Siwalik Hills (Pliocene of Pakistan)

Where: Pakistan (30.7° N, 76.8° E: paleocoordinates 29.2° N, 77.3° E)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

When: Pinjor Formation, Pliocene (5.3 - 2.6 Ma)

• formation-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: fluvial; lithology not reported

Size class: macrofossils

Collection methods: Local environment (based on mammals) is open grassland,with some bushland ansd wooded grassland.

Primary reference: M. Pickford. 2007. Revision of the Mio-Pliocene bunodont otter-like mammals of the Indian Subcontinent. Estudios Geologicos 63(1):83-127 [M. Uhen/M. Uhen/M. Uhen]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 92070: authorized by Mark Uhen, entered by Mark Uhen on 28.10.2009, edited by Evangelos Vlachos, Bethany Allen and Grace Varnham

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• This faunal list is an amalgamation of specimens collected at a number of localities in the area. Gastropods, etc., are mentioned but not described. Also 'unionids' listed.
Show authors, comments, and common names
Reptilia
 Crocodylia - Crocodylidae
Crocodylus palustris8, Crocodylus cf. palustris8
Crocodylus palustris8 Lesson 1831 mugger crocodile
BMNH-39798 (skull)
Crocodylus cf. palustris8 Lesson 1831 mugger crocodile
E42 (mandible fragment)
 Crocodylia - Gavialidae
Gavialis browni8, Gavialis gangeticus8, Gavialis cf. gangeticus8, Rhamphosuchus crassidens n. sp.6
Gavialis browni8 Mook 1932 gharial
E-13 (snout)
Gavialis gangeticus8 Gmelin 1789 Gharial
E-11 (partial rostrum), originally labelled as Gharialis leptodus; BMNH-36727 (cranium fragment); E-25 (cranium fragment)
Gavialis cf. gangeticus8 Gmelin 1789 Gharial
E-20 (mandibular fragments)
Rhamphosuchus crassidens n. sp.6 Cautley and Falconer 1840 crocodilian
BMNH 39802 (holotype), piece of rostrum; BMNH 39804, middle portion of cranium; BMNH 29803, hind portion of mandibular symphysis; BMNH R. 760, quadrate and quadratojugal; BMNH 16218, partial mandibular symphysis; BMNH R. 776, cervical vertebra; BMNH R. 776a, early dorsal vertebra; BMNH R. 759, early dorsal vertebra; BMNH R. 761, early dorsal vertebra; BMNH R. 761a, early dorsal vertebra; BMNH R. 762, dorsal vertebra; BMNH R. 763, dorsal vertebra; BMNH R.763a, late dorsal or lumbar vertebra; BMNH R. 764, late dorsal or lumbar vertebra; BMNH R. 766a, left ilium; BMNH R. 766b, small left ilium; BMNH 18460, right fibula; BMNH R. 766, large scute; BMNH 17066, dorsal scute; BMNH 39817, large dorsal scute; BMNH R. 783, dorsal scute
 Squamata - Varanidae
Varanus sivalensis1
Varanus sivalensis1 Falconer 1868 monitor lizard
distal end of right humerus; dorsal vertebrae
 Testudines - Emydidae
"Bataguridae indet." = Batagurinae8, Omegachelys sahnii8, Emyda vittata7
"Bataguridae indet." = Batagurinae8 Gray 1870 turtle
E-105 (right hypoplastron); E-106 (left hypoplastron)
Omegachelys sahnii8 Srivastava and Schleich 2018 turtle
H 18/1 (carapace)
Emyda vittata7 Peters 1854 turtle
BMNH 39618, imperfect adult shell; BMNH 39833, imperfect adult shell; BMNH R.1441, conjoined right hyo- and hypoplastral; BMNH 1441b, right anterior marginal bone; BMNH 1441c, right half of nuchal; BMNH 48445, small marginal bone
 Testudines - Testudinidae
Testudo cautleyi n. sp.7, Testudo atlas n. sp.7, "Megalochelys sivalensis n. gen. n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis2, "Testudo punjabiensis n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis7, "Colossochelys atlas n. gen. n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis3, Cachuga tectum7
Testudo cautleyi n. sp.7 Lydekker 1889 turtle
BMNH R.937 (holotype), epiplastrals; BMNH R.955, part of epiplastrals from small individual
Testudo atlas n. sp.7 Falconer and Cautley 1844 turtle
