The Tala Formation is the bottom of the Cenozoic deposit in the Linxia Basin of Gansu Province, China, but its chronology is controversial owing to the lack of mammalian fossils. Recently, a fragmentary mandible of chalicothere Schizotherium ordosium was discovered from the upper part of the Tala Formation, which is the first specimen of mammalian fossil found from this formation. The fossil is assigned to Schizotherium ordosium based on the largest size in the genus and the metastylid separated from but smaller than the metaconid. This discovery provides a reliable reference for the paleomagnetic dating of the Tala Formation, and confirms that the age of the Tala Formation is late early Oligocene, which is meaningful for understanding the formation of the basin and sedimentary evolution. (c) 2025 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The takin (Budorcas taxicolor), a large mountain ungulate endemic to Asia, is widely regarded as a characteristic species of high-altitude environments. Today, it inhabits high-altitude montane regions across southwestern and central China, including Qinling, Minshan, Qionglai, Liangshan, Gaoligong, and Himalayan ranges. Despite its ecological significance and distinctive adaptation to mountainous habitats, the fossil record of Budorcas remains limited and unevenly distributed through time. Among the six known fossil localities, most date to the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene, with a notable absence of well-preserved materials from Middle to Late Pleistocene. This temporal gap has constrained our understanding of the species' evolutionary history and past geographic distribution. This study reports the discovery of two takin fossil individuals recovered in 2025 from Lingniu Cave, located near the Shuanghe Cave system, the longest cave in Asia, in northern Guizhou, southwestern China. The specimens, representing one adult and one subadult individual, constitute the most complete takin fossil materials currently known from China. Morphological analyses indicate that both individuals exhibit notably larger cranial dimensions than extant takin populations. This pattern aligns with broader trends in Pleistocene mammals, where body size variation is often associated with Quaternary climatic fluctuations. Their comparatively large size may therefore reflect adaptation to colder, more seasonal environments, although developmental and ecological constraints cannot be excluded. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating places the two individuals in the Late Pleistocene, with calibrated ages of 15785-15615 BP and 11819-11403 BP, respectively. These dates correspond to the terminal phase of the Last Glacial Period, encompassing cold conditions associated with Late Glacial stadials and the Younger Dryas. The presence of Budorcas in northern Guizhou during this period demonstrates that the species occupied a wider ecological and geographic range under glacial conditions than at present. Combined with earlier Early Pleistocene records, these findings raise an important question: does the distribution of takins in South China reflect episodic southward range expansion in response to glacial cooling, or a longer-term, continuous occupation of this region since the Pleistocene? Taphonomic and geomorphological evidence further clarifies the depositional context of the fossils. The concentrated distribution of skeletal elements, absence of fluvial transport signatures, and lack of alternative cave entrances suggest that both individuals likely entered the cave alive through the current opening. External pressures, such as predation or disturbance by large carnivores, may have driven them into the cave. Subsequently, both individuals appear to have fallen down a 5-meter steep drop and were unable to escape, leading to their deaths. Although the individuals lived in different periods, similar depositional contexts indicate a recurrent mortality mechanism linked to cave morphology. To date, more than 50 Middle-Late Pleistocene giant panda specimens have been recovered from Shuanghe Cave area. The discovery of takin fossils from this context suggests that Budorcas was likely an important component of the "Ailuropoda-Stegodon Fauna" in southwest China. The coexistence of takins and giant pandas further implies that the area supported diverse vegetation supporting both bamboo-dependent species and large browsing herbivores. Overall, the Lingniu Cave takin fossils provide new insights into the morphology, paleoecology, and biogeographic history of Budorcas in the Late Pleistocene. These findings contribute to filling a critical temporal gap in the fossil record and highlight the importance of integrating morphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental data to better understand the evolutionary history and population dynamics of this species.

