The first Miocene fossils from coastal woodlands in the southern East African Rift

Bobe R, Aldeias V, Alemseged Z, Anemone RL, Archer W, Aumaître G, Bamford MK, Biro D, Bourlès DL, Doyle Boyd M, Braun DR, Capelli C, d'Oliveira Coelho J, Habermann J, Head JJ, Keddadouche K, Kupczik K, Lebatard AE, Lüdecke T, Macôa A, Martínez FI, Mathe J, Mendes C, Paulo LM, Pinto M, Presnyakova D, Püschel TA, Regala FT, Sier M, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Stalmans M, Carvalho S (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 26

Article Number: 107644

Journal Issue: 9

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107644

Abstract

The Miocene was a key time in the evolution of African ecosystems witnessing the origin of the African apes and the isolation of eastern coastal forests through an expanding arid corridor. Until recently, however, Miocene sites from the southeastern regions of the continent were unknown. Here, we report the first Miocene fossil teeth from the shoulders of the Urema Rift in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. We provide the first 1) radiometric ages of the Mazamba Formation, 2) reconstructions of paleovegetation in the region based on pedogenic carbonates and fossil wood, and 3) descriptions of fossil teeth. Gorongosa is unique in the East African Rift in combining marine invertebrates, marine vertebrates, reptiles, terrestrial mammals, and fossil woods in coastal paleoenvironments. The Gorongosa fossil sites offer the first evidence of woodlands and forests on the coastal margins of southeastern Africa during the Miocene, and an exceptional assemblage of fossils including new species.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Gorongosa National Park Mozambique (MZ) University of Algarve / Universidade do Algarve Portugal (PT) University of Chicago United States (USA) (US) University of North Carolina at Greensboro United States (USA) (US) National Museum Bloemfontein South Africa (ZA) Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement (CEREGE) France (FR) University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) South Africa (ZA) University of Oxford United Kingdom (GB) Columbian College of Arts and Sciences United States (USA) (US) University of Parma / Università degli Studi di Parma Italy (IT) University of Cambridge United Kingdom (GB) Universidad de Chile Chile (CL) Eduardo Mondlane University / Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) Mozambique (MZ) Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Chile (CL) Associação de Estudos Subterrâneos e Defesado Ambiente (AESDA) Portugal (PT) Aix-Marseille University / Aix-Marseille Université France (FR) Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) Spain (ES) Universidade do Porto Portugal (PT)

How to cite

APA:

Bobe, R., Aldeias, V., Alemseged, Z., Anemone, R.L., Archer, W., Aumaître, G.,... Carvalho, S. (2023). The first Miocene fossils from coastal woodlands in the southern East African Rift. iScience, 26(9). https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.107644

MLA:

Bobe, René, et al. "The first Miocene fossils from coastal woodlands in the southern East African Rift." iScience 26.9 (2023).

BibTeX: Download