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Late Miocene gazelles (Bovidae, Antilopini) from fossil localities in Western and Northwest Iran

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Abstract

The first detailed systematic analysis of the mammal fossils from Dimeh, a new locality in the Zagros basin of Iran, is presented here. The fossil material studied includes cranial remains mostly horn cores of gazelles. Along with these fossils, some new gazelle material recovered from the renowned fossil localities of the middle Maragheh biostratigraphic levels in northwest Iran are also described. The fossils are attributed to three species: Gazella capricornis, G. cf. pilgrimi and Gazella aff. mytilinii. The last two species are recorded for the first time in Iran. The co-occurrence of the first two taxa in the Dimeh assemblage, together with other bovids, suggests a paleobiological spectrum more similar to the Samos fauna in Greece. The two gazelle species also indicate the presence of open environments in the Zagros area around 8–7 Ma (early-middle Turolian).

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Data availability

All materials are deposited in public institutions. Data used in statistical analysis are available in the supplementary material or upon request.

Abbreviations

DOE:

Department of Environment (environment protection organization of Iran)

FM:

Field Museum

KA:

Karaj Abad

KUE:

Kyoto University Expedition

LOR:

Lorestan

M, m:

Upper and lower molars

MMTT:

Muze Melli Tarikh Tabeie (i.e., National Museum of Natural History), Tehran

MN:

European Neogene land mammal units

MOR:

Mordagh

P, p:

Upper and lower premolars

PRCI:

Paleontological Research Center of Iran

UCR:

University of California, Riverside

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Acknowledgements

Iran’s Department of Environment and MMTT supported the excavations at Dimeh and Maragheh and give permission to study the fossils for this publication. We appreciate early efforts by Geological Survey and Cultural Heritage Organization of Iran, as well as all the DOE/MMTT staff (Tehran and Lorestan offices) who assisted and participated in Dimeh excavations. DSK trip to Iran was supported by a grant to Anu Kaakinen (University of Helsinki) from the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto). We are grateful for the helpful comments and text edits provided by Faysal Bibi and an anonymous reviewer.

Funding

Field work for this research is supported by the National Museum of Natural History (MMTT), Department of Environment, Iran. DSK trip to Iran was supported by a grant to Anu Kaakinen (University of Helsinki) from the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Zahra Orak & Ali Solgi

  2. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, 3879145371, Iran

    Majid Mirzaie Ataabadi

  3. Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran

    Mahmoud Reza Majidifard

  4. Laboratory of Geology and Palaeontology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Dimitris S. Kostopoulos

Authors
  1. Zahra Orak
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  2. Majid Mirzaie Ataabadi
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  3. Ali Solgi
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  4. Mahmoud Reza Majidifard
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  5. Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
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Contributions

Conceptualization (ZO, MMA, AS, MRM), Methodology (ZO, MMA, DSK), Analysis and investigations (ZO, DSK), Writing original draft (ZO, MMA), Draft review, data comparison and editing (DSK).

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Majid Mirzaie Ataabadi.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Responsible Editor: Attila Ciner

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Orak, Z., Mirzaie Ataabadi, M., Solgi, A. et al. Late Miocene gazelles (Bovidae, Antilopini) from fossil localities in Western and Northwest Iran. Arab J Geosci 14, 200 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06421-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06421-4

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