Mammalian Fossils From Drebh, Sulaiman Range: A New Locality in South Punjab, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The Sulaiman Range, a lesser‐explored complement in Southern Punjab, has yielded promising fossil discoveries through recent expeditions. Extensive fieldwork in the Sakhi Sarwar outcrops (Dera Ghazi Khan district) led to the identification of a fossil‐rich locality situated 9 km west of Sakhi Sarwar. Lithological analysis and comparisons with documented mammalian fauna from the Sulaiman Range and Siwaliks suggest the Drebh site belongs to the Litra‐Chaudhwan Formation, correlating with the Chinji‐Dhok Pathan Formation of the Siwaliks. This site showcases a diverse assemblage of fossil faunas, spanning the late Middle Miocene to Pliocene epochs, underscoring its significance for regional paleontological research. Overall, 24 fossil specimens have been collected and described here, which include Selenoportax lydekkeri , Selenoportax vexillarius , Pachyportax latidens , Tragoportax punjabicus , Merycopotamus dissimilis , Bovid indet., Reduncini indet., Dorcatherium majus , Dorcatherium minus and Dorcatherium nagrii . The specimens include horncores, fragments of the maxillae and mandibles, as well as isolated teeth. First‐time documentation from this locality, these fossils augment taxonomic, stratigraphic, and biogeographic data. Based on faunal affinities and faunal composition with the Nagri‐Dhok Pathan Formation (Siwaliks), suggest a shared late Middle Miocene–Pliocene ecosystem constrained the age and ecological context of the Sulaiman Range. Overall, the faunal composition recommends a late Middle Miocene to Pliocene age and also indicates that the study area was part of a large‐size ecosystem during the time in question.