古脊椎动物学报（中英文）2026，Vol.64Issue(1)：59-73,15.DOI:10.19615/j.cnki.2096-9899.251118
甘肃龙担后枝角鹿(Metacervocerus longdanensis)(鹿科,哺乳纲)头骨新材料及中国后枝角鹿属厘定
A new cranium of Metacervocerus longdanensis(Cervidae,Mammalia)and the genus Metacervocerus in China
摘要
Abstract
This study documents a skull of the large cervid Nipponicervus longdanensis from the Early Pleistocene(～2.6-2.1 Ma)of Longdan,Gansu,China.Morphological comparisons indicate that N.longdanensis exhibits the type of"adaptive"distal fork(anterior tine smaller and oriented along the beam)that differs from the type species Nipponicervus praenipponicus,while it is aligned with Metacervocerus Dietrich,1938,necessitating reclassification as Metacervocerus longdanensis.The cranium exhibits posteriorly inclined pedicles demonstrating phylogenetic affinity with M.elegans(Nihewan Basin)and M.rhenanus(Europe),while derived features including a shortened neurocranium,rostrally tapered basioccipital,and duplicated P4 protocone distinguish it as an advanced lineage within the genus.Character assessments reveal that Metacervocerus is potentially paraphyletic because Metacervocerus?shansius and Metacervocerus?punjabiensis retain plesiomorphic conditions(elongated braincase,simple P4 morphology),while they exhibit pronouncedly erected pedicles and lyrated antler beams,suggesting a divergent lineage from Metacervocerus longdanensis.Previously published isotopic data(δ13C=-10.9‰±0.9‰,δ18O=-7.5‰±0.9‰,n=4)indicate a semi-open habitat and a browsing-to-mixed feeding ecology of M.longdanensis.This revision resolves persistent taxonomic uncertainties in Eurasian Cervinae while elucidating East Asia's biogeographic significance in driving cervid morphological radiation during the Plio-Pleistocene transition.关键词
甘肃龙担/更新世/鹿科/后枝角鹿(Metacervocerus)/日本鹿(Nipponicervus)/食性生态Key words
Longdan,Gansu/Pleistocene/Cervidae/Metacervocerus/Nipponicervus/feeding ecology分类
生物科学引用本文复制引用
王世骐,马姣,付娇,白炜鹏..甘肃龙担后枝角鹿(Metacervocerus longdanensis)(鹿科,哺乳纲)头骨新材料及中国后枝角鹿属厘定[J].古脊椎动物学报（中英文）,2026,64(1):59-73,15.基金项目
国家重点研发计划项目(编号:2023YFF0804501)和国家自然科学基金(批准号:42472004,42430207,42402025)资助. We thank Deng Tao,and Jiangzuo Qigao for various discussions on the Cervidae evolution particularly those regarding the specimen.We thank Zhu Xichao(NACRC)for facilitating access to samples of extant Cervinae.We thank the reviewers R.Croitor and B.Zhang for their important suggestions regarding this paper.This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2023YFF0804501),National Natural Science Foundation of China(42472004,42430207,42402025). （编号:2023YFF0804501）
