THE MIOCENE CERVIDS FROM SHANTUNG

B

P. TEILUARD DE CHARDIN

Cenozoic Research Laboratory.

Peiping Union Medical College, Peking, China.

The newly discovered um!er-basaltic sands and diatornaceous shales

of Shanwang (Western Shantung) represent, together with the Tung-gur

basin of Inner Mongolia, the best and richest Miocene formation so far

known in China1 A brief review of the mammalian fauna found in that

locality was recently given by Dr. C. C. Young in this Bulletin, while

the flora was entrusted for study to Professor Ralph Chaney ad Dr. H. H.

Hu who have just published an important memoir thereon under theauspices of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

The object of the present note is t describe in lieu and in the

name of Dr. C. C. Young (presently absent from Peking), a few sup-

plementary remains of Cervid which he collected during his last visit to

the site. These fossils are of two-fold interest: first because they improve

our knowledge of a rather peculiar group of extinct Cervicornia; and

second because they serve to conlirin and reinforce the Miocene characters

of the Shanwang deposits.

I Young. c.:c. On the Cenozoic Geology of Itu. Changlo and Lincho D.tztc*a (ShantunilBull. Geol. Soc. China. Vol. XV, pp. 171-187. 1936

2 Young. C. C. On a Mioceno Fauna from Shantung. Ibid., Vol. XVII. pp. 209-238

1937.

270 Bulletin of the Geological Society of Chinii

I. Lagomeryx simpsoni (Young, sp.) (Textfig. fl(Heterocema.s simpsoni Young, 1937)

A

9j 2 3Cm.

Fig. 1. - Lago,e,yx úmpsoii Young. Left antlers from enterior (A). external (B)

and postero.interna) (C) sides. 1/2.

Material: A left antler, slightly broken before the base.Description:

Lower unbranhed part of the antler long, sub-cylindrical, showingabsolutcly no trace of a separation between a pedicle and a deciduous

Teilhard>Miocene Cervids from Shantung 271

upper portion. At about two thirds of the total length of the specimen,

the beam forks into a complex palmature, consisting of two groups of

two tines, a-b and c-d (see Fig. 1). In the first group a is long and

cylindrical; b short, flat and bifid. In the second and slightly lower

group, c is again elongated and rounded; and d (broken) flat (? and bifid).

Surface of the bone smooth, with numerous vermiculations left by external

blood vessels, exactly like that observed on the horn-core of a Cavicornia.

Such a feature definitely proves the presence of a deciduous horny sheet

on the living animal or more probably of a permanent skin1 covering

the non-deciduous bony antler.

Maximum length preserved of the antler, 210 mm.Preserved length of the beam between the base and

the palmature (fork a-c), 140 nun.Maximum and minimum diameter of the beam

below the palmature, 17 and 14.

Comparisons:

In spite of a more complex palmature (four tines instead of two)

the fossil described here unquestionably reminds of the two-tined antler

found in the same locality and on which Young (19ß7) based his genus

Heterocemas. The same general size and average diameter. Also the

total absence of the burr. The same external veriniculation of the bone.

The same forking of the beam at the last upper third of the antler.

The same association of elongated cylindrical and flattened bifid tines.

Either due to a difference of age or to individual polymorphism, the

I In case t were s deciduous horny sheet, one would expect to find s serici of bony rings(pseudo.bwr) on the fossil as p truç (or Atilocapridae.

272 Bulletin of the Geological Society of China

greater complexity of the palmature noted or this new fossil does not

seem to nave a pecific value. Both Young's genotype and rhe specimen

ilIustraed here most probably belong to the same form.

In the meantime, Dr. Stehlin published a most valuable paper1 in

which, on the basis of European Miocene fossile from Germany, he clearly

re-defined with regard and in opposition to Stephanocemas Colbert, the

genus Logomeryx Roger. From the descriptions and illustrations given

by Stehlin, it becomes obvious that judging by the antlers the Sbantung

Heterocemas cannot be separated from and thus falls in synonymy with

Lagcnneryx3.

