Arrisdrift: Middle Miocene, Namibia

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
unclassified
Viverridae indet. Gray 1821
ETE occurrence; species: Viverridae
    = Namibictis senuti Morales et al. 1998
Morales et al. 1998
    = Namibictus senuti
Pickford and Senut 2000
Climacoceratidae indet. (Hamilton 1978)
ETE occurrence; species: Climacoceratidae
    = Orangemerys hendeyi
Pickford and Senut 2000
Polychaeta - Sabellida - Serpulidae
cf. Mercierella sp. Fauvel 1923
ETE occurrence; species: mak - replaced genus name sp. with family name, species name "feather-duster worm" replaced with sp.
Osteichthyes
Osteichthyes indet. Huxley 1880
ETE occurrence; species: Osteichthyes
Amphibia
Amphibia indet. Linnaeus 1758
ETE occurrence; species: Amphibia
Mammalia - Rodentia - Bathyergidae
cf. Proheliophobius sp. Lavocat 1973
    = Geofossor corvinusae n. gen., n. sp. Mein and Pickford 2003
Mein and Pickford 2003
PQAD 1638 (holotype), snout with upper dentition and both mandibles
Mammalia - Rodentia - Thryonomyidae
cf. Apodecter stromeri Hopwood 1929
    = Paraphiomys orangeus n. sp. Mein and Pickford 2003
Mein and Pickford 2003
AD408'97 (holotype), left mandible with incisor, p4-m3
Mammalia - Rodentia - Sciuridae
Xerini indet.
Mein and Pickford 2003
Vulcanisciurus sp. Lavocat 1973
Mammalia - Rodentia - Pedetidae
Megapedetes informal sp. 1 MacInnes 1957
ETE occurrence; species: sp.1-Arrisdrift
Megapedetes informal sp. 2 MacInnes 1957
ETE occurrence; species: sp.2-Arrisdrift
Mammalia - Rodentia - Cricetidae
Protarsomys sp. Lavocat 1973
Protarsomys lavocati n. sp. Mein and Pickford 2003
Mein and Pickford 2003 17 specimens
AD 483'95, holotype, right mandible with m1-m3
Mammalia - Lagomorpha - Ochotonidae
Austrolagomys sp. Stromer 1926
ETE occurrence; species: . originally entered as "Australagomys
Mammalia - Erinaceidae
Erinaceidae indet. Fischer von Waldheim 1817
ETE occurrence; species: Erinaceidae
    = Amphechinus rusingensis Butler 1956
Mein and Pickford 2003
Mammalia - Chiroptera - Rhinolophidae
Rhinolophus sp. Lacépède 1799
Pickford and Senut 2000
    = Rhinolophus contrarius n. sp. Mein and Pickford 2003
Mein and Pickford 2003
Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Rhinocerotidae
Dicerorhinus sp. Gloger 1841
    = Diceros sp. n. sp. Gray 1821
Pickford and Senut 2000
Mammalia - Suidae
Nguruwe kijivium Pickford 1986
Namachoerus moruoroti (Wilkinson 1976)
original and current combination Lopholistriodon moruoroti
Mammalia - Tragulidae
Dorcatherium pigotti Whitworth 1958
Mammalia - Bovidae
cf. Homoiodorcas sp. Thomas 1981
Mammalia
Orangemeryx hendeyi n. gen., n. sp. Morales et al. 1999
Morales et al. 1999
Mammalia - Creodonta
Hyainailourus sulzeri Biedermann 1863
    = Hyainailouros sulzeri Biedermann 1863
Morales and Pickford 2017
Mammalia - Carnivora - Felidae
Felidae indet. Gray 1821
ETE occurrence; species: Felidae-medium
    = Diamantofelis ferox Morales et al. 1998
Pickford and Senut 2000
Felidae indet. Gray 1821
ETE occurrence; species: Felidae-small
    = Diamantofelis minor Morales et al. 1998
Pickford and Senut 2000
Mammalia - Carnivora - Viverridae
Hyaenidae indet. Gray 1821
