Paleobiota of the Liushu Formation

The Liushu formation is a geological formation in the Gansu province of China that spans up to 100 m thick and is widely distributed within the Linxia Basin, with a paleomagnetic age of between 11 and 6.4 Mya (Upper/Late Miocene).

An artist's illustration of the Paleobiota and environment of the upper part of the Liushu formation

The formation is divided into three parts which represent three different ages, generally referred to as the "upper part" (youngest, at 6-7 mya), the "middle part" (intermediate, at 9 to 7.6 mya. Also known as the Dashengou fauna, and the "lower part" (oldest).[1][2]

Mammals

Perissodactyla

The Liushu formation displays a lineage of Elasmotheriine rhinoceros throughout its stratigraphy. Iranotherium is restricted to the middle part of the formation but remains become absent in the overlying layers, the only Elasmotheriine that can be found in the upper layers is Sinotherium.

Genus	Species	Locality	Material	Notes
Upper part
Ancylotherium	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]		A Shizotheriine Chalicothere
Hipparion	H. coelophyes[3]	Guanghe County[3]		An ancient horse
Sinotherium	S. lagrelii[3]	Guanghe County[3]	A partial Skull	An Elasmotheriine, ancestral to Elasmotherium. Displays the important transition from nose-horned to forehead horned Rhinos.
Middle part
Acerorhinus	hezhengensis			A acerorhine rhino
Chilotherium	C. wimani	Guanghe County[3]		A tusked rhino
Hipparion	H. chiai			An ancient horse
Hipparion	H. weihoensis			An ancient horse
Iranotherium	I. morgani[2]	Guanghe County[2]	one female skull, one male skull, and one isolated mandible	An elasmotheriine with unique sexual dimorphism. Ancestral to Sinotherium
Lower part
Hipparion	H. dongxiangense[4]
Ningxiatherium	sp.
Parelasmotherium	P. linxiaense[4]	Dongxiang County[4]	A mostly complete skull	A grazing Elasmotheriine that coexisted with another browsing Elasmotheriine (Ningxiatherium).
Parelasmotherium	P. simplum[4]

Artiodactyla

Genus	Species	County	Notes
Upper part
Dicrocerus	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	an ancient deer
Paleotragus	microdon[3]	Guanghe County[3]	an ancient giraffid
Protoryx	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	an ancient bovid
Sinotragus	wimani[3]	Guanghe County[3]	an ancient bovid
Middle part
Chleuastochoerus	stehlini		a prehistoric pig
Dicrocerus	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	an ancient deer
Gazella	sp.
Hezhengia	bohlini		a bovid
Honanotherium	schlosseri		an ancient giraffid
Miotragocerus	sp.		an extinct antelope
Samotherium	sp.		an ancient giraffid
Lower part
Shaanxispira	sp.[4]		an ancient bovid

Caniformia

Genus	Species	County	Member	Notes
Melodon	majori		Middle part	a musteloid
Parataxidea[3]	sinensis[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3]	a badger-like mustelid
Promephitis	hootoni
Promephitis	sp.		Middle part	a musteloid
Sinictis	sp.		Middle part	a musteloid
Ursavus[3]	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3]	an early bear

Feliformia

Genus	Species	County	Member	Notes
Amphimachairodus[3]	giganteus[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3] to Middle part	a homotheriine sabercat
Dinocrocuta	gigantea		Middle part	a gigantic hyena
Felis[3]	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3] to Middle part
Hyaenictitherium[3]	wongii[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part to Middle part[3]	a Hyaenid
Hyaenictitherium	hyaenoides[3]		Upper part to Middle part
Ictitherium[3]	sp.[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3] to Middle part	a Hyaenid
Metailurus[3]	major[3]	Guanghe County[3]	Upper part[3]	a metalurin sabercat

Glires

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
Pararhizomys	hipparionum,		Middle part		a rodent

Proboscidea

Genus	Species	County	Member	Material	Notes	Images
Tetralophodon	exoletus		Middle part

Birds

Genus	Species	Locality	Member	Material	Notes
Linxiavis[5]	inaquosus[5]	Tibetian plateu, Gansu provinve	Middle part - Upper part [5]	articulated and associated elements of the wings, shoulder girdle, vertebrae, and hind limb	An extinct Sandgrouse
					Vulture
					Ostrich
					Pheasant
					Falcon
					eogruid

References

"Vertebrata PalAsiatica, Vol. 42, 2004----Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences". english.ivpp.cas.cn. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
Deng, Tao (2005-06-27). "New discovery of Iranotherium morgani (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) from the late Miocene of the Linxia Basin in Gansu, China, and its sexual dimorphism". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 25 (2): 442–450. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0442:NDOIMP]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.
Deng, Tao; Wang, ShiQi; Hou, SuKuan (2013-05-01). "A bizarre tandem-horned elasmothere rhino from the Late Miocene of northwestern China and origin of the true elasmothere". Chinese Science Bulletin. 58 (15): 1811–1817. doi:10.1007/s11434-012-5574-4. ISSN 1861-9541.
Deng, Tao (2007-06-12). "Skull of Parelasmotherium (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) from the upper miocene in the Linxia Basin (Gansu, China)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (2): 467–475. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[467:SOPPRF]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.
Li, Zhiheng; Stidham, Thomas A.; Deng, Tao; Zhou, Zhonghe (2020-03-31). "Evidence of Late Miocene Peri-Tibetan Aridification From the Oldest Asian Species of Sandgrouse (Aves: Pteroclidae)". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 8: 59. doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.00059. ISSN 2296-701X.

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[1] "Vertebrata PalAsiatica, Vol. 42, 2004----Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences". english.ivpp.cas.cn. Retrieved 2020-12-21.

[:0-2] Deng, Tao (2005-06-27). "New discovery of Iranotherium morgani (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) from the late Miocene of the Linxia Basin in Gansu, China, and its sexual dimorphism". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 25 (2): 442–450. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0442:NDOIMP]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.

[:1-3] Deng, Tao; Wang, ShiQi; Hou, SuKuan (2013-05-01). "A bizarre tandem-horned elasmothere rhino from the Late Miocene of northwestern China and origin of the true elasmothere". Chinese Science Bulletin. 58 (15): 1811–1817. doi:10.1007/s11434-012-5574-4. ISSN 1861-9541.

[:3-4] Deng, Tao (2007-06-12). "Skull of Parelasmotherium (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) from the upper miocene in the Linxia Basin (Gansu, China)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 27 (2): 467–475. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[467:SOPPRF]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0272-4634.

[:2-5] Li, Zhiheng; Stidham, Thomas A.; Deng, Tao; Zhou, Zhonghe (2020-03-31). "Evidence of Late Miocene Peri-Tibetan Aridification From the Oldest Asian Species of Sandgrouse (Aves: Pteroclidae)". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 8: 59. doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.00059. ISSN 2296-701X.