...This book addresses the geology, geochronology, paleontology, paleogeography, paleobiochronology, and paleoecology of the Middle Awash late Miocene. It synthesizes vertebrate evolution in eastern Africa during the end of the Miocene epoch, a time during which the modern African fauna started...

...This chapter examines the Mio-Pliocene volcanic materials exposed along the western margin of the Middle Awash area, with a primary focus on the late Miocene deposits of the Adu-Asa Formation. The primary goals of this chapter are to: define the different types of volcanic material preserved...

...This chapter describes the Middle Awash carnivore fauna, which represents one of the most diverse in the latest Miocene of eastern Africa. At least 15 genera in seven families are recognized from the Asa Koma Member of the Adu-Asa Formation and the Kuseralee Member of the Sagantole Formation...

...This chapter describes the giraffid remains in the Middle Awash late Miocene deposits. The family Giraffidae is represented by two modern genera (Okapia and Giraffa) in Africa. Giraffids first appear in Africa south of the Sahara sometime toward the end...

...This chapter discusses the hipparionine horses of the Eurygnathohippus clade from the Middle Awash late Miocene. It presents the morphological description and statistical analysis of the Middle Awash hipparions ranging in age from 6.0 to 5.2 Ma. It examines two taxa of Middle Awash late Miocene...

...Tubulidentata is currently represented by a single extant species—Orycteropus afer, the aardvark. They are the largest African anteaters. This chapter focuses on the identification and description of these aardvark specimens found in the Middle Awash late Miocene. Their importance...

...This chapter considers the paleoenvironment of the Middle Awash study area in the Afar Rift of Ethiopia. Different aspects of the large mammalian faunal communities from the Asa Koma and Kuseralee Members are examined. The chapter examines the community structure based on locomotor and dietary...

... Middle Awash late Miocene faunal assemblages recovered from sediments firmly dated to between 5.2 and 5.8 million years ago. Compared to other assemblages of similar age, the Middle Awash record is unparalleled in taxonomic diversity, composed of 2,760 specimens representing at least sixty five mammalian...

...40Ar/39Ar dating has been applied extensively to volcanic units of late Miocene to Pleistocene age in the Middle Awash study area, and is the most important dating method applied to these deposits. This chapter discusses all available 40Ar/39Ar data for the Adu-Asa Formation, including some data...

...This chapter discusses the systematics and paleoecology of the small mammals recovered in fossiliferous localities of the Adu-Asa Formation. The micromammalian fauna from the late Miocene of the Middle Awash is diverse and documents at least 16 taxa in eight families. The chapter also includes...

...This chapter describes the cercopithecid fossils recovered from the late Miocene sediments of the western margin and Central Awash Complex (CAC) of the Middle Awash. Cercopithecids in the Adu-Asa Formation and the Kuseralee Member of the Sagantole Formation are rare compared to other taxa...

...This chapter discusses the phylogenetic relationships among African suids. It describes cranial and dentognathic suid remains from the late Miocene of the Middle Awash study area. The available fossil suid sample has increased enormously since the 1980s with the discovery of specimens from sites...

...This book, the first in a series devoted to the paleoanthropological resources of the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia, studies Homo erectus, a close relative of Homo sapiens. It provides detailed descriptions, photographs, and analysis of the fossil vertebrates...

...Recent discoveries of hominid remains older than 5 Ma have afforded new perspectives on the origin of the hominid clade. This chapter describes and assesses the key evidence bearing on these issues—the remains of Ardipithecus kadabba from the Middle Awash study area of the Afar...

...This chapter discusses the Rhinocerotid remains in the Middle Awash late Miocene. During the Miocene, fossil rhinoceroses were diverse and widespread in Africa. At least five different lineages (aceratheres, brachypotheres, iranotheres, dicerorhines, and dicerotines), comprising about eight genera...

...This chapter conducts comparative biogeographic analyses to examine how much the Middle Awash fauna resembles faunas from other localities of similar age at the genus level. The results indicate that the Middle Awash had close biogeographic relationships with eastern and northern African, Arabian...

...The Middle Awash late Miocene faunal assemblages document diverse evolutionary trajectories for mammalian species across the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. The assemblages indicate a number of originations and extinctions in various groups adapted to different habitats. This chapter examines...

...This concluding chapter summarizes the importance of the Middle Awash late Miocene faunal assemblages in terms of their contribution toward our understanding of the diversity, evolutionary history, and evolutionary tempo and mode of eastern African late Miocene mammals. It also summarizes...