ETE occurrence; species: Hyaenidae
    = Africanictis meini Morales et al. 1998
Pickford and Senut 2000
Africanictis meini n. gen., n. sp. Morales et al. 1998
Morales et al. 1998 3 specimens
AD 1791, holotype, maxilla fragment with P3-M2; AD 100'95, left dentary with m1; AD 100'95, right dentary with p2-m1
Africanictis hyaenoides n. sp. Morales et al. 2003
Morales et al. 2003 1 specimen
AD 241'99, left m1
Orangictis gariepensis n. gen., n. sp. Morales et al. 2001
Morales et al. 2001 2 specimens
AD 613'98, hemi-mandible with C-M2 (holotype). AD 119'98, right mandible with C-M1 (paratype)
Mammalia - Carnivora - Amphicyonidae
Amphicyon giganteus Schinz 1825
Ysengrinia sp. Ginsburg 1965
    = Ysengrinia ginsburgi n. sp. Morales et al. 1998
Morales et al. 1998
recombined as Namibiocyon ginsburgi
AD 133, left mandible; two specimens both said to be AD 606'94, maxilla with P3-M1 and edentulous maxilla
Mammalia - Carnivora - Mustelidae
Mustelidae informal indet. 1 Fischer 1817
ETE occurrence; species: sp.1-Arrisdrift
Mustelidae informal indet. 2 Fischer 1817
ETE occurrence; species: sp.2-Arrisdrift
Namibictis senuti n. gen., n. sp. Morales et al. 1998
Morales et al. 1998 1 specimen
AD 614. right mandible
Mammalia - Hyracoidea - Procaviidae
Prohyrax hendeyi Pickford 1994
Mammalia - Chrysochloridae
Prochrysochloris cf. miocaenicus Butler and Hopwood 1957
Mein and Pickford 2003 1 specimen
Mammalia - Tenrecidae
Parageogale sp. Butler 1984
    = Protenrec butleri n. sp. Mein and Pickford 2003
Mein and Pickford 2003
AD 419'99 (holotype), right mandible with p3-m3
Mammalia - Macroscelidea - Myohyracidae
Myohyrax sp. Andrews 1914
Mammalia - Macroscelidea - Macroscelididae
cf. Palaeothentoides sp. Stromer 1932
Mammalia - Tubulidentata - Orycteropodidae
Orycteropus cf. minutus Pickford 1975
Mammalia - Proboscidea - Deinotheriidae
Prodeinotherium hobleyi (Andrews 1911)
Mammalia - Proboscidea - Gomphotheriidae
Afromastodon coppensi n. gen., n. sp. Pickford 2003
Pickford 2003
cf. Gomphotherium sp. Burmeister 1837
Reptilia
Reptilia indet. Laurenti 1768
ETE occurrence; species: Squamata
Reptilia - Testudines - Testudinidae
Chersina sp. Gray 1831
Meylan and Auffenberg 1986
    = Mesochersus orangeus n. gen., n. sp. de Lapparent de Broin 2003
de Lapparent de Broin 2003
Holotype: MSGN, AD 389'96, Pl. IV, Fig. 2 and Pl. V, Fig. 1, left epiplastron.
Geochelone namaquensis (Stromer 1926)
recombined as Namibchersus namaquensis
Reptilia - Testudines - Podocnemididae
aff. Erymnochelys sp. Baur 1888
de Lapparent de Broin 2003
Reptilia - Testudines
Pelomedusa sp. Wagler 1830
de Lapparent de Broin 2003
Reptilia - Serpentes
Serpentes indet. Linnaeus 1758
Rage 2003 1 specimen
one trunk vertebra (PQ AD 707).
Reptilia - Boidae
Python cf. sebae Gmelin 1789
Rage 2003 3 specimens
3 trunk vertebrae (AD 20'97, AD 228'99, AD 32'00).
Reptilia
Colubroidea indet. Oppel 1811
Rage 2003 4 specimens
4 trunk vertebrae (AD 479'94, AD 113'97, AD 423'00, AD 735'00).
Reptilia - Elapidae
cf. Naja sp. Laurenti 1768
Rage 2003 1 specimen
one mid-trunk vertebra (AD 181'94).
Reptilia - Viperidae
Viperidae indet. Oppel 1811
Rage 2003 1 specimen
one trunk vertebra (AD 294'96).
