Chronological Sequence and Subdivision of Chinese Neogene
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ELSEVIER Palaeogeography,Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 116 (1995) 41-70 Chronological sequence and subdivision of Chinese Neogene mammalian faunas * Zhanxiang Qiu and ZhudingQiu Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China Received 21 January 1994; revised and accepted 28 September 1994 Abstract Six land mammal ages are recognized for the Neogene of East Asia. The ages are based upon updated large and small mammal faunas and replace or redefine the land mammal stages erected by Li et al. (1984). Comparisons and correlations are made to faunas in Europe, Northern and Southern Asia, and North America, In addition, methods of utilizing mammalian faunal data to define and recognize geochronologic ages are discussed. 1. Introduction marine sequences were enhanced. In China system- atic research in Neogene stratigraphy began only Chinese Neogene deposits to date have yet to in the late 1970s. Li et al. (1984) conducted an be categorically recognized, in contrast with introductory profile of recent international devel- Europe, where a standard sequence of continental opments and made preliminary correlations of the Neogene sediments and their chronologic subdivi- Chinese Neogene with that of Europe above the sions has been developed. A vast majority of level of stage/age. Research during the past decade Chinese Neogene sediments pertain to continental has gradually refined the correlation precision to facies although some marine sediments are located the stage/age level. These recent results are scat- along the southeast coastal region and in the tered throughout the literature on individual taxo- southwestern corner of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang nomic descriptions and often out of sight of the Autonomous Region. Consequently, in China, reli- stratigraphers in general. Recently, Z.X. Qiu able chronologic subdivision of Neogene terrestrial (1989) provided a succession of Chinese Neogene sediments is best provided through the application mammal localities with their chronologic subdivi- of fossil mammals, by virtue of their high evolu- sions. Utilizing that text as a foundation, this tionary rates, abilities for far-ranging migration, paper augments the information by the inclusion and high probability for being fossilized. of recent micromammal data to provide a further After the conclusion of World War II, both basis for chronologic subdivision and correlations. Europe and North America made rapid advance- ments in Neogene research. Traditional subdivi- sions of Neogene sediments were greatly modified 2. A brief introduction to the Chinese Neogene and the precision for correlation of terrestrial to mammalian local faunas and their succession * Translated by Will Downs, BilbyResearch Center, Northern This text adopts the terminology "local fauna" Arizona University, Flagstaff,AZ 86011-6013 USA. proposed by H.E. Wood et al. (1941). Woodburne 0031-0182/95/$9.50 © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved SSDI 0031-0182(94)00095-6 42 Z Qiu, Z. Qiu/Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 116 (1995) 41 70 (1987) later defined the term as: "An assemblage specialized Oligocene fauna. The consensus of of fossil vertebrates of specific taxonomic composi- European work over the past several decades has tion recovered from one or a few sites that are shifted the Aquitanian Stage from the Oligocene closely spaced stratigraphically and geographi- into the Miocene, which pushes the Lower cally." Tedford (1970) interpreted "local fauna" Miocene boundary back to approximately 24 Ma. as a reflection of what is actually and most primar- The Lanzhou taxa Tsaganomys, Leptotataromys, ily discovered with little element of abstraction and Tataromys grangeri are elements frequently and extrapolation. The precise definition of observed in Middle to Late Oligocene assemblages; "fauna" then, is an aggregation of many taxa of however, T. suni is a derived ctenodactylid, the mammals from a few stratigraphic levels, over a type specimen of which was found in the Miocene relatively broad area, with more elements of Xiejia Local Fauna. This situation is very similar abstraction. For brevity's sake, in case no special to that of Aquitanian mammal assemblages in emphasis is needed and no ambiguity may occur, Europe. (2) Two faunas in the former Soviet the generalized term "fauna" is applied. The over- Union, Agysp6 in Kazakhstan and Benara in all arrangements of these ages and their interconti- Georgia, have similar relationships and are recog- nental correlations are summarized in Table 1 and nized as earliest Miocene. The former locality the locations of their local faunas are shown produces taxa including Desmatolagus and in Fig. 