Alicornops (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) dans le Miocène supérieur des Collines Bugti (Balouchistan, Pakistan) : implications phylogénétiques

A lower tooth row from the Miocene locality of Sartaaf (Bugti Hills, Baluchistan, Pakistan) bears close affinities with the rhinocerotid "Chilotherium intermedium" complanatum Heissig, 1972. The doubtful generic assignment to Chilotherium Ringström, 1924, which affinities are controversal, leads the authors to perform a phylogenetical analysis. The latter is based upon 282 morphological characters controlled in 32 ceratomorph perissodactyl species, among which the five living rhinos, and one/several rep-resentative(s) of each suprageneric taxon among Rhinocerotidae. Six equally parcimonious trees are obtained (CI = 0.2639; RI = 0.4745). The topology of the strict consensus tree is [[Elasmotheriini [Menoceratina, Elasmotheriina]], [Rhinocerotinae [Rhinocerotini [Rhinocerotina, Teleoceratina, Aceratheriina]]]]. The Rhinocerotina include Pleuroceros pleuroceros (Duvernoy, 1853) while Eurasian Aceratheriina include Aceratherium Kaup, 1832, Chilotherium, Acerorhinus Kretzoi, 1942, Alicornops Ginsburg & Guérin, 1979, and Hoploaceratherium Ginsburg & Heissig, 1989. Alicornops complanatum n. comb. is proposed as a new binomen for "Chilotherium intermedium" complanatum, sister group of the type species Alicornops simorrense (Lartet, 1837) in the consensus tree. This is the first occurrence of Alicornops in South Asia. "Chilotherium intermedium" intermedium (Lydekker, 1884) is included within the Teleoceratina. The species "Alicornops" alfambrense Cerdeño & Alcalá, 1989, from the late Miocene of western Europe, is doubtfully referred to Acerorhinus, which geographical range was so far restricted to eastern Europe and Asia. A late Miocene age (MN10-13; *9.4-6 Ma) is estimated for the Sartaaf locality, owing to biochronological correlations with the Dhok Pathan Formation of the Middle Siwaliks of Pakistan.