Reptilia - Crotalidae
Bitis sp. (Gray 1842)
Rage 2003 1 specimen
original and current combination Clotho (Bitis)
one trunk vertebra (PQ AD 1110).
Vipera indet. Laurenti 1768
Rage 2003 2 specimens
"Oriental viper or Daboia". two trunk vertebra (AD 467'98, AD 900'97).
Reptilia - Colubridae
Colubridae indet. Oppel 1811
Rage 2003 1 specimen
one trunk vertebra (PQ-AD 3280).
Reptilia - Lacertilia
Lacertilia indet. Owen 1842
Rage 2003 1 specimen
1 trunk vertebra (AD 523'95b).
Reptilia
Amphisbaenia indet. Gray 1844
Rage 2003 1 specimen
1 trunk vertebra (AD 523'95a).
Reptilia - Varanidae
Varanidae indet. Hardwicke and Gray 1824
ETE occurrence; species: Varanidae
Varanus sp. Merrem 1820
Rage 2003 9 specimens
One maxilla (AD 38'99), 9 trunk vertebrae (AD 561'97, AD 466'98, PQ AD 3372, AD 224'94, AD 299'00, AD 500'00, AD 223'94, AD 441'95, PQ AD 3157), 5 caudal vertebrae (AD 239'96, AD 240'96, 502'00, PQ AD 2266, an unnumbered vertebra from the old collection).
Reptilia
Crocodylus lloydi (Fourtau 1918)
    = Crocodylus gariepensis n. sp. Pickford 2003
Pickford 2003
AD 774'99 - type (partial skull lacking the left half of the snout); referred material: PQ AD 1856 (almost complete skull); PQ AD 3300 (left premaxilla and maxilla broken off behind anterior part of palatine fenestra); AD 70'94 (left maxilla with three teeth); PQ AD 999 (left mandible broken off behind the 9th tooth; symphysis is in good condition); PQ AD 1855 (anterior left mandible broken off behind 10th tooth); PQ AD 2673 (left mandible broken off behind the 14th [last] tooth); AD 115'94 (left mandible broken behind the 14th [last] alveolus); AD 135'00 (mandibular symphysis); AD 360'00 (mandibular symphysis) and AD 460'00 (mandible with symphysis + many jaw fragments, isolated teeth, scutes, vertebrae and limb bones)
Reptilia - Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
Accipitridae indet. Viellot 1816
ETE occurrence; species: Accipitridae
Reptilia - Struthioniformes - Struthionidae
Struthionidae indet. Vigors 1825
ETE occurrence; species: Struthionidae
Reptilia - Phasianidae
Phasianidae indet. Horsfield 1821
ETE occurrence; species: Phasianidae
see common names

Geography
Country:Namibia
Coordinates: 28.3° South, 16.5° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:28.8° South, 14.8° East
Time
Period:Neogene Epoch:Miocene
10 m.y. bin:Cenozoic 5
*Period:Tertiary - Tertiary *Epoch:Middle Miocene - Early/Lower Miocene
Key time interval:Middle Miocene
Age range of interval:15.97000 - 11.60800 m.y. ago
* legacy (obsolete) database fields
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy comments: ETE dating method: composite, ETE age comment: correlations of fauna with Faunal Set PIII (E. Africa) and MNO4a (Europe)

"early Middle Miocene"
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: sandstone
Lithology description: ETE rock type adj: interbedded, ETE lithology comments: interbedded with clays, silts, fine grits, gravels and conglomerates, gypsum crystals in clay, frequent cut and fill
Environment:"channel"
Geology comments: ETE sed env 1: fluvial, ETE sed env 2: channel ETE event: ., ETE env comment: occas. flowing water, mostly quiet, shallow pool
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Size of fossils:macrofossils
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:selective quarrying,surface (in situ)
Collection size:40 specimens
Reason for describing collection:general faunal/floral analysis
Collection method comments: ETE Size: both; ETE reference list: 488, 483, 482, 481, 480, 479, 478, 477, 456, 121, ; ETE museum list:
Metadata
Also known as:ETE Locality 674, Arrisdrift,
Database number:21855
Authorizer:A. Behrensmeyer, P. Holroyd, M. Uhen, W. Clyde, J. Zijlstra, P. Mannion, J. Head, E. Vlachos, R. Butler Enterer:A. Behrensmeyer, P. Holroyd, M. Uhen, J. Zijlstra, W. Clyde, J. Head, P. Mannion, E. Vlachos, R. Butler, J. Damuth
