The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China
To approach a comprehensive understanding of the Equus Datum, we summarize the history of the study of Chinese fossil equids, from the “dragon bones” stage to scientific investigation, by Chinese, European and American people, and then review the stenonid species in China and discuss the phylogeneti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00429/full |
| _version_ | 1818013999722135552 |
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| author | Boyang Sun Boyang Sun Tao Deng Tao Deng Tao Deng |
| author_facet | Boyang Sun Boyang Sun Tao Deng Tao Deng Tao Deng |
| author_sort | Boyang Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To approach a comprehensive understanding of the Equus Datum, we summarize the history of the study of Chinese fossil equids, from the “dragon bones” stage to scientific investigation, by Chinese, European and American people, and then review the stenonid species in China and discuss the phylogenetic relationships of early Equus. We conclude that there were at least two dispersal waves of Equus into the Old World from North America, and the second wave led to a radiation of the genus Equus in China. In China, the ages of the lower boundaries of the fossiliferous layers in classical Early Pleistocene faunal localities are all around 2.5 Ma (close to the age of the lower boundary of the Quaternary) according to magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic analyses. All of the geochronological results reveal China as an evolutionary center of Equus in Eurasia. In the late Neogene, the dominant equid lineage in China was Hipparionini. Even in the Pliocene, when hipparionines were not as widespread as before, there were still 5 genera and 7 species. In the Early Pleistocene, the hipparionines included only 2 genera and 2 species. In the meantime, global cooling caused Arctic ice sheets to form, lowering the sea level so that the Bering land bridge fell dry and allowed Equus to disperse into China. The rise of Equus was accompanied by the recession of hipparionines. The dispersal and radiation of Equus in China were not a coincidence, but a complicated process of adaptation and competition, and a comprehensive outcome of significant climatic, tectonic and biotic events. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:40:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-643c8c9addc144b4a4d40b3f6a92c1ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:40:13Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-643c8c9addc144b4a4d40b3f6a92c1ff2022-12-22T02:07:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2019-11-01710.3389/fevo.2019.00429451220The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in ChinaBoyang Sun0Boyang Sun1Tao Deng2Tao Deng3Tao Deng4Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaCAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaTo approach a comprehensive understanding of the Equus Datum, we summarize the history of the study of Chinese fossil equids, from the “dragon bones” stage to scientific investigation, by Chinese, European and American people, and then review the stenonid species in China and discuss the phylogenetic relationships of early Equus. We conclude that there were at least two dispersal waves of Equus into the Old World from North America, and the second wave led to a radiation of the genus Equus in China. In China, the ages of the lower boundaries of the fossiliferous layers in classical Early Pleistocene faunal localities are all around 2.5 Ma (close to the age of the lower boundary of the Quaternary) according to magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic analyses. All of the geochronological results reveal China as an evolutionary center of Equus in Eurasia. In the late Neogene, the dominant equid lineage in China was Hipparionini. Even in the Pliocene, when hipparionines were not as widespread as before, there were still 5 genera and 7 species. In the Early Pleistocene, the hipparionines included only 2 genera and 2 species. In the meantime, global cooling caused Arctic ice sheets to form, lowering the sea level so that the Bering land bridge fell dry and allowed Equus to disperse into China. The rise of Equus was accompanied by the recession of hipparionines. The dispersal and radiation of Equus in China were not a coincidence, but a complicated process of adaptation and competition, and a comprehensive outcome of significant climatic, tectonic and biotic events.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00429/fullEquus Datumstenonidevolutionenvironment changepaleozoogeography |
| spellingShingle | Boyang Sun Boyang Sun Tao Deng Tao Deng Tao Deng The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Equus Datum stenonid evolution environment change paleozoogeography |
| title | The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China |
| title_full | The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China |
| title_fullStr | The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China |
| title_short | The Equus Datum and the Early Radiation of Equus in China |
| title_sort | equus datum and the early radiation of equus in china |
| topic | Equus Datum stenonid evolution environment change paleozoogeography |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2019.00429/full |
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