A new species of rhinoceros from the site of Bethlehem: ‘Dihoplus’ bethlehemsis sp. nov. (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae)

Luca Pandolfi; Florent Rivals; Rivka Rabinovich

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2020.01.011

A new species of rhinoceros from the site of Bethlehem: ‘Dihoplus’ bethlehemsis sp. nov. (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae)

Luca Pandolfi^*, Florent Rivals, Rivka Rabinovich

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Plio-Pleistocene fossil rhinoceroses of Eurasia are relatively well known, although their taxonomy and phylogeny are still debated. The fossil rhinoceros material collected at the Bethlehem site during the first half of the 20th century is revised and re-described. Based on morphological comparison of the Bethlehem material with the latest Miocene, Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Eurasian and African species, the specimens are assigned as Rhinocerotini indet., Dihoplus sp. and 'Dihoplus' bethlehemsis sp. nov. The comparison revealed that the studied material displays more features in common with the genus Dihoplus than with the genus Stephanorhinus. Tooth microwear analysis revealed that the diet of Bethlehem rhinoceros was probably composed of leaves of trees, bushes, or part of dicots. The new species could be one of the latest representatives of the Miocene genus Dihoplus that survived in Eurasia until the end of the Pliocene. Thus again the site of Bethlehem being unique in its biogeographically setting, provides novel understanding of the ‘Levantine Corridor’ dispersal route.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	48-60
Number of pages	13
Journal	Quaternary International
Volume	537
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2020.01.011
State	Published - 30 Jan 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
L.P. thanks the European Community Research Infrastructure Action, EU-SYNTHESYS project AT-TAF-2550, DE-TAF-3049, GB-TAF-2825, HU-TAF-3593, ES-TAF-2997; part of this research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Program. This paper has been also developed within the research project “Ecomorphology of fossil and extant Hippopotamids and Rhinocerotids” granted to L.P. by the University of Florence (“Progetto Giovani Ricercatori Protagonisti” initiative). We would like to thank Pip Brewer, Curator of Fossil Mammals (NHMUK), for her help throughout the study, to Karolyn Shindler for her willingness to share professional insights and knowledge of unpublished archives. Helen Pethers (Library and Archives, NHMUK), Robert Kruszynski (former Curator of Fossil Primates, NHMUK) and Adrian Lister (NHMUK) who is part of the team trying to decipher Bethlehem fauna in time and space. We would also like to thank Svetlana Matskevich the curator of Stekelis archive at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Funding Information:
L.P. thanks the European Community Research Infrastructure Action, EU-SYNTHESYS project AT-TAF-2550, DE-TAF-3049, GB-TAF-2825, HU-TAF-3593, ES-TAF-2997; part of this research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 ?Capacities? Program. This paper has been also developed within the research project ?Ecomorphology of fossil and extant Hippopotamids and Rhinocerotids? granted to L.P. by the University of Florence (?Progetto Giovani Ricercatori Protagonisti? initiative). We would like to thank Pip Brewer, Curator of Fossil Mammals (NHMUK), for her help throughout the study, to Karolyn Shindler for her willingness to share professional insights and knowledge of unpublished archives. Helen Pethers (Library and Archives, NHMUK), Robert Kruszynski (former Curator of Fossil Primates, NHMUK) and Adrian Lister (NHMUK) who is part of the team trying to decipher Bethlehem fauna in time and space. We would also like to thank Svetlana Matskevich the curator of Stekelis archive at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA

Keywords

Dihoplus
Morphology
Near East
Pliocene
Rhinocerotidae
Stephanorhinus
Systematics

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10.1016/j.quaint.2020.01.011

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title = "A new species of rhinoceros from the site of Bethlehem: {\textquoteleft}Dihoplus{\textquoteright} bethlehemsis sp. nov. (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae)",

abstract = "The Plio-Pleistocene fossil rhinoceroses of Eurasia are relatively well known, although their taxonomy and phylogeny are still debated. The fossil rhinoceros material collected at the Bethlehem site during the first half of the 20th century is revised and re-described. Based on morphological comparison of the Bethlehem material with the latest Miocene, Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Eurasian and African species, the specimens are assigned as Rhinocerotini indet., Dihoplus sp. and 'Dihoplus' bethlehemsis sp. nov. The comparison revealed that the studied material displays more features in common with the genus Dihoplus than with the genus Stephanorhinus. Tooth microwear analysis revealed that the diet of Bethlehem rhinoceros was probably composed of leaves of trees, bushes, or part of dicots. The new species could be one of the latest representatives of the Miocene genus Dihoplus that survived in Eurasia until the end of the Pliocene. Thus again the site of Bethlehem being unique in its biogeographically setting, provides novel understanding of the {\textquoteleft}Levantine Corridor{\textquoteright} dispersal route.",

