Palaeocene vertebrate horizons and mammalian faunas of South China.

Abstract

In the past ten years or so a large amount of Palaeocene mammals (more than one hundred species belonging to 11 orders, 17 families and 52 genera) were known from five "redbed" basins of South China. These new finds are very important to a correct understanding of the evolution and distribution of mammals at the beginning of Tertiary in Asia. This paper includes three parts: (1) mammal-bearing Palaeocene of South China, (2) ages and correlation of the Palaecocene faunas of South China, (3) characteristics of the Palaeocene faunas of South China. The known Palaeocene mammals of South China can be grouped into two assemblages: the Lower Assemblage of the Early-Middle Palaeocene age, and the Upper Assemblage of the Late Palaeocene age. The endemic Asian genus, Bemalambda, is a form characteristic of the Lower Assemblage, and another endemic Asian form, Archaeolambda, is diagnostic of the upper. Some inferences on the origin, distribution and dispersal routes of certain Palaeocene mammalian groups are also discussed briefly in the third part.