biostudies-literatureSun BYouth Innovation Promotion Association, Chinese Academy of SciencesStrategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of SciencesFrontier Science Key Research ProjectNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaSecond Comprehensive Scientific Expedition on the Tibetan Plateau3605https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8897424biostudies-literatureUnknown12(1)Here, we report well-preserved skulls and postcranial specimens of genus Hippotherium from the Linxia Basin, Gansu, China. Based on morphological comparison, the species of Hippotherium in China, Hippotherium weihoense and Hippotherium chiai, should be ascribed to the same species, H. weihoense. We also reviewe other Old World hipparion species in the very early Late Miocene and figure out two evolutionary routes: the Hippotherium and Cormohipparion lineages. Analysis of locomotive ability indicates that H. weihoense likely lived in an open habitat, whereas other species of Hippotherium likely lived in closed habitats. This result shows a palaeoecological pattern in the early Late Miocene in Eurasia influenced by a series of geological events as aridification of mid-latitude Asia progresseScientific reportsHippotherium Datum implies Miocene palaeoecological pattern.PMC889742420210692019QZKK070541902001QYZDY-SSW-DQC022XDB26030302Liu YDeng TSun BChen SfalseHippotherium Datum implies Miocene palaeoecological pattern.Here, we report well-preserved skulls and postcranial specimens of genus Hippotherium from the Linxia Basin, Gansu, China. Based on morphological comparison, the species of Hippotherium in China, Hippotherium weihoense and Hippotherium chiai, should be ascribed to the same species, H. weihoense. We also reviewe other Old World hipparion species in the very early Late Miocene and figure out two evolutionary routes: the Hippotherium and Cormohipparion lineages. Analysis of locomotive ability indicates that H. weihoense likely lived in an open habitat, whereas other species of Hippotherium likely lived in closed habitats. This result shows a palaeoecological pattern in the early Late Miocene in Eurasia influenced by a series of geological events as aridification of mid-latitude Asia progresse2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Mar2025-06-01T12:09:24.118Z2025-06-01T12:09:24.118ZS-EPMC88974243524658410.1038/s41598-022-07639-w