Urmiatherium rugosifrons (Sickenberg, 1932)

Kostopoulos, Dimitris S., 2014, Taxonomic re-assessment and phylogenetic relationships of Miocene homonymously spiral-horned antelopes, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (1), pp. 9-29 : 20

Urmiatherium rugosifrons (Sickenberg, 1932)

Lectotype: Partially preserved skull, NHMW A4758 (illustrated by Sickenberg 1933: pl. 5)

Type locality: Samos, Greece (unknown level).

Type horizon: Middle–late Turolian, Late Miocene.

Emended diagnosis (modified from Kostopoulos 2009).— Small−sized species od Urmiatherium with very short, robust, medially unfused, strongly homonymously twisted, and grooved horncores, prolonged anteriorly along the frontals by low buttresses; exposure of parietal on skull roof small and forming a large angle with the occipital plane; premolars relatively longer than in other species of Urmiatherium ; p4 with an open anterior valley and anteroposteriorly expanded metaconid; lower molars without goat folds or basal pillars; oval shaped talonid on m3.

Remarks.—The morphology of the species is poorly known, with available material currently restricted to some opisthocrania, mandibles and metapodials. Gentry et al. (1999) and Kostopoulos (2009) suggested synomymizing Parurmiatherium Sickenberg, 1932 with Urmiatherium . Until recently, U. rugosifrons was exclusively known from Samos, Greece (see discussions in Kostopoulos 2009; Bernor and Kostopoulos 2011), but recent discoveries at the neighboring middle Turolian localities of Serefkoy−2 and Sahalipasalar, Turkey ( Kaya et al. 2012; Tanju Kaya personal communication 2010, and DSK unpublished data) provide additional evidence of its geographic distribution and ontogenetic development.

Geographic and stratigraphic range.—Middle to late Turolian (Late Miocene) of Greece and western Turkey.