Cranial Skeletons of Hipparion (Perissodactyla, Mammalia) from Maragheh (Turolian, Late Miocene), Northwest Iran

Abstract

Cranial skeletons of Hipparion collected from Maragheh, northwest Iran were studied. On the basis of facial and dental morphology, four morphotypes of skull were recognized in Maragheh hipparions, namely, 1) H. gettyi; 2) H. moldavicum; 3) H. prostylum; and 4) H. urmiense. The morphotypes in the cranial elements were correlated with those in the postcranial bones. By this the correspondence between the facial morphology and postcranial proportions are attained, allowing increase of characters available for studies on functional morphology and taxonomy. Based on those characters, we discussed phylogenetic relationships of the Maragheh Hipparion with other Eurasian late Miocene hipparions. They show similarity to those from the Turolian beds in northern China.