© Biodiversity Heritage Library, http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/; www.zobodat.at Mitt. Bayer. Staatsslg. Paläont. hist. Geol. j ___ 29 ~]~ 2 2 7 —233 München, 29. 12. 1989 The phylogenetic relationships of the Elasmotherini (Rhinocerotidae, Mamm.) By M ikael F ortelius and K urt H eissig:;') With 2 figures Abstract A cladistic analysis of the extinct rhinoceros tribe Elasmotherini is presented, based mainly on dental morphology. The result is a new classification of Begertherium (formerly Hispano- therium) grimmi (H eissig) and Begertherium (formerly Beliajevina) tekkayai (H eissig). It is possible to recognize a Hispanotherium- clade and an Elasmotherium- clade at a suprageneric le vel, but to do so formally serves no useful purpose. Kurzfassung Die vorliegende cladistische Analyse des ausgestorbenen Nashorn-Tribus Elasmotherini stützt sich vor allem auf die Gebißmorphologie. Es ergibt sich eine neue systematische Zuord nung von Begertherium (früher Hispanotherium) grimmi (H eissig) und Begertherium (früher Beliajevina) tekkayai (H eissig). E s ist möglich, oberhalb der Gattungsebene einen Hispanothe- rz^m-Zweig und einen Elasmotherium- Zweig einander gegenüberzustellen. Es erscheint je doch nicht zweckmäßig, daraus systematische Konsequenzen zu ziehen. Introduction The first attempt to establish the phylogenetic relationships of the different genera of Elas motherini by H eissig (1974) was based mainly on the position of the horn, the degree ofhypso- donty and the loss of incisors. We now consider these characters less significant than special fea tures of the dentition, partly because the subsequently discovered Ningxiatherium is interme diate between Iranotherium and Elasmotherium in horn position and morphology of the zygo matic arch (C hen 1977). Increased hypsodonty and incisor loss are subject to parallel evolution and so somewhat problematic, although reversals are highly unlikely. The material available is certainly very incomplete, and any scheme based on it must be considered preliminary. It is ne vertheless possible, at this stage, to present a logical and useful phylogeny of this puzzling group. *) Dr. M. FORTELIUS, University of Helsinki, Dept, of Geology, Division of Geology and Paleontology, Snellmaninkatu 5, SF-00170 Helsinki, Finland. Prof. Dr. K. H eissig, Bayerische Staatssammlung für Pa läontologie und historische Geologie, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 8000 München 2, FRG. 227