New remains of Rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae, Perissodactyla, Mammalia) associated with Gigantopithecus blacki from the Early Pleistocene Yanliang Cave, Fusui, South China

Abundant dental fossils of Rhinoceros, associated with Gigantopithecus blacki from the early Early Pleistocene Yanliang Cave deposits in Fusui County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of southern China, are described as Rhinoceros fusuiensis sp. nov. (Rhinocerotidae, Perissodactyla, Mammalia). The new species is morphologically more similar to the extant species Rhinoceros sondaicus (Javan rhinoceros) than to other species of the genus, but differs from R. sondaicus in bearing a slightly smaller size, a complete protoloph on P2 after heavily worn, a better developed crochet which is close to the protoloph, and a more curved ectoloph. Rhinoceros fusuiensis sp. nov. is considered as the potential ancestor of the living R. sondaicus and the common element of the Early Pleistocene Gigantopithecus-Sinomastodon fauna in southern China. The Rhinoceros remains from other Early Pleistocene sites (e.g., Longgupo Cave and Mohui Cave in southern China and Irrawaddy sediments in Myanmar) are also assigned into the new species. The discovery of R. fusuiensis sp. nov. provides important information on Quaternary biostratigraphy in southern China, as well as implicating southern China as a significant evolutionary and zoogeographic center for Rhinoceros during the Early Pleistocene.