New murids (Mammalia: Rodentia) from the Lufeng hominoid locality, late Miocene of China

Abstract

The Lufeng hominoid locality, China, yields two murid taxa, Progonomys yunnanensis, sp. nov., and Yunomys wui, gen. et sp. nov. P. yunnanensis is more advanced than P. debruijni from the Dhok Pathan Formation of Pakistan and slightly more advanced than P. cathalai from the Vallesian of Europe. It suggests a middle Baodean age (=middle Turolian, MN 12 equivalent) and a somewhat younger age than 8 Ma for the Lufeng fauna. Yunomys wui is closely related to the Karnimata-Parapelomys complex of Neogene south Asian murids. Both murids have affinities with subtropical elements ranging from the Mediterranean region through East Africa and across southern Asia.