Equidae in the Ngorora Formation, Kenya, and the first appearance of the family in East Africa

Abstract

Several papers published during the past two decades have denied the existence of equids in the type section of the Ngorora Formation, Tugen Hills, Kenya, despite their discovery there prior to 1975. A long term result of this omission is that the family is generally viewed as having arrived in East Africa as late as Zone MN 11 (between 9.0 and 8.5 Ma), well after its appearance in Europe and North Africa in MN 9 (ca 11 Ma). However, recent surveys in the type area of the Ngorora Formation confirm that the family is present in Member E in sediments deposited about 10.5 – 11 Ma. There was thus no significant offset in the arrival times of equids in Africa and Asia (Indian Subcontinent included).