The Ergilin Dzo Formation (formerly known as the Ardyn Obo Formation ), is a geologic formation in southeastern Mongolia . It preserves fossils of a wide variety of animals, which date back to the late Eocene epoch. The type fauna of the Ergilian Asian land mammal age is defined by the mammalian fossils of this formation.[ 1]
Ergilin Dzo Formation Type Geological formation Sub-units From top to bottom:
Khetsu Tsav member
Ergilin member
Shavag member
Sevkhul member
Zangut member
Khubsugul member
Region Dornogovi Province Country Mongolia Named by Dashzeveg Year defined 1993
Depositional environment
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Based on the presence of brontotheres and the abundance of herbivorous low-crowned mammals, the Ergilin Dzo Formation has been estimated to be humid and warm/hot with a relatively-closed area.[ 2] [ 3] However, the absence of primates and rarity of crocodyliforms (known from one specimen currently) in this formation may suggest the paleoenvironment had open areas and was more arid than similarly aged faunal assemblages from elsewhere in Eurasia.[ 1] Sedimentary analyses suggest the Ergilin Dzo Formation was a floodplain environment with a braided stream network formed by fluvial systems.[ 4]
In their review of the vertebrate fauna of the formation, Tsubamoto et al. (2022) found that 77 genera and 104 species of vertebrate have been reported from the Ergilin Dzo Formation, representing 22 orders and 49 families . Fossils of mammals, reptiles (including birds), fish and amphibians have all been recovered from the formation since the early 20th Century.[ 1]
81 mammal species have been found in the Ergilin Dzo Formation, with perissodactyls being the most diverse group (33 species reported). Ruminant artiodactyls, rhinocerotoids and brontotheres are the most abundant groups in terms of collected specimen numbers.[ 1]
Didymoconids reported from the Ergilin Dzo Formation
Genus
Species
Presence
Stratigraphic member
Material
Notes
Images
Ardynictis
A. furunculus
Skull & jaws.[ 11]
Ergilictis
E. reshetovi
Ergilin Dzo locality.[ 12]
Jaw elements.[ 12]
Reptiles are represented by 20 known species in the formation, with 11 of these being birds.[ 1]
Crocodyliforms reported from the Ergilin Dzo Formation
Genus
Species
Presence
Stratigraphic member
Material
Notes
Images
Crocodyliformes indet.
Indeterminate
Ergilin Dzo.[ 22]
Tooth.[ 22]
Squamates reported from the Ergilin Dzo Formation
Genus
Species
Presence
Stratigraphic member
Material
Notes
Images
Agamidae indet.
Indeterminate
An agamid lizard.
Lacertilia indet.
Indeterminate
A lizard .
Amphibians reported from the Ergilin Dzo Formation
Genus
Species
Presence
Stratigraphic member
Material
Notes
Images
Urodela gen. et. sp. indet.
Indeterminate
A salamander .
^ a b c d e Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav; Chinzorig, Tsogtbaatar; Egi, Naoko (2022). "A brief review of the updated fossil vertebrate fauna of the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, southeastern Mongolia" (PDF) . Memoirs of the Faculty of Science, Ehime University . 24 : 64–83.
^ Prothero, Donald R. (1994). The Eocene-Oligocene transition: paradise lost . Critical moments in paleobiology and earth history series. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-08091-0 .
^ Tsubamoto, T.; Egi, N.; Takai, M.; Sein, C.; Maung, Maung (2005). "Middle Eocene ungulate mammals from Myanmar: a review with description of new specimens". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica . S2CID 55777375 .
^ Watabe, Mahito (2010-03-31). "Lithostratigraphic and sedimentological analysis of the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation of Ergilin Dzo locality, Mongolia" . Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences Research Bulletin . 3 : 149–153.
^ a b c d Tsubamoto, Takehisa (2020-03-31). "Additional specimens of the Anthracotheriidae (Mammalia; Artiodactyla) from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation of Mongolia" . Hayashibara Museum of Natural Sciences Research Bulletin . 3 : 143–147.
^ a b c d e Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Saneyoshi, Mototaka; Watabe, Mahito; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav; Mainbayar, Buurei (2011-12-01). "The Entelodontid Artiodactyl Fauna from the Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation of Mongolia with Comments on Brachyhyops and the Khoer Dzan Locality" . Paleontological Research . 15 (4): 258–268. doi :10.2517/1342-8144-15.4.258 . ISSN 1342-8144 .