U. Paiaeomeryx (?Lagomeryx) sp.

In addition to the antler of Lagomeryx described above, the material

lately collected by Dr. Young in Shanwang contains several jaws of an

extremely interesting Paiaeoineryz type. Judging by the size, there are

certainly two different forms represented: one of which is large like a

good-sized Red Deer, the other one small like a Roebuck.

1. Larger form (Form A). (Textfig,. 2-4).

Material: An upper right msixilla, with M3-P3 fresh but broken

in their lingual half. An isolated left upper Ml (and P4). and an isolated

left uppe'v canine.

I Steblin. G. Gemerkungen über die mioceenen Hinchgenera Steplzaisccemas und Laga,nerjx.Verh. Naiurforsch Ges. in Basel, Bd. XLVIII. pp. (93.214 1937.

2 A small Miene Deer tree. Ttmg.gur in Mongolia, with estremely short intl Jsciduous enr-ien.. Also found in Germany. Cf. Colbert. E.H. Tertiary Doer discoveted b7 the AmericanMuseum Asietic Expedition. Am. Mus. Nov.. No. 354, 1936.

3 This I. perhaps also true fof the fragmentary entier, from Shauwani which Young referred(1937) tu Skphanoceraas (xTheri). Traces of a burr on these fossils creso faint and equivocalthat the antlers might gust as well b. considered as non-deciduous and therefqç. rolerebls 10Lagonie,i'x too (d, Stchlin. 1cc, cit.. FIgs. 9-II),

0 1 2Cr'.

Fig. L - Pdaeonieryz (Lagomeryxfl 'p. From A., Upper teeth. M3P2 estemelvieW end MI. crown view. 2/3.

Fig. 3. - Pdaeomeryx (Lago?ee,x?) p. Form A. Left upper cenine, side endfront views. 2/3.

Description:

a) Upper teeth. Cheek teeth extremely brachyodont, with enamel

thick and corrugated. Molars with parastyle and mesostyle strong.

Posterior lobe deeply concave externally, with feeble median rib; anterior

lobe convex, with strong median rib (this opposition between the lobes

decreases slightly from M3 tQ Ml). Ml with interual cingulum and

Teilhard:Miocene Cervids from Shantung 273

Two lower jaws, right and leit, probably of the same individuai,

with M3-P2 preserved. Another lower jaw, with teeth worn by use, is

more complete anteriorly and shows the alveolus of Pl.

274 BuUetin of the Geological Society of China

median accessory cusp. P4 rather short with interrupted btt nevertheless

distinct inner cingulum. P3 elongated.

Canine tusk-like and root not closed. Convex carinated outside;

flat inside; trenchant along both anterior and posterior edges.

Fig 4.Po,yx(LagonIe,z) sp. Form A. Lower jaw. 2/3.

b) Lower teeth. Brachyodont, corrugated, with heavy cingular

formation. Molars with strong mesoatylid, deep antero-external cing-

ulum, and very distinct Polieomenjx fold. Prernolars elongated. P4 very

simple: pietaconid small, set backward, widely separated from the

Teilhard:Miocene Cervids from Shantung 275

paraconid. P3 similar, but with smaller metaconid. P2 without metaconid.

Pl present, small, probably with two fused roots, separated from P2 by

a long diastema.

Dimen8ions:

a) Upper teeth.

Length of M3, 22 m.; of M2, 22; of M', 18; of P4, 13; of P3, 17,

Length M'-M3, 90.

Length and breadth of the isolated M', 17 and 22.

Length and breadth of the isolated P4, 13 and 18.

External height of the fresh molars, 13.

Length of the canine, 15; breadth at the base of the crown 7;

total length (with the root) in straight lineç 100.

b) Lower teeth.

Length and breadth of M3, 31/16; of M, 20/14;

of P4, 16/9,5; P;, 16/9; of

(root), 4/1.

