报告人：Mohd Waqas

报告题目：New Perissodactyl Materials from the Eocene of India: A Key to Unraveling the Origins and Early Diversification of Odd-Toed Ungulates in Asia

合作导师：白滨

评审委员会主任：张颖奇

委员（按姓氏拼音顺序）：邓涛、李茜、王元青、张兆群

时间：2026年10月9日(星期五) 上午9:00

地点：317会议室

内容简介：The Eocene epoch was a pivotal period in mammalian evolution, marked by rapid diversification of modern clades during major climatic and tectonic changes. The Early to Middle Eocene Subathu Group in the northwestern Himalaya (Kalakot, Jammu and Kashmir, India) yields a rich terrestrial fauna crucial for understanding evolutionary dynamics following the India-Asia collision. Perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates) originated near the Paleocene-Eocene boundary (~56 Ma) and diversified rapidly across Laurasia. However, the role of the Indian subcontinent—isolated during much of the early Paleogene—remains key to understanding the early perissodactyl dispersal, biogeography, and ecological adaptation. Over the last five decades, paleontological explorations have revealed quantum leaps in our understanding of these assemblages, highlighting their role in documenting the origins of key mammalian clades, including perissodactyls (such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs) and their precursors.

Recent fieldwork in newly unsampled localities around Kalakot yielded an unprecedented collection of Eocene fossil vertebrates, with over 10% representing perissodactyl-related materials, including well-preserved mandibles, maxillae, isolated teeth, and postcrania. These discoveries reveal higher diversity than previously recognized, challenging existing biogeographic models and prompting a comprehensive restudy of Indian perissodactylomorphs and stem taxa like anthracobunids. This study will integrate systematic revision, high-resolution Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA), mesowear analysis, and micro-computed tomography (). The primary goals are to establish a revised taxonomic and phylogenetic framework for Indian stem perissodactyls, reconstruct their paleodiets and feeding behaviors, and clarify biogeographic links between Indian and East Asian Eocene faunas. By evaluating dietary adaptations and ecological niche partitioning alongside co-occurring fauna, this project will elucidate whether Indian perissodactyls were endemics or active participants in early trans-Eurasian dispersals. Ultimately, this study aims to refine the evolutionary history of odd-toed ungulates and strengthen paleontological ties across Asia.

欢迎全所老师、同学参加。