A New Species of Teleoceras from the Late Miocene Gray Fossil Site, with Comparisons to Other North American Hemphillian Species

<p>A thorough morphological description of <em>Teleoceras</em> material from the Gray Fossil Site, Gray, Tennessee is provided. This is the only record of a browsing <em>Teleoceras</em> and, as a late Hemphillian locality, represents one of the youngest populations. Linear measurements of post-cranial elements indicate proportional differences between <em>Teleoceras</em> from the Gray Fossil Site and those from other Hemphillian localities. These differences are more pronounced in the elements of the forelimb than in those of the hind limb. Statistical analyses of post-cranial elements from 3 Hemphillian species of <em>Teleoceras </em>suggest that these differences should not be used to separate species. However, the elements do typically sort well by fossil locality, which suggests that post-cranial morphology is plastic enough to become modified within a population. Furthermore, dental morphology comparisons with the holotypes of these species indicate that the GFS rhino represents a previously undescribed species.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS (Master of Science)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geosciences

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Short, Rachel A

• Gray Fossil Site
• Teleoceras
• morphology
• post-cranial
• Paleobiology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1143

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2326