Warta Geologi, Vol. 46, No. 3, December 2020, pp. 196–198
First discovery of Stegodon (Proboscidea) in
Malaysia
Ros Fatihah Muhammad1,*, Lim Tze Tshen2,
Norliza Ibrahim3, Mohd Azmi Abdul Razak4, Fakhrulradzi
Mohd Razif1, Zarris Kem5, Ching Boon Tat6, Tee
Chee Yuen6, Nang Yu Lee6, Chan Jien Chiew6,
Chan Jian Fai6, Mat Niza Abdul Rahman7, Shah Redza
Hussein8
1 Department of Geology, Universiti Malaya, 50603
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2 Paleontological Society of Malaysia, c/o 1327,
Jalan Bukit Galena 26, Taman Bukit Galena, 70200 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan,
Malaysia
3 Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Clinical
Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4 Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of
Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
5 Ecoknights, c/o 41, Lorong Burhanuddin Helmi
11, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
6 Kinta Valley Watch, c/o 63, Rapat Permai 6,
Taman Rapat Permai, 31350 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
7 Jabatan Mineral dan Geosains Malaysia Perak, Jalan Sultan
Azlan Shah, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
8 Perak State Parks Corporation, Tingkat 1,
Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan Negeri, JKR 341, Jalan Sultan Aziz, 33300 Grik,
Perak, Malaysia
*Corresponding author email address: rosfmuhammad@um.edu.my
Abstract:
A cheek tooth of Stegodon, an extinct genus of Proboscidea, had been
discovered in a cave in Gopeng, Perak. The discovery represents the first
fossil of Stegodon ever found in Malaysia. Embedded in lithified cave
infillings are the associated dental remains from at least three or four other
different taxa of fossil mammals commonly found among Southeast Asian
Pleistocene-Holocene faunas. The finding provides a unique chance for
investigations into the evolution dynamics of Stegodon in this part of
Southeast Asia and the species diversity of Proboscidea in prehistoric
Peninsular Malaysia. Fossil mammal assemblages from different phases of
Pleistocene-Holocene period collected from karstic caves in Peninsular
Malaysia, when considered with similar assemblages from other parts of
Southeast Asia, have the potential to contribute to our understanding of
prehistoric faunal migrations and species compositional changes among the
biogeographic (sub)divisions in Southeast Asia. This may ultimately lead to a
better knowledge of the possible paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic
fluctuations that influenced patterns of migration and adaptive responses of
mammalian faunas in Quaternary Southeast Asia.
Keywords:
Stegodon, cave paleontology, Quaternary mammals, Southeast Asia,
prehistoric migrations
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.7186/wg463202004
ISSN
0126–5539; e-ISSN 2682-7549
