New Pliocene remains of Camelus grattardi (Mammalia, Camelidae) from the Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, and the evolution of African camels

A rare discovery of Pliocene camel remains from the Shungura Formation in Ethiopia's Lower Omo Valley challenges our understanding of African camel evolution. The fossils, attributed to Camelus grattardi and dating back 3 to 2.6 million years, reveal a small-bodied species with unique dental traits distinct from both extant and fossil Old World camels. Phylogenetic analysis suggests greater lineage diversity in Plio-Pleistocene Camelus than previously recognized. Microwear analyses indicate C. grattardi was likely a mixed-feeder preferring browse, consistent with carbon isotope data from the Turkana Basin. The study also finds no clear paleoenvironmental association for African camels, which inhabited diverse environments ranging from dry savannas to closed woodlands along ancient river systems.

Rowan, J., Martini, P., Likius, A., Merceron, G., & Boisserie, J.-R. (2018). New Pliocene remains of Camelus grattardi (Mammalia, Camelidae) from the Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, and the evolution of African camels. Historical Biology, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2017.1423485