IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Assefa, Z.; Yirga, S.; Reed, K.E. | |
| The large-mammal fauna from the Kibish Formation | |
| 2008 Journal of Human Evolution (55): 501-512 | |
The Kibish faunal remains are useful for reconstructing the habitat of the earliest documented _Homo sapiens_ and for understanding the community within which early modern humans existed. A diverse assemblage of large mammals, including many species of bovids, suids, and equids, has been recovered from the Kibish Formation. There are no extinct large mammals represented in the fossil assemblage, and the overall taxonomic composition of the fossil fauna is similar to the modern-day wildlife community living near the Omo River. The fossil faunal assemblage shows a paucity of arboreal primates, and carnivore species are rare. However, the faunal sample includes possible _Cephalophus_ (duiker) remains and _Hylochoerus meinertzhageni_ (giant forest hog), taxa that are extremely rare in the African fossil record, and both indicate more closed habitats. Comparative analyses of the Kibish faunal remains using the ecological-diversity approach document close associations with edaphic grassland and woodland vegetation types. These vegetation forms are similar to current habitats surrounding the Omo River. |
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