Fig 1.
Distribution of Tunggur Formation exposures and relationships of AMNH 1928-1930 and IVPP 1986 localities, modified from Wang et al. [28:fig 1].
AMNH localities were based on archival studies by Wang et al. [27] and IVPP 1986 localities were based on plots in IVPP topographic maps and Qiu Z.-x. et al. [29].
Fig 2.
(A) photo of Wolf Camp exposures and approximate location of IVPP IM1118 locality (red arrow), field vehicles to the right of red arrow for scale, photo taken by Yukimitsu Tomida on August 10, 2011; B, measured section of Wolf Camp exposures, modified from Wang et al. [27:fig 8].
Fig 3.
Qilin tungurensis [1], IVPP V 33851, right juvenile male ossicone from IVPP locality IM1118, lower part of Wolf Camp section.
(A) right lateral view; (B) medial view, black arrows indicating natural break before the ossicones were glued back together (see D); (C) ventral (proximal) view; and (D) dorsal view before the upper shaft was glued (black arrows in A and B showing location of the break), showing oval cross-section at mid shaft.
Fig 4.
Qilin tungurensis [1], IVPP V 33851, right ossicone from IVPP locality IM1118, lower part of Wolf Camp section.
(A) anterior view; and (B) posterior view.
Fig 5.
Successive cross sections of ossicone for Qilin tungurensis [1], IVPP V 33851.
Dash lines are estimated missing overgrowth bumps along the posterior ridge. Virtual cross sections (left) of the ossicone are derived from a 3D laser scan model (right) using MeshLab’s (v2020.07; https://www.meshlab.net/) build-in function of “Compute Planar Section”. The cross-section outlines were then traced in Adobe Illustrator. The 3D model file can be downloaded from MorphoSource.org (see Materials and Methods).
Fig 6.
Partial skull of Qilin tungurensis [1], AMNH 26582, holotype from Wolf Camp, probably a female, showing no sign of attachment area for the ossicone.
(A) lateral, and (B) dorsal views. Photos by Wei Gao.
Fig 7.
Virtual sagittal (upper) and cross (lower) sections of the ossicone of Qilin tungurensis (IVPP V 33851) from a microCT scan showing internal structures (see Material and methods section for download of original CT data).
Note that in the cross-sectional view, the central tube penetrates the ossicone wall and emerge to external surface. Solid red line indicates approximate location of cross section.
Table 1.
Measurements of ossicones (in mm). See Parizad et al. [15:table 1] for definitions and Kostopoulos et al. [33:fig 2] for illustrations of ossicone measurements.
Fig 8.
Comparison of upper cheek teeth of Qilin tungurensis [1] (A, B), Bohlinia attica [39] (C), and Giraffa (D).
(A) Q. tungurensis, AMNH 26582, right P2-M3, holotype from Wolf Camp; (B) Q. tungurensis, AMNH 26586, partial palate with right P2-M2, paratype from Wolf Camp; (C) B. attica, SNSB-BSPG AS II 640, right P2-M3 (reversed from right side), holotype; (D) Giraffa camelopardalis, AMNH Mammalogy uncatalogued (reversed from left side). Scale is for A–C and D has no scale. Photos by Wei Gao (A) and Nikos Solounias (B, C, D).
Fig 9.
A 3D laser scan model of IVPP V33851 attached to a skull model based on Bohlinia attica as described by Parizad et al. [15].
Hand-sculpted skull model (in reduced resolution to serve as a mannequin) and digital manipulation of ossicones (including restoration of missing parts) by Ville Sinkkonen. The models can be downloaded at this site (https://www.morphosource.org/concern/media/000711877?locale=en).
Fig 10.
Geographic distributions and chronologic ranges of selected taxa of Giraffinae.
Our estimated relationship and potential shared derived characters for Bohlinini follow those by Hamilton [4], Solounias [3], and Solounias and Danowitz [5]. Taxonomy and chronology of giraffes from northern Eurasia follow Parizad et al. [15], Hou [2], Solounias and Danowitz [21], and this paper, Indian Subcontinent follow Solounias and Danowitz [5], and those from Africa follow Harris et al. [36]. Potential shared derived character may include: node 1 (Giraffinae), limbs very long and slender, necks long, upright single pair of short ossicone terminating in a knob and constriction below knob, highly vascular tip surface with secondary growth; node 2 (Bohlinini), modestly deep trough on metacarpal; node 3, P2-3 para- and metastyles prominent and bending toward mesostyle; node 4, increased body size; node 5, frontal sinus penetrating into ossicone shaft, ossicone with prominent anterior flange, anterior and posterior bumps at base; node 6, increasing body size plus additional characters in different species; node 7 (Giraffini), cervical 7 with ventral tubercle, extreme elongation of limbs and necks, secondary reduction of trough on metacarpal, increase of body sizes in later species (characters for living Giraffa; conditions for early species of Giraffa are less clear).
Fig 11.
Artist reconstructions of Qilin tungurensis: An adult male (right) and younger males (middle and left) with less developed ossicones.
Note females did not have ossicones in the early-middle Miocene. Art by Ville Sinkkonen.