1. Tataromys cf. deflexus; the latter locality produces forms including Brontotheriidae, Tsaganomys, 2.1. Earl); Miocene." Xiejia Age Lophiomeryx, and others. These taxa clearly indi- cate these faunas to be a bit more archaic. If these Lanzhou Local Fauna two faunas are assigned to MN1 (Mammal Locality: North slope of Gaolanshan Mountain, Neogene Zone 1), there is no reason to exclude south of the Lanzhou Railway Station, Gansu the younger Lanzhou fauna from the Miocene. (3) Province. The appearance of Metexallerix, which is much Fossil mammals: Six species total: Metexallerix more advanced than Exallerix from the Middle gaolanshanensis, Tataromys grangerL T. sp., T. Oligocene fauna of Hsanda Gol, Mongolia may sunL Leptotataromys cf. gracilidens, Tsaganomys also favour the assignment. However, with regard altaicus (Qiu and Gu, 1988). to its evolutionary stage, Metexallerix approaches Discussion: Four formations are recognized the earliest North American Brachyerix, the record among the red beds of the Lanzhou Basin accord- of which does not exceed 21 Ma in age. ing to a 1981 report by the Gansu Regional Survey Related faunas: A similar fauna dominated by Brigade: the Xiliugou Fm., Yehucheng Fm., micromammals was discovered in 1982 within the Xianshuihe Fm., and Linxia Fm. The Yehucheng Suosuoquan Formation in the Wulonghe River Fm. is "characterized by abundant gypsum and Valley along the northern borders of the Jungar mirabilite." The aforementioned taxa are reco- Basin, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Taxa pub- vered from abundantly gypsiferous red clays, lished from this assemblage include Prodistylomys which undoubtedly represent the Yehucheng Fm. xinjiangensis (Wang and Qi, 1989) and The regional survey brigade regards the age of Sinolagomys ulunguensis (Tong, 1989). A prelimi- these deposits as Oligocene. nary report by Y.S. Tong et al. (1987) also includes This paper assigns the age of Early Miocene to the genera Palaeoerinaceus, Tachyoryctoides, this fauna for the following reasons: (1) Its faunal Parasminthus, and Palaeogale. Furthermore, a character resembles the European fauna correlated manuscript by M.C. McKenna suggests a new to the Aquitanian marine stage. Its principal ele- species of Exallerix in this fauna. Currently, the ments consist of advanced or derived Oligocene age of the fauna is generally recognized as forms, yet the fauna lacks typical Miocene immi- Oligocene, although S. ulunguensis is demonstrably grants such as Proboscidea and Anchitherium. more derived than Late Oligocene species of the Consequently, it may be regarded as a derived and same genus. This assemblage is regarded here as Table 1 Subdivision and corellation of Chinese terrestrial Neogene faunas .,-7,. EUROPE C H I N A Marine Paratethys Continental CONTINENTAL AGE/ AGE/ IMAMMAL~ DIAGNOSTIC TAXA ~ AGE UNIT AGE Typic~ Related Local Locfl STAGE STAGE AGE ~ (Li, 1984) (Qiu, This Fauna Fauna N < ~' 1989) Text MICRO MAMMALS LARGE MAMMALS N Pliest. Calabrian Biharian Nihewan- Nihewan- Borsodia cldnensis, Mimomys gansunicus Equus sanmeniensis Romanian 18 ian VI ian . Xiashagou Piacenzian Villafran- 17 Youhean Youhe Mimomys orientalis, Germanomys, Elephas youheensis chian 16 Mazegou Jingle Daodi Chardinomys louisi, Pliopentalagus* E" Yushean Chasmaporthetes kani, Pliohyaena, ;~ 15 Jinglean V Bilike Mimomys sp. nov.* Chardmamys yusheensis :~ ~ Zanclian Dagian Ruscinian 14 Gaozhuang Hypolagus,* Rhagapodemus Hipparion (Proboscidipparion) pater, 5 m Nyctereutes, Paracamelus Ertemte Hart Obo Apodemus orientalis, Karnimata, 13 ~ Messinian Orientalomys similis, Lophocricetus Procapreolus, Meles, Martes anderssoni grabaui, Microtodon Pontian Turolian 12 Baodean Baode Qingyang (Loc. 30) Jilong Songshza Hipparion FAUNA Baodean/ Huanggang Heterosorex.# Brachyrhizomys tetracharax. Ailurarctos orientalis, Hipparion nagriensis, Tortonian 11 IV Lufengian Lufeng Kowalskia~* Pmgonomys wui,# Yunomys Lufengpithecus lufengensis ,.d Hipparion weihoense, Dinocrocuta, 10 aahe -10 Pannonian Vallesian Bahean Wuzhong Bulong Ningxiatherium Hipparion,* Anchitherium, Acerorhinus Amuwtlsu 9 Tsaidam Xiaolongtan Democwtcetodon,#Plesiod~us,# Pros~phneus* tsaidamensis 8 Platybelodon grangeri,# Oioceros grangerl, Sarmatian ~ ~ Tunggur Etlanggang Plesiodipus leei, Heterosminthus, Alloptox Lm~'anshan gobiensis, Bellatonaforsythmajori Listriodon -r- Karamaygay = .~ Serravallian Astaracian 7 ~ III ~ Lengshuigou Alloptox minor "Hispanotherium," Paleotragus Sansanosmilus palmidens, Platybelodon tongxinensis,* Kubanochoerus, Chilotherium* •15 o .- Badenian 6 ['~ ['~ ' Dingjiaergou JiulongkouKoujiacun Shanwang Xiaodian • Ansomys shanwangensis, Meinia asiaticus, ' Ursavus orientalis, Palaeotapirus ._ Langhian Diatomys shanwangensis xiejiaheensis, Lagomeryx colberti, Palaeomeryx tricornis -& Karpatian 5 .~~ II Anam~ orienta~ Megt~itz.to&maft