Tauromeryx, a new genus of Palaeomerycidae (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from the Miocene of Tarazona de Aragon (Ebro Basin, Aragon, Spain)

Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Estratigrafia eta Paleontologia Saila, Bilbao, Spain
Museo Nacional de Ciencias, Spain
Institut de Paleontologia, Spain

A new genus--Tauromeryx--of Palaeomerycidae corresponding to the species previously denominated Triceromeryx turiasonensis, from the Middle Miocene of Tarazona de Aragon (Ebro Basin, Spain), is defined in this work. Tauromeryx can be differentiated from other Palaeomerycidae by the thin, smooth and sharp-pointed shape of their supraorbital ossicones and by the poorly developed bifurcate occipital appendage, with a dorsoventrally compressed basal section and simple points. The occipital appendage of the Palaeomerycidae develops from the upper part of the supraoccipital bone. Three main stages may be postulated in the evolution of the cranial region of Palaeomerycidae: a hornless initial stage, perhaps represented by Oriomeryx and Bedenomeryx: a second stage, unknown in the fossil record, without occipital appendages but with frontal ossicones: and a third stage which corresponds to the Palaeomerycidae including Ampelomeryx, Triceromeryx and Tauromeryx, adorned with frontal and occipital appendages.

This record provided courtesy of AGI/GeoRef.