Length of the three molars, 70; of the three

molars, 48, length PrMa, 1

External height of the fresh molars, 10.

Length of the diastema between P1 and P. 13.

Depth of the jaw under the first molar, 35

of M1, 17/12,5;

Pa, 15/7; of Pi

posterior pre

17.

individual, with the last molar and the four piemolars preserved. An

isolated upper Ml.

2. Smaller form (Form B) (Textfig. 5).

Material: The fragmentary lower jaw (right ramus) of an old

276 BulLetin of the Geological Society of China

Description:

Lower jaw rather similar in shape to the larger Form A, except

for the relatively shorter diastema between the first and the secondpremolar. Enamel corrugated; br..chyodont; molars with mesostylid and

Palaeo-'i,etiiz fold. P, simple, with two coalescent roots M' as in FormA,. but much smaller.

9 1 2cm.

Fig. 5. - Pdaecyx ,. (Lagunse,x mpsosz?). Fom B. Lower jew. Slightlyr,,Dim.en3ions:

Length and breadth of M1, 19/10; of P4, 12,5/6; of P,, 12/5;

of P, 9/3; of P1, 3/1,5.

Length of the three posterior lower premolars, 34.

Length of the diasteina between P1 and P2, 2.

Length and breadth of upper M', 12/13.

Teiihc&rd:Miôcene Cervids from Shantung 277

Comparisons:

If they had been found in a European site, the above described

jaws would, without any hesitation, be determined as Palaeomeryx.But here, however, a question arises. On the one hand, both Form A

and Form B are built so much on the same pattern that they nnot

be conveniently separated into two genera. On the other hand, Form B

would rather fit because of the size, of the skull (as estimated from the

portion of the frontal preserved on the genotype i Heterocemas")

with the antlers of Lagomeryx found in association.

Hence the possibility, or even the probability, that both antlersand jaws (A and Bl collected in Shanwang must be rpf erred to thesame and one single form, viz. Lagomeryx: in which case the discovery

of antlers corresponding to the larger type A of jaws should be expected.

And hence the suspicion too that in Europe the names Lagomerjjx and

Pojaeomeryx might have been given (as already noted. for instance, by

RomanA) to the antlers and the jaws f one and the same animalrespectively.

Observatios.s on the systenw..ti vosition of Lagomeryx.

In Younj's original description of Heterocemas the form was

regarded as possibly referable t' the Antilocapridae. Its new identi-fication as a Lagomeryx and the probable association of the genotype

(antler) with teeth of a non-Antilocapridae type2, definitely exclude such

a -hypothesis. flut after all, what is" tbe true zoological position of

* R oxean, F. nd Virol. j. La Faune de Mamznifexea du Buxdigaliàn de Ja Romicu. Mem.Soc. GoI. Fquiuce. Motiv. 5exi. T. LX, faac. 2.3', 1934. p. 52.

Z In Antilocapridac the teilt axe decidedly slteep.Li.kc.

278 Bulletin of the Geological Society of China

Lagomeryx?

The usual reference of the genus to the Cervids is supported bythe branched antlers, by the general pattern of the teeth and more

especially by the presence of a tusk-like upper canine. But these are

rather general and equivocal characters, contradicted by such features as:

1. the very peculiar shape of the upper molars (ejcternal sides of the

two lobes asymmetrical); 2. the characteristically corrugated enamel of

the teeth; 3. chiefly, the occurrence of a permanent sheet over the bony

part of the antlers. In fact, Legomeryx, as far as we know it, may just

as much be regarded as an aberrant Girafild as an aberrant Cervid.

My impression after studying the Shanwang Lagomeryx is that,

if one wishes to accord it its proper pIac and full significance, a new

and special family ought to be erected fOr Lagomeryx, Procervulus and

other so-called Cervids (with non-deciduous antlers) of the Old World

Miocene. This extinct family, connecting the Giraffidae and the Cervidae,

would parallelize to some extent the Antilocapridae of the New World,

though derived from quite a different stem.