As a small-sized Bovini, Pachyportax, originated in the Late Miocene Siwaliks and subsequently dispersed to neighbouring regions in Southeast Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, and eventually reached Yunnan, China. However, no fossil material of this genus had been discovered in China prior to this study. Here we report a new species Pachyportax zhaotongensis n. sp., from an important fossil ape locality, the Shuitangba site in Zhaotong, Yunnan, China, dated at approximately 6.2 Ma. The new species displays the diagnostic characteristics of Pachyportax, such as a robust horn core that extends laterally and backward, with a slightly convex medial side and a flatter lateral side, featuring anterior and posterior keels; the cheek teeth are hypsodont, with moderately developed ribs, folds and basal pillars. It also shows some differences from the known species: the horn core insertion is distant from the orbit and shows no significant torsion, and the anterior and posterior keels on the horn core are less pronounced. These advanced characteristics indicated that Pachyportax zhaotongensis n. sp. represents a late evolutionary stage of Pachyportax. This is also the first report of Pachyportax in China. In addition, based on a phylogenetic analysis, we clarify the relationship of Selenoportax and Pachyportax, and briefly explore the evolution and geographical distribution of the two genera. (c) 2025 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

A new m3 of Gomphotherium was collected from the Miocene Jinsu Formation, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We compare its dental morphology with that of gomphotheres including the Eurasia Z. turicensis, Gomphotherium subtapiroideum and G. tassyi etc. It is very similar to “derived Gomphotherium group.”, e.g., G. tassyi and Gomphotherium subtapiroideum in the presence of the anterior and posterior crescentoids, the posttrite half lophids moderately mesiodistally compressed, the thick enamel, moderate mesiodistal distance of interlophids, subdivided pretrite central conules, weakly subdivided posttrite half lophids, clear separation of posttrite main cuspid and mesoconelet and the absence of alternative position and chevron, the presence of the anterior and posterior crescentoids and the interlophids half stuffed up by the enamel pillars. This discovery extends the geographic distribution of Gomphotherium in Northeastern Asia.

Soergelia, known as Soergel's ox, is an extinct bovid genus, placed under Caprini of Bovidae. It is characterized by a pair of far apart positioned and anteriorly growing horncores, and was widely distributed across Europe, Siberia of Russia, as well as North America during the Early Pleistocene to the Middle Pleistocene. However, the rare finds hindered the taxonomic and evolutionary studies of the genus. Here, we established and described a new species of the genus, S. longdanensis n. sp., based on the material discovered from Longdan, Gansu Province, dated as early Early Pleistocene (2.595-2.137 Ma). It is not only the first record of the genus in East Asia, but also the earliest record in the world. The new species shares a series of common characters with the genus; however, it has some distinct characters, differing from the other known species, such as the horncore tip bending upward, slow tapering rate, etc. Additionally, we briefly reviewed the known Soergelia species, and considered that the taxonomic status of S. brigittae still needs to be determined, and S. intermedia and Soergelia cf. minor (Dmanisi) might be a synonym. Furthermore, we estimated the evolutionary and dispersal trends of the genus, suggesting that it probably originated from a Kabulicornis-like form, which dispersed westward and eastward during the Late Pliocene, and evolved into S. longdanensis, S. minor and Soergelia cf. minor (S. intermedia?), respectively. The former species dispersed northward into Siberia of Russia during the middle Early Pleistocene, and evolved into S. elisabethae. This species dispersed westward into Europe during the early Middle Pleistocene, and eastward into North America evolving into S. mayfieldi at approximately 0.8 Ma. (c) 2025 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The late Miocene was a critical period in Earth's climate and biosphere evolution, with intensified climate variability, major terrestrial ecosystem reorganization, and formation of modern-like Tibetan Plateau. However, mechanisms linking these transformations remain elusive. Here we integrate quantitative Asian summer monsoon precipitation and qualitative Asian winter monsoon intensity reconstructions, mammalian fossil records, and climate simulations to investigate this nexus in the mammal-rich northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Results show near-synchronous Asian summer and winter monsoon intensification and pronounced biotic turnover at similar to 8.7 Ma. We attribute these to late Miocene global cooling and northern Tibetan Plateau uplift, which together enhanced Asian monsoon circulation. Climate modelling under different palaeotopographic scenarios highlight the critical role of northern Tibetan Plateau uplift in strengthening monsoon dynamics. These findings emphasize the late Miocene as a key interval of coupled climatic, tectonic, and ecological transitions, and the importance of Tibetan Plateau uplift in modulating regional climate and biodiversity evolution.