^ Watabe, Mahito (2013-11-29). "New specimens of Entelodon gobiensis (Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Entelodontidae) from the Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia" . Bull. Res. Inst. Nat. Sci., Okayama Univ. Of Sci. (39): 37–41.
^ a b c d Vislobokova, I. A. (Inessa Anatolévna) (1998). A new representative of the Hypertraguloidea (Tragulina, Ruminantia) from the Khoer-Dzan locality in Mongolia, with remarks on the relationships of the Hypertragulidae . American Museum of Natural History Library. New York, NY : American Museum of Natural History.
^ a b Dashzeveg, Demberliyn; Russell, Donald E. (December 1992). "Extension of dyspternine Pantolestidae (Mammalia, Cimolesta) in the Early Oligocene of Mongolia" . Geobios . 25 (5): 647–650. doi :10.1016/0016-6995(92)80104-L .
^ a b Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav; Saneyoshi, Mototaka; Buuvei, Mainbayar (January 2011). "A new specimen of Gobiopithecus khan (Mammalia; Pantolesta) from the Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia" . Journal of Fossil Research . 44 (1): 20–23.
^ a b c d Matthew, William Diller; Granger, Walter (1925-10-27). "New creodonts and rodents from the Ardyn Obo Formation of Mongolia" . American Museum Novitates (193). hdl :2246/4476 .
^ a b Lopatin, Alexey (January 1997). "New Oligocene Didymoconidae (Mesonychia, Mammalia) from Mongolia and Kazakhstan" . Paleontological Journal . 31 (1): 108–119.
^ a b c d e f g h i Lopatin, Alexey (January 2005). "Late Paleogene Erinaceidae (Insectivora, Mammalia) from the Ergilin Dzo locality, Mongolia" . Paleontological Journal . 39 (1): 85–92.
^ a b c d e f g h Egi, Naoko; Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Saneyoshi, Mototaka; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav; Watabe, Mahito; Mainbayar, Buuvei; Chinzorig, Tsogtbaatar; Khatanbaatar, Purevdorg (2016-02-17). "Taxonomic revisions on nimravids and small feliforms (Mammalia, Carnivora) from the Upper Eocene of Mongolia" . Historical Biology . 28 (1–2): 105–119. doi :10.1080/08912963.2015.1012508 . ISSN 0891-2963 .
^ a b Egi, Naoko; Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav (2009). "New Amphicyonid (Mammalia: Carnivora) from the Upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia" . Paleontological Research . 13 (3): 245. ISSN 1342-8144 .
^ a b c d e f g h i Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Watabe, Mahito; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav (2008-06-12). "Hyaenodon chunkhtensis and the hyaenodontid fauna from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation of Mongolia" . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 28 (2): 559–564. doi :10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28[559:HCATHF]2.0.CO;2 . ISSN 0272-4634 .
^ a b Lavrov, A. V. (July 2019). "New Material on Small Hyenodons (Hyaenodontinae, Creodonta) from the Paleogene of Mongolia" . Paleontological Journal . 53 (4): 418–431. doi :10.1134/S0031030119040063 . ISSN 0031-0301 .
^ a b López-Torres, Sergi; Fostowicz-Frelik, Łucja (2018-09-17). "A new Eocene anagalid (Mammalia: Euarchontoglires) from Mongolia and its implications for the group's phylogeny and dispersal" . Scientific Reports . 8 (1): 13955. doi :10.1038/s41598-018-32086-x . ISSN 2045-2322 . PMC 6141491 . PMID 30224674 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Dashzeveg, D (1991). "Hyracodontids and rhinocerotids (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotoidea) from the Paleogene of Mongolia" . Palaeovertebrata . 21 : 1–84.
^ a b c d e f g Mihlbachler, Matthew C. (2008). "Species Taxonomy, Phylogeny, and Biogeography of the Brontotheriidae (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)" . Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History . 311 (1): 1. doi :10.1206/0003-0090(2008)501[1:STPABO]2.0.CO;2 . ISSN 0003-0090 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kurochkin, E. N. (1976-05-21). "A survey of the Paleogene birds of Asia" . Collected Papers in Avian Paleontology Honoring the 90th Birthday of Alexander Wetmore . 27 : 75–86.
^ a b Iijima, Masaya; Tsubamoto, Takehisa; Tsogtbaatar, Khishigjav; Chinzorig, Tsogtbaatar; Baasankhuu, Soyol (2019). "Discovery of a crocodyliform tooth from the upper Eocene Ergilin Dzo Formation, Mongolia" . Acta Palaeontologica Polonica . 64 . doi :10.4202/app.00633.2019 .