Summary:
The origin of the genus Bos is a debated issue. From 0.5 Ma until historic
times, the genus is well known in the Eurasian large mammal assemblages, where it is represented by
Bos primigenius. This species has a highly derived cranial anatomy that shows important
morphological differences from other Plio-Pleistocene Eurasian genera of the tribe Bovini such as
Leptobos, Bison, Proamphibos-Hemibos, and Bubalus. The oldest clear evidence of Bos is the skull
fragment ASB-198-1 from the middle Pleistocene (0.6–0.8 Ma) site of Asbole (Lower Awash Valley,
Ethiopia). The first appearance of Bos in Europe is at the site of Venosa-Notarchirico, Italy (0.5–0
.6 Ma). Although the origin of Bos has traditionally been connected with Leptobos and Bison, after
a detailed anatomical and morphometric study we propose here a different origin, connecting the
middle Pleistocene Eurasian forms of B. primigenius with the African Late Pliocene and early
Pleistocene large size member of the tribe Bovini Pelorovis sensu stricto. The dispersal of the Bos
lineage in Western Europe during middle Pleistocene times seems to coincide with the arrival of the
Acheulean tool technology in this continent.
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