BMNH 40603 (holotype), imperfect epiplastrals of an adult; BMNH R.326a, nuchal bone; BMNH 16903, 1st and 2nd marginal on left side; BMNH 16903a, part of left side of shell; BMNH 16909, 1st marginal bone on left side; BMNH 16904, part of 2nd and 3rd marginal on left side; BMNH R.326c, incomplete 7th and 8th marginals on left side; BMNH 326b, posterior end of carapace; BMNH 16897, right inguinal region of carapace; BMNH R.326d, right inguinal region of carapace; BMNH R.326e, partial 7th and 8th marginal bones on right side; BMNH 16940, imperfect epiplastrals of an adult; BMNH 16941, Imperfect epiplastrals and entoplastral of an adult; BMNH R.326i, piece of epiplastrals; BMNH R.920, posterior extremity of epiplastral carina; BMNH 16955, right epiplastral of a juvenile; BMNH 40629, posterior extremity of plastron; BMNH R.326r, part of right side of plastron
"Megalochelys sivalensis n. gen. n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis2 Falconer and Cautley 1837 turtle
Holotype: BMNH-40630, an epiplastron; E-80 (epiplastron) originally referred to as geoudo punjabiensis; PUA/702 (shell), E-76 (epiplastron), E-77 (skull), originally referred to as Colossochelys atlas; E-82 (epiplastra) and E-86 (right peripheral 11) originally referred to as Cautleya annuliger
"Testudo punjabiensis n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis7 Falconer and Cautley 1837 turtle
BMNH R.599 (cast of holotype) from "Pliocene Siwaliks of the Punjab", partial right epiplastral; BMNH R.599a, cast of left epiplastral; BMNH R.600, cast of nuchal bone
"Colossochelys atlas n. gen. n. sp." = Megalochelys sivalensis3 Falconer and Cautley 1837 turtle
Cachuga tectum7 Gray 1831 turtle
BMNH 39837, incomplete shell
 Testudines - Geoemydidae
"Bellia sivalensis n. sp." = Melanochelys sivalensis7, "Bellia theobaldi n. sp." = Melanochelys sivalensis7, Melanochelys tapani n. sp.4, Melanochelys trijuga8, Palatochelydia indet.4, "Geoclemys hamiltonii" = Geoclemys hamiltonii8, "Clemmys palaeindica n. sp." = Geoclemys hamiltonii5, "Batagur bakeri n. sp." = Batagur kachuga7, Batagur cautleyi n. sp.5, "Batagur durandi n. sp." = Batagur dhongoka7, cf. Batagur baska8, "Hardella thurjii" = Hardella thurjii8, "Batagur falconeri n. sp." = Hardella thurjii5, Pangshura sp.5
"Bellia sivalensis n. sp." = Melanochelys sivalensis7 Lydekker 1885 Indian black turtles
BMNH R.1514 (cast of holotype), imperfect shell
"Bellia theobaldi n. sp." = Melanochelys sivalensis7 Lydekker 1885 Indian black turtles
BMNH R.1515 (cast of holotype), imperfect shell
Melanochelys tapani n. sp.4 Garbin et al. 2020 Indian black turtles
Melanochelys trijuga8 Schweigger 1812 Indian black turtle
E-89 (shell) originally labelled as Clemmys theobaldi; E-90 (shell) originally labelled as Clemmys sivalensis; E-92 (shell) originally labelled as Clemmys punjabiensis; E-93 (shell) originally labelled as Clemmys hydaspica; K-53/222 (shell)
Palatochelydia indet.4 Joyce and Lyson 2010 turtle
BMNH 39840, incomplete juvenile shell; BMNH 39838, adult shell; BMNH R.887, partial unusually large shell
"Geoclemys hamiltonii" = Geoclemys hamiltonii8 Gray 1831 Spotted pond turtle
BMNH-39838 (shell)
"Clemmys palaeindica n. sp." = Geoclemys hamiltonii5 Gray 1831 Spotted pond turtle
BMNH 39838, partial shell
"Batagur bakeri n. sp." = Batagur kachuga7 Gray 1831 Red-crowned roofed turtle
BMNH 39835a (holotype), incomplete shell; BMNH R.891, partial juvenile shell
Batagur cautleyi n. sp.5 Lydekker 1885 turtle
BMNH 39834 and IM E.178, partial shells
"Batagur durandi n. sp." = Batagur dhongoka7 Gray 1834 Three-striped roofed turtle
BMNH 39841 (holotype), adult shell
cf. Batagur baska8 Gray 1831 River terrapin
E-104 (nuchal), E-108 (peripheral)
"Hardella thurjii" = Hardella thurjii8 Gray 1831 turtle
E-176 (shell), W19/178 (shell)
"Batagur falconeri n. sp." = Hardella thurjii5 Gray 1831 turtle
BMNH 39835, partial shell
Pangshura sp.5 Gray 1856 turtle
BMNH 17435, partial shell
Mammalia
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Enhydriodon sivalensis, Enhydriodon falconeri
Enhydriodon sivalensis Falconer 1868 otter
Enhydriodon falconeri Pilgrim 1932 otter
1de Fejérváry 1918; 2Falconer and Cautley 1837; 3Falconer and Cautley 1844; 4Garbin et al. 2020; 5Lydekker 1885; 6Lydekker 1888; 7Lydekker 1889; 8Srivastava and Schleich 2018