Abstract

This paper presents a summary of the current state of knowledge on the evolution and fossil record of Bovidae and identifies topics and problems for further study. The earliest records of the different bovid tribes are reviewed, along with their geographic locations. Future work on the fossil bovid record should focus on: the reinvestigation of osteological characters that might distinguish early bovids from stem taxa; the late Miocene fossil record with respect to the evolutionary origins and biogeography of the living bovid tribes; and improved methodologies for reconstructing bovid phylogeny using morphology. This paper reflects the main themes discussed at the meeting of the Revealing Hominid Origins Initiative Bovid Analytical Working Group in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Faysal Bibi. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, PO Box 208109, Connecticut, 06520-8109, USA
Current address: Institut international de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie humaine: Evolution et Paléoenvironnements, Université de Poitiers, F-86022 POITIERS cedex
Maia Bukhsianidze. The National Museum of Georgia, 3 Purtseladze St., 0107 Tbilisi, Georgia.
Alan W. Gentry. c/o Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom.
Denis Geraads. CNRS UPR 2147, 44 rue de l'Amiral Mouchez, 75014 Paris, France.
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Geology, Laboratory of Geology and Paleontology, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Elisabeth S. Vrba. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, PO Box 208109, Connecticut, 06520-8109, USA.

KEY WORDS: Bovidae; Biogeography; Phylogeny; Systematics; Miocene, late

PE Article Number: 12.3.10A
Copyright: Society for Vertebrate Paleontology December 2009
Submission: 15 May 2009. Acceptance: 9 August 2009