Modifier:G. Varnham Research group:vertebrate
Created:1997-05-28 00:00:00 Last modified:2022-02-16 04:56:47
Access level:the public Released:1997-05-28 00:00:00
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:

4922.ETE 634M. Pickford, B. Senut, P. Mein, D. Gommery, J. Morales, D. Soria, M. Nieto and J. Ward. 1996. Preliminary results of new excavations at Arrisdrift, middle Miocene of southern Namibia. Comptes rendus de l'Académie des sciences. Série IIa, Sciences de la Terre et des Planetes/Earth & Planetary Sciences 322(11):991-996 [A. Behrensmeyer/A. Behrensmeyer/T. Liebrecht]

Secondary references:

66484 F. de Lapparent de Broin. 2003. Miocene Chelonians from southern Namibia. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:67-102 [E. Vlachos/E. Vlachos]
61307 P. Mein and M. Pickford. 2003. Rodentia (other than Pedetidae) from the Orange River deposits, Namibia. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:147-160 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
61308 P. Mein and M. Pickford. 2003. Insectivora from Arrisdrift, a basal middle Miocene locality in southern Namibia. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:143-146 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
72380 P. Mein and M. Pickford. 2003. Fossil bat (Microchiroptera, Mammalia) from Arrisdrift, Namibia. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:115-117 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
4924ETE 636P. Meylan and W. Auffenberg. 1986. New land tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae) from the Miocene of Africa. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 86:279-307 [A. Behrensmeyer/A. Behrensmeyer/J. Alroy]
57771 J. Morales, M. Pickford, D. Soria and S. Fraile. 1998. New carnivores from the basal Middle Miocene of Arrisdrift, Namibia. Eclogae geologicae Helvetiae 91:27-40 [J. Zijlstra/J. Zijlstra]
57521 J. Morales, M. Pickford, D. Soria and S. Fraile. 2001. New Viverrinae (Carnivora: Mammalia) from the basal Middle Miocene of Arrisdrift, Namibia. Palaeontologia africana 37:99-102 [R. Butler/R. Butler]
57772 J. Morales, M. Pickford, S. Fraile, M. J. Salesa, and D. Soria. 2003. Creodonta and Carnivora from Arrisdrift, early Middle Miocene of southern Namibia. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:177-194 [J. Zijlstra/J. Zijlstra]
64590 J. Morales and M. Pickford. 2017. New Hyaenodonts (Ferae, Mammalia) from the early Miocene of Napak (Uganda), Koru (Kenya) and Grillental (Namibia). Fossil Imprint 73(3-4):332-359 [P. Holroyd/P. Holroyd]
35912 J. Morales, D. Soria, and M. Pickford. 1999. New stem giraffoid ruminants from the early and middle Miocene of Namibia. Geodiversitas 21(2):229-253 [M. Uhen/M. Shalap/M. Uhen]
46784 M. Pickford. 2003. A new species of Crocodile from Early and Middle Miocene deposits of the lower Orange River Valley, Namibia, and the origins of the Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). Memoir Geological Survey, Namibia 19:51-65 [P. Mannion/P. Mannion]
48491 M. Pickford. 2003. New Proboscidea from the Miocene strata in th elower Orange River Valley, Namibia. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Namibia 19:207-256 [M. Uhen/J. David/M. Uhen]
198635% 54080M. Pickford and B. Senut. 2000. Geology and Palaeobiology of the Central and Southern Namib Desert, Southwestern Africa, Volume 1: Geology and History of Study. Geological Survey of Namibia, Memoire 18 1-155 [W. Clyde/W. Clyde/J. Alroy]
12936 J.-C. Rage. 2003. Squamate reptiles from the early Miocene of Arrisdrift (Namibia). In B. Senut and M. Pickford (eds.), Geology and Palaeobiology of the central and southern Namib. Vol. 2: Palaeontology of the Orange River valley, Namibia. Memoir of the Geological Survey of Namibia (Ministry of Mines and Energy, Windhoek) 19:43-50 [J. Head/J. Head/T. Liebrecht]