Morotochoerus de Uganda (17.5 Ma) y Kenyapotamus de Kenia (13-11 Ma): implicaciones sobre el origen de los hipopotámidos
- Autores: Martin Pickford
- Localización: Estudios geológicos, ISSN 0367-0449, Vol. 67, Nº 2, 2011, págs. 523-540
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
The aim of this paper is to describe and interpret suiform teeth from Moroto, Uganda, and Ngorora, Kenya, which contribute to the debate about hippo-anthracothere-whale relationships. The early stages of hippopotamid evolution are relatively poorly known on account of the paucity of their fossil record older than 7 Ma. New specimens of Morotochoerus from Uganda reveal that it is not closely related to Hippopotamidae; the superficial resemblances of the cheek teeth to those of hippos represent convergences and not homologies. Restricted samples of Palaeopotamus ternani are available from the Middle Miocene of Kenya {Maboko, ca 16 Ma; Muruyur, ca 14.5 Ma; Fort Ternan, ca 13.7 Ma} while from the base of the late Miocene, Kenyapotamus coryndonae is known from Kenya {Ngerngerwa, ca 10.5-10 Ma; Nakali, ca 10.5 Ma; Samburu Hills, ca 9.5 Ma}, Ethiopia {Ch�orora, ca 10.5 Ma} and Tunisia {Beglia Formation ca 11-10 Ma}. The recovery of specimens of Kenyapotamus from the Ngorora Formation, Kenya, aged ca 11 Ma, is of interest because it includes well preserved teeth, including an m/3 in good condition. These specimens support the hypothesis that hippopotamids descended from palaeochoerids and not from anthracotheres.
