First of a line or last of a dynasty? Parabos tigneresi and the evolution of eurasian bovinae in the early pliocene
Sorbelli, Leonardo (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Bibi, Faysal (Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science. Museum für Naturkunde)
Madurell-Malapeira, Joan (Università degli Studi di Firenze. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra)
Grandi, Federica (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social)
Moreno-Ribas, Elena (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social)
Oms, Oriol (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Geologia)
Campeny Vall-llosera, Gerard (Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Departament d’Història i Història de l’Art)
Gómez de Soler, Bruno (Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	The Early Pliocene maar deposits of Camp dels Ninots (Catalonia, NE Iberia) have produced an exceptionally well-preserved fossil assemblage. Among the large mammals, a large bovid stands out, represented by 14 individuals, including 8 nearly complete and partially articulated skeletons. Here we provide a comprehensive description and systematic evaluation of this material, previously referred to Alephis tigneresi, including an in-depth comparison with specimens assigned to Parabos, Alephis, and other large Late Miocene and Early Pliocene Eurasian and African bovids. We revise the genera Alephis and Parabos, recognizing five valid species across both groups, and refer the Camp dels Ninots bovid to Parabos tigneresi. We further explore the possible relationships of Parabos and Alephis within Bovinae, finding that they could either be the earliest European representatives of stem Bovini or among the last surviving members of the Miocene Tragoportacini radiation. Additionally, the exceptionally preserved skeletons of P. tigneresi provide paleoecological evidence of adaptation to humid, vegetated environments, confirming reconstruction of the paleoenvironment of the Camp dels Ninots maar lake, while also showing traits associated with mixed to open habitats, suggesting potentially broad habitat preferences for P. tigneresi.
Grants:	Generalitat de Catalunya CLT009/22/000043 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-01238 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2024-157622NB-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación CEX2024–01485-M
Note:	Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya; Universitat Rovira i Virgili (2023-URV-01238)
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	PloS one, Vol. 21, Num. 6 (June 2026) , art. e0340256, ISSN 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0340256

59 p, 14.0 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles