooth structure and mandible shape between Yunnanotherium and Trochotherium of Europe (for example the tooth surface is lower and flat, the cusps of the tooth is lower and number of tooth root is more). The foot of both are mollusk. But there are still some obvious differences in structure of tooth (especial in M1) and mandible shape between them. It is possible that these relate to their different living age and ecological environment.

Key words: Yunnanotherium; Mustelidae; Lufeng; late Miocene