Fossil rhinoceroses from Hopefield, South Africa

INTRODUCTION The fossil specimens of rhinoceroses recovered at the "Elandsfontein" site, Hopefield, Cape Province, belong to the two living species of Africa, viz., Ceratotherium simum (Burchell) and Diceros bicornis (L.) (Singer, 1954). Both are widely distributed in the African Pleistocene (see Hopwood and Hollyfield, 1954), and their distinguishing dental characters have been described by Cooke (1950). The purpose of the present publication is to place the Hopefield material on record. The general age of the Hopefield fauna is considered to be early Upper Pleistocene, but it is probable that part of the fauna dates from the late Middle Pleistocene (Singer, 1957). In the material recorded below Ceratotherium is about four times less abundantly represented than is Diceros. The fact that the black rhinoceros was more common at the site than was the white species is in harmony with Hopwood's dictum: "Throughout the Lower and Middle Pleistocene the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) was common all over Africa, whereas the black species (Diceros bicornis) was rare: from the Upper Pleistocene onward the position was reversed" (Hopwood, 1954). The Hopefield specimens, originally housed in the Anatomy Department, University of Cape Town, have now been transferred to the South African Museum, Cape Town. The specimens' numbers refer to the Hopefield collection catalogue. Order PERISSODACTYLA Owen Family RHINOCEROTIDAE Owen Genus CERATOTHERIUM Gray Ceratotherium simum (Burchell) subsp.