Revision of African Kubanochoerinae (Suidae: Mammalia) with descriptions of new fossils from the Middle Miocene Aka Aiteputh Formation, Nachola, Kenya

Zusatztext

A comprehensive sample of Kubanochoerinae collected from Middle Miocene Aka Aiteputh Formation in the Nachola area, northern Kenya, not only permits a revision of the suids from the deposits, but also prompts a new look at the phylogeny, biostratigraphy and palaeobiogeography of this subfamily of Suidae. There are three suid species at Nachola, all of them kubanochoeres (Kenyasus namaquensis, Libycochoerus jeanneli, Kubwachoerus (gen. nov.) marymuunguae) and, in addition, among the Suiformes there are abundant Sanitheriidae and a few anthracotheres. The associated fauna indicates correlation to Faunal Set PIIIb (Middle Miocene) and radio-isotopic dates on subjacent lavas (ca. 16 Ma) accord with such a correlation. The augmented sample of Kenyasus namaquensis removes doubts expressed in the literature about its affinities to kubanochoeres. A new genus and two new species are described, one a small species of Palaeochoerus from Namibia that is the likely ancestor of the Kubanochoerinae and the Namachoerinae, the other being a huge species of a new genus of kubanochoere from Kenya.

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