Hipparion Red Clay of northern China represents one of the most crucial terrestrial mammal records of the Eurasian Neogene. Despite their long-standing relevance to biostratigraphy and palaeoecology, the taphonomic processes governing the formation and preservation of these assemblages remain largely unexplored. Here, we present the first quantitative taphonomic analysis of two Late Miocene sites embedded within the Hipparion Red Clay of the Chinese Loess Plateau: Daidian and Dongmen. These sites are geographically separated (~100 km) and diachronous yet occur within the same regional stratigraphic unit. Large herbivores dominate both assemblages but differ markedly in taxonomic composition, with equids (Hipparion spp.) prevailing at Daidian and rhinocerotids (Chilotherium habereri) dominating Dongmen. Mortality profiles of the dominant taxa indicate attritional accumulation at both sites, characterised by juvenile-biased age structures and the absence of catastrophic mortality signatures. Skeletal representation and completeness patterns are broadly comparable, with a predominance of appendicular elements and consistent underrepresentation of axial and girdle bones. Bone surface modifications related to biostratinomic processes are rare, whereas extensive fragmentation coupled with high skeletal completeness indicates pervasive fossildiagenetic breakage. Statistical analyses reveal no significant differences in bone modification patterns between sites. These results support a depositional model in which vertebrate remains accumulated gradually on low-relief open landscapes through attritional mortality and were repeatedly incorporated into the sedimentary record by very low-energy aeolian dust deposition. The Hipparion Red Clay, therefore, emerges as a taphonomically consistent archive capable of preserving time-averaged vertebrate assemblages with high palaeontological fidelity across space and time.

Choerolophodontidae is one of the four major groups of early Elephantimorpha. However, this group has received only limited study in comparison with the other three families, i.e. Mammutidae, Gomphotheriidae, and Amebelodontidae. Here we report new skull and mandible specimens from the early - middle Miocene Zhangenbao Formation (18.0-14.5 Ma) of Tongxin, northern China. These fossils include the most complete choerolophodontid cranial - mandibular material known from this interval, and provide the first evidence of sexual dimorphism in the family. Based on these materials, we establish a new genus and species, Parachoerodon rhynchus gen. et sp. nov. and reassign 'chioticus' and 'connexus' to this genus. We further recognise Eochoerodon gen. nov. for the primitive E. guangheensis and E. palaeindicus. Phylogenetic analyses incorporating 62 taxa and 112 characters strongly support the monophyly of Choerolophodontidae, which consists of a basal Eochoerodon, a western lineage (Afrochoerodon + Choerolophodon), and an eastern lineage (Parachoerodon + Gnathabelodon). Based on key morphological features, particularly the trough-shaped and tuskless mandibular symphysis, we reconstructed the appearance and palaeoecology of choerolophodontids in the early - middle Miocene. These findings expand the known taxonomic and biogeographic diversity of choerolophodontids, and provide new insights into their evolutionary differentiation and functional morphology.lsid:zoobank.org:pub:44C9EAFE-96CD-4EE6-AFEC-C95270368BF4

