Halamagai Formation

Halamagai Formation is a geological formation located in the Duolebulejin Terrace on the south bank of the Ulungur River near Kalamagai Township, which lies south of Fuhai County, Xinjiang. The location contains various mammalian fossils of artiodactyls, gomphotheres, perissodactyls, rodents, and primates.(2009). Halamayi Formation. In: Zhang, S. (eds) Geological Formation Names of China (1866–2000). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-93824-8_2578Li, C., Wang, S. Q., Wang, Y., Deng, T., Ma, J., Wang, B., Jiangzuo, Q., & Sun, D. (2025). Savanna ecosystems and mammalian adaptations in Mid-Miocene Northern China. Scientific reports, 15(1), 25586. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10718-3Wang 王 建, Jian & Xinying, Zhou & Wang, Shiqi & Ye, Jie & Liu, Junchi & Wu, Wenyu & Wu, Yan & Zhao, Keliang & Zheng, Yan & Behling, Hermann & Li, Xiaoqiang. (2024). Steppe development and mammalian adaptation in the middle Miocene, North Junggar Basin, Central Asia. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology. 659. 112634. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2024.112634.

Fossil content

Mammals

Artiodactyls GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Discokeryx D. xiezhi A thick cranium dome skull and neck vertebrae A domed-skulled prolibytheriid, an early close relative of giraffe and okapi Ligeromeryx L. cf. colberti L. praestans L. sp TurcocerusLi, Y., Li, Q., Ni, X., Wang, S., Aiglstorfer, M. and Deng, T. (2021), The oldest known bovid from China and reappraisal of the Chinese ‘Eotragus’. Pap Palaeontol, 7: 913-929. https://doi.org/10.1002/spp2.1319 T. halamagaiensis A horn core and dentition An early caprine bovid

Carnivorans GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Amphicyon A. ulungurensis An amphicyonid Gobicyon G. zhegalloi An amphicyonid HoplictisVALENCIANO, A., JIANGZUO, Q., WANG, S., LI, C., ZHANG, X. and YE, J. (2019), First Record of Hoplictis (Carnivora, Mustelidae) in East Asia from the Miocene of the Ulungur River Area, Xinjiang, Northwest China. Acta Geologica Sinica - English Edition, 93: 251-264. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-6724.13820 H. baihui Tieersihabahe Lower A mustelid NimravusWang, Xiaoming & Ye, Jie & Meng, Jin & Wu, Wenyu & Liu, Liping & Bi, Shundong. (1998). Carnivora from middle Miocene of Northern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang autonomous region, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 36. 218-243. N? sp. Tieersihabahe Lower Left ramal fragment A nimravid feline Pseudaelurus P. cuspidatus Tieersihabahe Lower Partial right ramus An early felid Protictitherium P. intermedium Tieersihabahe Lower The left and right partial ramus An early hyena Thalassictis T. chinjiensis Lower Partial ramal An early hyaena

Lagomorphs GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Alloptox A. gobiensis Sinolagomys S. sp. Plicalagus P. junggarensis

Erinaceid GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Mioechinus M. ? sp. Schizogalerix S. duolebulejinensis

Rodents GenusSpeciesCountyStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Anchitheriomys A. tungurensis An early beaver relative Atlantoxerus A. giganteus An early barbary ground squirrel A. junggarensis Cricetodon C. orientalis MegacricetodonBi, Shundong., Meng, Jin, & Wu, Wenyu. (2008). A new species of Megacricetodon (Cricetidae, Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Middle Miocene of northern Junggar Basin, China. American Museum of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.1206/0003-0082(2008)3602[1:ANSOMC]2.0.CO;2 M. yei Tieersihabahe Lower A fragmentary right maxilla A cricetid Protalactaga P. grabaui P. major Sinomylagulus S. halamagaiensis Steneofiber S. depereti An early beaver relative

Perissodactyls GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Anchitherium A. gobiensis An early horse Diaceratherium A. sp. Aceratheriinae Indet. indeterminate Elasmotheriinae Indet. indeterminate

Primates GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Pliopithecus P. bii A pliopithecid monkey

Proboscidians GenusSpeciesLocalityStratigraphic positionMaterialNotesImages Choerolophodon C. sp. Gomphotherium G. connexum G. mogoliense G. steinheimense Miomastodon M. cf. tongxinensis Parachoerodon P. rhynchus Platybelodon P. sp. Protanancus P. sp. Zygolophodon Z. cf. turicensis

References