Biometrical approach to large mammalian fossils from Khatri Collection: A Case Study

“Inadequacy and incompleteness of the fossil record” is the most common occurrence in the field of paleontology. However the science and art of biometry has made it possible to look for those ‘missing links’ in identifying the taxonomic abundance with greater precision.

The profile of fossil population with respect to age, sex and morphology emerges as vital points in identifying the composition of ancient fauna and palaeoenvironmental perspective. In this context, the large mammalian Cenozoic fossils from ‘Khatri Collection’ housed in Indian Archaeological Society’s Indrapastha Museum, New Delhi, were subject to biometrical analysis. A detailed study of this assemblage has already shown the presence of about twenty five genera belonging to large and medium sized mammals and reptiles coming from Middle and Upper Siwaliks of North-West India and Central Narmada valley. While Siwaik collection belongs to Pliocene to Early Pleistocene period, the Narmada is assigned Late Middle Pleistocene. The inherent differences in morphological traits are understood for the reasons of time lag involved, the statistical analysis of some of the groups such as equids, proboscids, large bovids and suids has helped in interpreting the sex ratio, size and shape variation within the fossil population of present collection.