Eurasian wanderer: an island sabre‐toothed cat (Felidae, Machairodontinae) in the Far East

Abstract

Machairodontinae, including the famous Smilodon and Homotherium, was an iconic Pleistocene carnivore lineage that occupied a critical ecological palaeo‐niche and is thought to have had a profound impact on ice‐age ecosystem structure. Recent ancient molecular studies on Homotherium suggest a wider distribution than that inferred from the fossil record, highlighting a need for additional fieldwork, fossil collection, and research in understudied geographic regions. After the original publication 80 years ago that identified a Pleistocene carnivore fossil as Felis sp. in Taiwan, here we revise its identification and demonstrate the presence of the large machairodontine cat, cf. Homotherium sp., in the Pleistocene of Taiwan, suggesting the eastern‐most occurrence of this lineage in Eurasia. Our results also emphasize the importance of fossil curation and in‐depth research in elucidating regional hidden diversity and lost ecosystem structure for the understanding faunal turnover and the origin of modern biodiversity.

Rediscovery of type specimens of Nesorhinus hayasakai (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) from the Pleistocene of Taiwan

“…In addition, the geological age difference (early Pleistocene in Taoyuan while middle Pleistocene in Tainan) can be up to one million years, although the precise dating of each rhinoceros fossil-producing formation remains uncertain and requires further detailed geological investigation. For example, multiple elephant species roamed Taiwan during the Pleistocene, e.g., Stegodon (Hayasaka 1930) or Palaeoloxodon (Tan 1931), or the existence of large carnivores, e.g., Homotherium (Tsai and Tseng 2022) or Toyotamaphimeia (Cho and Tsai 2023), suggesting a diverse ecosystem that could have supported an additional rhinoceros species. Future excavation and further detailed study should test this taxonomic hypothesis and better reconstruct the Pleistocene ecosystem in Taiwan.…”

Crocodylian princess in Taiwan: Revising the taxonomic status of Tomistoma taiwanicus from the Pleistocene of Taiwan and its paleobiogeographic implications

“…For example, here we revised the taxonomy of historic crocodylian specimens—the first and the second fossil crocodylians in the history of Taiwan—which are properly curated in the NSMT and Waseda collections in Japan, making our study possible. On the contrary, some historic specimens from Taiwan should have been curated for future research, but the original fossils are lost, likely owing to the indifference to paleontological research (e.g., Liaw and Tsai, 2022; Tsai and Tseng, 2022). Our current efforts into the development of vertebrate paleontology in Taiwan aims to better understand the Pleistocene paleo-ecosystems and to further elucidate the driving factors of extinctions in the island.…”

“…Our current efforts into the development of vertebrate paleontology in Taiwan aims to better understand the Pleistocene paleo-ecosystems and to further elucidate the driving factors of extinctions in the island. For instance, the coexistence of the huge Toyotamaphimeia and the carnivorous, machairodontine felid Homotherium (Tsai and Tseng, 2022) in Tainan, should draw far-ranging attention and lead to more in-depth paleontological research in Taiwan.…”

“…A field-digging program teamed up with local government agencies and led by CHT aims to collect more complete materials and reveal the fossil-bearing horizon to further discuss the paleoecological settings. Given the discovery of abundant vertebrate fossils from the Chiting Formation in Tainan since the early twentieth century (Hayasaka, 1932;Shikama, 1937;Otsuka and Lin, 1984;Chang et al, 2012;Tsai et al, 2013;Lin et al, 2019;Tsai and Mayr, 2021;Tsai and Tseng, 2022), the age of Tomistoma taiwanicus can be broadly established as 0.8-0.4 Ma (late Early to early Middle Pleistocene; Fig. 1).…”