keywords = "Dihoplus, Morphology, Near East, Pliocene, Rhinocerotidae, Stephanorhinus, Systematics",

author = "Luca Pandolfi and Florent Rivals and Rivka Rabinovich",

note = "Funding Information: L.P. thanks the European Community Research Infrastructure Action, EU-SYNTHESYS project AT-TAF-2550, DE-TAF-3049, GB-TAF-2825, HU-TAF-3593, ES-TAF-2997; part of this research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Program. This paper has been also developed within the research project “Ecomorphology of fossil and extant Hippopotamids and Rhinocerotids” granted to L.P. by the University of Florence (“Progetto Giovani Ricercatori Protagonisti” initiative). We would like to thank Pip Brewer, Curator of Fossil Mammals (NHMUK), for her help throughout the study, to Karolyn Shindler for her willingness to share professional insights and knowledge of unpublished archives. Helen Pethers (Library and Archives, NHMUK), Robert Kruszynski (former Curator of Fossil Primates, NHMUK) and Adrian Lister (NHMUK) who is part of the team trying to decipher Bethlehem fauna in time and space. We would also like to thank Svetlana Matskevich the curator of Stekelis archive at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Funding Information: L.P. thanks the European Community Research Infrastructure Action, EU-SYNTHESYS project AT-TAF-2550, DE-TAF-3049, GB-TAF-2825, HU-TAF-3593, ES-TAF-2997; part of this research received support from the SYNTHESYS Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 ?Capacities? Program. This paper has been also developed within the research project ?Ecomorphology of fossil and extant Hippopotamids and Rhinocerotids? granted to L.P. by the University of Florence (?Progetto Giovani Ricercatori Protagonisti? initiative). We would like to thank Pip Brewer, Curator of Fossil Mammals (NHMUK), for her help throughout the study, to Karolyn Shindler for her willingness to share professional insights and knowledge of unpublished archives. Helen Pethers (Library and Archives, NHMUK), Robert Kruszynski (former Curator of Fossil Primates, NHMUK) and Adrian Lister (NHMUK) who is part of the team trying to decipher Bethlehem fauna in time and space. We would also like to thank Svetlana Matskevich the curator of Stekelis archive at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA",

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doi = "10.1016/j.quaint.2020.01.011",

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N2 - The Plio-Pleistocene fossil rhinoceroses of Eurasia are relatively well known, although their taxonomy and phylogeny are still debated. The fossil rhinoceros material collected at the Bethlehem site during the first half of the 20th century is revised and re-described. Based on morphological comparison of the Bethlehem material with the latest Miocene, Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Eurasian and African species, the specimens are assigned as Rhinocerotini indet., Dihoplus sp. and 'Dihoplus' bethlehemsis sp. nov. The comparison revealed that the studied material displays more features in common with the genus Dihoplus than with the genus Stephanorhinus. Tooth microwear analysis revealed that the diet of Bethlehem rhinoceros was probably composed of leaves of trees, bushes, or part of dicots. The new species could be one of the latest representatives of the Miocene genus Dihoplus that survived in Eurasia until the end of the Pliocene. Thus again the site of Bethlehem being unique in its biogeographically setting, provides novel understanding of the ‘Levantine Corridor’ dispersal route.

AB - The Plio-Pleistocene fossil rhinoceroses of Eurasia are relatively well known, although their taxonomy and phylogeny are still debated. The fossil rhinoceros material collected at the Bethlehem site during the first half of the 20th century is revised and re-described. Based on morphological comparison of the Bethlehem material with the latest Miocene, Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Eurasian and African species, the specimens are assigned as Rhinocerotini indet., Dihoplus sp. and 'Dihoplus' bethlehemsis sp. nov. The comparison revealed that the studied material displays more features in common with the genus Dihoplus than with the genus Stephanorhinus. Tooth microwear analysis revealed that the diet of Bethlehem rhinoceros was probably composed of leaves of trees, bushes, or part of dicots. The new species could be one of the latest representatives of the Miocene genus Dihoplus that survived in Eurasia until the end of the Pliocene. Thus again the site of Bethlehem being unique in its biogeographically setting, provides novel understanding of the ‘Levantine Corridor’ dispersal route.

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A new species of rhinoceros from the site of Bethlehem: ‘Dihoplus’ bethlehemsis sp. nov. (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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