Pliohyracidae, a group of large-bodied hyracoids, successfully colonised Eurasia during the late Cenozoic. However, their cranial morphology has remained poorly understood due to the scarcity of complete specimens in East Asia, particularly for Postschizotherium. This study presents the first nearly complete cranium of Postschizotherium cf. intermedium from the Early Pleistocene Longdan locality in Gansu Province, China. The cranium exhibits several distinctive features, including an exceptionally laterally projecting orbit, a massive maxillary sinus that significantly invades the orbital fossa, and a highly developed pre-orbital fossa system. These morphological traits, especially the first one, suggest that Postschizotherium is closely related to Pliohyrax and Kvabebihyrax, both being large pliohyracids from the upper Cenozoic of East Europe and West Asia. The morphology also suggests that Postschizotherium likely occupied semi-aquatic habitats, similar to those of extant hippos, with a diet primarily consisting of grasses. The discovery of this species at Longdan also provides evidence for a relatively humid palaeoenvironment in the region during the earliest Pleistocene, contributing to our understanding of the palaeoenvironmental conditions and evolutionary history of pliohyracids in Eurasia. (c) 2025 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Lagomerycinae(/-dae) is a group of small- to medium-sized stem cervids with coronate antlers that lived in Eurasia during the Early-Middle Miocene. In this study, we report the middle part of a braincase bearing a pair of frontal appendages and the middle part of a right mandibular body with p4-m2, unearthed from the lower sandstone bed of the Dongxiang Formation (similar to 17.2 Ma). The new material represents a novel genus of Lagomerycinae(/-dae), Loxomeryx gen. nov., and is assigned to the type species Loxomeryx guangheensis (originally Stephanocemas guangheensis Deng et al., 2014). The new genus is larger than the European Lagomeryx. The pedicle is straight, slender and distinctly inclined backwards. The antler has a forked construction with a multi-pointed palm portion at the base. The antler to pedicle length proportion in Loxomeryx gen. nov. is similar to that in Ligeromeryx. This proportion is larger than that in Lagomeryx but smaller than those in Stephanocemas and Paradicrocerus. We also conducted a phylogenetic analysis using the maximum parsimony method based on 64 characters of the cranial appendages and teeth. The result shows that Loxomeryx gen. nov. is nested within a clade consisting of Stephanocemas and two Asian 'Lagomeryx', i.e. L. manai and L. complicidens. In addition, this analysis supports the assignment of Ligeromeryx colberti (originally Stephanocemas colberti Young, 1937) to the genus Ligeromeryx. Paradicrocerus was found to be excluded from Lagomerycinae(/-dae), forming part of the Dicrocerinae clade.https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:50890AB7-7A7D-4409-A740-A081BF52E717

This study describes new mammutid material recovered from the Yushe Basin, including a relatively well-preserved cranium (YS 0005Z). Integrated with previously published specimens and comparative analyses, the Mammut from Shanxi Province are revised and assigned to Mammut shansiense. The discovery of the M. shansiense cranium provides critical insights into the morphology and evolutionary dynamics of Eurasian mammutids during the late Neogene. Morphological comparisons reveal striking similarities between M. shansiense and the North American M. americanum in cranial features (e.g., anteriorly positioned orbits, a moderately domed braincase) and dental characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis supports a close relationship between these two species. However, recent ancient DNA evidence has documented a deep Pliocene divergence within North American mastodon lineages, implying a more complex evolutionary history for the clade. We propose that M. shansiense represents a morphologically derived Eurasian lineage that likely share a close common ancestor with North American Mammut taxa, and that the dispersal of mammutid from Eurasia to North America occurred in multiple waves, driven by climate biogeographic processes. (c) 2026 Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Hypsodontinae is a highly specialized subfamily of Bovidae, primarily distributed across East and West Asia as well as Eastern Europe during the Miocene; however, the type genus Hypsodontus had not been documented in East Asia. Here, we report a new species of Hypsodontus, Hypsodontus sinensis sp. nov., from the Dongxiang Formation at the Citan locality, Linxia Basin, China, dating to the late Early Miocene (~17.2 Ma). This marks the first definitive record of the type genus in China. The new material consists of a horn core that exhibits more than 1/3 circle of strong homonymous twisting, uniform elongation, and a smooth surface, displaying closer affinities to H. pronaticornis. The age of Hypsodontus sinensis sp. nov. represents the oldest known record, suggesting that this genus might have originated in China and radiated during the late Early Miocene or early Middle Miocene. The evolutionary relationships among the members of Hypsodontinae, i.e., Hypsodontus, Kubanotragus, and Turcocerus, are also discussed here. Materials from the Xishuigou locality and the Halamagai Formation of the Junggar Basin may represent an ancestral form of these genera mentioned above, possibly an early variant of Kubanotragus. The discovery of this new species at the Citan locality illustrates an early diversification of Hypsodontus in China and provides critical insights into the early evolution of Bovidae.

