Paleogene strata in the Huheboerhe area,Erlian Basin,Inner Mongolia,China have been subdivided into three lithological units:the Nomogen Formation,the Arshanto Formation,and the Irdin Manha Formation.At least 12 mammal-bearing horizons have been recognized in these formations,of which 4 in the Nomogen Formation,6 in the Arshanto Formation,and 2 in the Irdin Manha Formation.Recent investigation proved that the "Houldjin Formation" recognized in this area by the Central Asiatic Expeditions(CAE) of the American Museum Natural History in the 1920s is actually the Irdin Manha Formation,while the "Irdin Manha Formation" of CAE is the Arshanto Formation.A recent paleomagnetic study suggests that the upper part of the Nomogen Formation is early Eocene in age and the Arshanto Formation is mainly early Eocene rather than middle Eocene as previously thought.The Gashatan,Bumbanian,and Arshantan land mammal ages are correlated respectively to the Thanetian,the early Ypresian,and the middle Ypresian through earliest Lutetian of the Geological Time Scale.These land mammal ages are also correlated with the late Tiffanian through Clarkforkian,the early Wasatchian,and the middle-late Wasatchian and most of the Bridgerian of the North American Land Mammal Ages.During the early Paleogene,the mammalian history of the Erlian Basin was dominated by the appearance of new mammalian families and the replacement of a variety of genera and species,corresponding to the gradual climatic changes during this time period.The abrupt emergence of several modern mammalian orders at the beginning of the Eocene is probably related to extreme climatic warming in relation to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum.
Recent paleontological, paleomagnetic and carbon isotopic investigations have provided new evidence supporting placement of the Chinese terrestrial Paleocene-Eocene boundary at the base of the Lingcha Formation in the Hengyang Basin, Hunan Province, and within the upper part of the Nomogen Formation in the Erlian Basin, Inner Mongolia. Based on mammalian and ostracod biostratigraphic data, the boundary can also be roughly correlated with the contacts between the Baoyue and Huayong formations in the Sanshui Basin of Guangdong, the Qingjiang and Xinyu formations of Jiangxi, the Fourth Formation of the Funing Group and the Dainan Formation in northern Jiangsu, and the Dabu and Shisanjianfang formations in the Turfan Basin of Xinjiang.
Prohyracodon cf. P. meridionale, represented by a fragmentary upper jaw with M1-M3(IVPP V 13101), is briefly described in the present paper. The fossil was found at Huoshipo near Guojia Village, Wangmao Town, Yuanqu County. The upper molars of V 13101 resemble those of P.meridionale in general tooth morphology and in size, but differ mainly in lacking distinct antecrochet. The age of the fossil-bearing bed may be of Middle Eocene Irdinmamhan as revealed by associated fossil mammals.
