Giraffe ancestor s skull (Bohlinia attica) from Maragheh fossiliferous site

Bohlinia is an extinct giraffid, almost similar to a modern giraffe in size and shape; which had been living 7-9 million years ago (Ma). Base on phylogenetic investigations, this creature evolved from Samotheriinae via obtaining of large-body-size, elongated neck and elongated limbs, etc. Having elongated neck and limbs and similar ossicones and dentition, Bohlinia could have been modern giraffe s direct ancestor. Responding to climate changing, Bohlinia, which first appeared in southeastern Europe, entered China and northern India via western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean. From there, the genus Giraffa evolved and, around 7 Ma, entered Africa. Since Bohlinia had a long neck, it was enabled to browse on the twigs of high trees, as a modern giraffe; therefore, the existence of tall trees in Bohlinia s habitat was probable. Such palaeoenvironments spread on the vast zones of Eurasia in the late Miocene. Fossil records of this taxon have been reported from eastern Mediterranean (Greece and Balkans) and some other regions of Asia. Recent excavations in the fossiliferous zones in Maragheh yield two complete/semicomplete skull of Bohlinia; which has not been discovered from other regions. Examination of these newly founded skulls from Maragheh completes some morphologic features of this taxon (for instance, termination of ossicones to bony rounded knobs) as well as increases the similarities between Bohlinia and modern giraffe.

Keywords:

Bohlinia , Giraffe , Skull , Maragheh