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Over the years a diverse assemblage of proboscidean remains has been recovered from the Lower to Upper Siwalik Subgroups of Pakistan and India. This article reports newly discovered dental material of tri- and tetralophodont proboscideans that includes cf. Paratetralophodon hasnotensis and Choerolophodon sp., and a Gomphothere gen. et sp. indet., recently collected from late middle to late Miocene localities of the Pakistani Siwalik Group, with a brief history of these species. The partial premolar of cf. Pa. hasnotensis is described for the first time from the Siwalik Group, recovered from the Dhok Pathan Formation, and the specimens reported herein are the latest to be described after a 38-year gap from previously described material for this species. A preliminary survey of the literature and previously described material of Siwalik species suggests a revision of Siwalik Group proboscideans is much needed.

Here, we describe new bovid remains from the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene of Padhri in the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan. A comparison with the closely allied genera from the Siwaliks revealed that a maxillary fragment and a hemimandible belong to Tragoportax punjabicus, two isolated teeth can be assigned as cf. Tragoportax sp. and a mandible fragment belongs to Gazella lydekkeri. We suggest that Tragoportax is represented by two valid species and Gazella by three species. The extinction of Tragoportax and Gazella from the Siwaliks during the Early Pliocene could be associated with habitat loss, as these used to live in forest and shrublands respectively which were replaced with the grassland towards the beginning of the Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Nimravidae is poorly known from the Siwalik Group that comprises freshwater deposits having an age that spans 18.0-0.6 Ma. The new material recovered from the Dhok Ban Ameer Khatoon (Chinji Formation) and Sethi Nagri (type locality of the Nagri Formation) is assigned to Sansanosmilus rhomboidalis based on the morphology of canine. The recovered material is unique and rare in the Siwaliks of northern Pakistan. It also increases the stratigraphic range of this barbourofelines species from the Chinji Formation to the Nagri Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently collected carnivoran specimens from the Siwalik Group of Pakistan are described and discussed. These specimens add to our knowledge of the previously known taxa while also adding to our biogeographic, stratigraphic, and temporal knowledge of the carnivorans from the Siwaliks. At least eight distinct taxa are identified, and although most specimens are fragmentary, some hyaenid specimens are identified further (e.g. Lycyaena and Ictitherium). We identify and describe the first herpestid fossils from the Chinji Formation, the first hyaenid (Lycyaena cf. L. dubia) from the Tatrot Formation, and the first definitive occurrence of Ictitherium (Ictitherium cf. I. viverrinum) from the Dhok Pathan Formation. We report the first occurrences of several taxa from various sites in the Siwaliks of Pakistan, including the first reports of any carnivorans from Dhok Milan, Kohtehra, and Lawa. Individual sites show a wide range of carnivoran biodiversity, however larger scale trends are more discernible when comparing those between formations in the Siwaliks. Several taxa disappear over time from the carnivoran fauna of the Siwaliks, starting with barbourofelines, and continuing with amphicyonids (and non-carnivoran hyaenodontids). Felids and mustelids are the most diverse carnivorans in the Siwaliks, while caniforms become more prevalent through time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil remains of Gazella sp., Dorcatherium majus and Gaindatherium browni are recovered from the middle Miocene (14.2-11.2 Ma) of Bhilomar, Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan. The sample comprises upper and lower dentitions. Presence of above fossil families in the Chinji formation depicts more faunal elements in this zone and their abundance. The Siwalik group has yielded an abundant vertebrate fauna which consists of almost all type of mammalian groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent expedition in the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan has yielded dental material of three rhinocerotid species Chilotherium intermedium, Alicornops complanatum, and Brachypotherium perimense. The material came from the Nagri and Dhok Pathan formations of the Middle Siwalik Subgroup in Punjab, Pakistan. These specimens are good addition to provide additional morphological characters that show information about the variations in dental characters of theese already recorded species and contribute to recent work on Rhinocerotidae from the Middle Siwalik Subgroup of Pakistan. The studied remains of these three rhinocerotids species whose remains are relatively low in the Middle Siwaliks are good paleontological contribution with some more detailed work suggested here to understand about these genera. Presence of these Siwalik rhinocerotids indicates diverse habitats from forest to savanna environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trypanosoma evansi is an important hemoparasite of a variety of animal species worldwide. This parasite is a threat to the health of domestic animals as well as wild animals, particularly those managed in captivity. The current study investigated the presence of T. evansi in captive tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) and lions (Panthera leo) in Pakistan. In total, 24 blood samples from 11 tigers and 3 lions (n = 14) were collected during the course of roughly 3 yr (2016–2018). Eighteen samples were subjected to both microscopic and molecular evaluation for the presence of T. evansi; the remaining 6 samples were processed for PCR only. Of the 18 samples tested by both methods, 3 (16%) and 8 (44%) were positive by microscopy and PCR, respectively. This highlights the higher sensitivity of PCR over microscopy for detection of trypanosomes. Of the 24 total samples evaluated by PCR, 12 (50%) were positive. The three sequences obtained showed 99% identity with variant surface glycoprotein genes of the different isolates of T. evansi. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of microscopy in identifying T. evansi was 37.5, 100, 100, and 66.7%, respectively, considering PCR as the gold standard. We recommend rigorous monitoring of captive tigers and lions for hemoparasites, particularly in winter and early spring in areas with high infection rate of this parasite, preferably via PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]