Stem pecorans radiated globally near the Oligocene-Miocene boundary but remain poorly documented in China. We report a new stem pecorans, Labrangomeryx dorcapolis nov. gen., nov. sp. and previously reported Sinopalaeoceros xiejiaensis, from the earliest Miocene (similar to 23-20 Ma) of Gansu, China. Labrangomeryx nov. gen. exhibits bunoselenodont dentition with unique traits: a bifurcated p4 anterior conid, strong metastylids, and absent entoconulid in molars, linking Eurasian and North American taxa (e.g., Pomelomeryx, Problastomeryx). Sinopalaeoceros displays high hypsodonty and m3 entoconulid, resembling North American merycodontines rather than later Asian bovids. Both taxa lack cranial appendages, pointing towards a placement within stem pecorans. An enigmatic large p4 may present a tylopodan affinity, implying North American ties. These findings reveal early pecoran diversification in Eastern Asia and underscore transcontinental faunal exchanges during the early Miocene, bridging Eurasian and North American evolutionary narratives. The absence of crown-family cranial features highlights unresolved systematic positions but enriches understanding of pecoran morphological plasticity during their initial radiation. (c) 2025 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Stegolophodon is an age-informative genus of mammals that had a widespread distribution during the Neogene.This paper reports the discovery of Stegolophodon fossils from the Middle Miocene lower Fotan Formation at the Zhangpu locality,Fujian Province,China.This discovery represents the first evidence of Neogene proboscidean fossils in southeastern China.The newly found molar materials have low tooth crowns,very straight lophs/lophids,and an indistinct median sulcus.The mesoconelets and posterior cingulum are well-developed,while the second posterior pretrite central conule is significantly reduced.These specimens closely resemble Stegolophodon pseudolatidens in cheek tooth morphology,and can thus be attributed to the same species.This discovery fills a gap in the fossil record of large mammals in this region during the Neogene and provides valuable insights into the evolution of proboscideans and paleoenvironments.

Dichobunoids were the most basal artiodactyl group, widely distributed throughout the Eocene of Eurasia and North America, but were rarely reported from southern China. In this paper, we report the first dichobunoid artiodactyl, Shilinhyus chowi n. gen. n. sp., from the middle Eocene of Lunan Basin (Shilin County), China. Shilinhyus is characterized by its relatively large size, bunoselenodont tooth morphology with a highly developed p4 metaconid, and a mesially interrupted paracristid formed by a weak premetacristid and a strong preprotocristid. This morphology distinguishes Shilinhyus from all known dichobunoid artiodactyls. Within dichobunoids, Shilinhyus resembles Pakkokuhyus from the Eocene of Southeast Asia and "Gobiohyus" yuanchuensis from the Eocene of Shanxi, China, by the relatively large size, the absence of the paraconid, and the well-development of the hypolophid. However, Shilinhyus still differs from Pakkokuhyus and "Gobiohyus" yuanchuensis in the complete interruption of the paracristid and in the alignment of the entoconid and hypoconid as well as the protoconid and metaconiod. Shilinhyus, Pakkokuhyus, and "Gobiohyus" yuanchuensis might have derived from the Eocene Gobiohyus from northern China, constituting a distinct group. The discovery of Shilinhyus chowi enhances our understanding of the early evolution of dichobunoid artiodactyls, especially in southern China. (c) 2024 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS.

