The Cenozoic on-shore basins of Northern Vietnam: Biostratigraphy, vertebrate and invertebrate faunas

A first account of paleontological data from three Cenozoic on-shore basins in Northern Vietnam, i.e. the Na Duong, Cao Bang, and Hang Mon basins, reveals a rich fossil fauna and flora of supposed Oligocene age, offering a great potential for taxonomic, paleoenvironmental, and paleobiogeographic studies. Two excavation campaigns unearthed well-preserved fossil remains of mammals, crocodiles, at least six turtle species, some 20 fish taxa, some other 20 mollusc species, and different plant remains. The majority of these taxa are regarded as new to science. However, close affinities to modern faunas of northern Southeast Asia demonstrate the importance of these fossils for an evaluation of the biological history of this modern biodiversity hot spot. Moreover, the fossil assemblages may help to disentangle the intricate Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia by application of paleobiogeographic modelling. Finally, the discovery of complex paleo-food-webs and the presence of several taxa indicative of certain ecological conditions provide a solid base for autecologic, synecologic and paleoclimatic studies. The potential biostratigraphic value of the macrofauna has to be demonstrated yet, as evolutionary concepts for most of the respective groups have not been proposed to date.

Research highlights
► Cenozoic basins in Northern Vietnam reveal a rich and diverse fossil fauna and flora.
► Sediments are supposed to be of Oligocene age.
► Biogeographic affinities exist to modern faunas of northern Southeast Asia.
► Paleosoils and fossils indicate a paratropical and humid climate similar to today.