The Central Asian (CA) steppe ecosystem and its fauna experienced a marked transition during the Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO), though the specific process and dynamics remain elusive. We selected the Duolebulejin (DLB) section within the Junggar Basin to reconstruct vegetation and climate changes, using proxies such as particle size, mammalian fossils, and previously reported data including pollen, delta 13CTOC, and magnetic susceptibility. The results reveal three distinct phases of transformation in regional vegetation and fauna from 18.8 to 13.2 Ma. During the pre-MCO (18.8-17.0 Ma), the landscape was dominated by desert scrubland, primarily inhabited by rodents. The MCO (17.0-14.5 Ma) witnessed a shift towards steppe vegetation, initially with herbaceous taxa followed by the establishment of C4 plants, alongside a diversity of large mammals adapted to open habitats. This suggests the emergence of savanna-like woodland steppes. In the post-MCO (14.5-13.2 Ma), the region transitioned to a dry steppe, accompanied by a decline in animal populations, although a significant proportion of species remained adapted to steppe environments. These findings underscore a co-evolutionary relationship between the development of steppe ecosystems and mammalian adaptations, driven by global MCO warming and subsequent cooling, with regional hydroclimatic changes acting as a modulating factor. The steppe-fauna biome emerged in the Junggar Basin during the MCO warming, with mechanisms resembling those of tropical savannas in the late Miocene. These insights enhance our understanding of early steppe ecosystem evolution through past warming periods, shedding light on the pathways to modern steppe formation.

Here, we describe a new ecomorph of Nimravidae, Taotienimravus songi gen. et sp. nov., from the middle Oligocene of eastern Asia. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species is closely related to Nimravus and Dinaelurus, and it represents a non-sabertooth ecomorph form with initial bone-cracking adaptation-a unique form among Nimravidae. An increase in body size among Nimravidae appears to have coincided with the demise of Oxyaenidae, another carnivorous clade in the Palaeogene. The initial emergence of macrocarnivorous adaptation of Carnivora by a felid-like ecomorph probably reflects competition dynamics. Nimravidae successfully occupied several ecological niches that were not exploited by Felidae, probably owing to the lack of competition within Carnivora during much of their evolutionary history. Our study underscores the role of both abiotic and biotic factors in shaping niche availability for these animals, emphasizing the need for discussions on niche change and evolution to be grounded in these considerations.

Fossils of Antilopina were often referred to and classified under the genus name "Gazella", except for some Miocene spiral horned antelopes; however, their true taxonomic attribution is difficult to determine due to the significant morphological variation observed in large fossil samples. Species of two extant genera within Antilopina that are widely distributed in China are Gazella subgutturosa and Procapra spp. Assigning abundant fossil specimens identified as "Gazella" from China to these two extant groups is particularly challenging. Molecular phylogenetic studies have revealed that Gazella and Procapra belong to two distinct clades within Antilopina. Therefore, the study of fossil "Gazella" is crucial for understanding the differentiation and evolutionary history of Antilopina, which includes a diverse array of genera that lived in Eurasia and Africa. In this article, we describe a newly discovered cranium of "Gazella" nihensis from the Pliocene Epoch on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The new cranium exhibits several distinctive features: the braincase is considerably elongated, with the occipital condyles protruding caudally beyond the paroccipital process; the cranial-facial axis is weakly curved, and the horn cores are strongly inclined caudally. The morphology is distinct from most other members of Antilopina. We testified the view that "Gazella" nihensis is possibly related with the living Procapra because of these specialized features. Interestingly, in "Gazella" nihensis, the elongated braincase that is less bent from the facial axis resembles that of the living Litocranius walleri; and the strongly caudally inclined horn core that of the living Ammodorcas clarkei and Antidorcas marsupialis. These similarities maybe the result of parallel evolution, but further research is needed to explore this interesting resemblance. (c) 2025 Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

The paleoenvironments and ecosystems of northern China during the Miocene (ca. 23-5.3 Ma) are complex topics, especially concerning the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau on the surrounding areas and the ecological adaptations of mammals as a consequence. Our data integrated stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis, cenograms, and hypsodonty of herbivorous mammals. The results reveal open, arid, savanna-like habitats in the Junggar Basin during the late early Miocene (ca. 20.4-15.9 Ma). These habitats subsequently spread to northern China by the late Miocene (ca. 11.6-5.3 Ma), driving mammalian adaptation. Large herbivores, particularly proboscideans and rhinocerotids, exhibited strong adaptations to these new open environments, while smaller taxa maintained a preference for more closed, forested habitats. Additionally, during global climate changes, biodiversity declined, indicating increased ecological pressure. Despite these changes, faunal diets in the Junggar Basin remained consistent. Our findings contribute to understanding mid-Miocene paleoecology in northern China and the adaptive strategies of mammals in response to environmental changes.