Carbon isotopic record of terrestrial ecosystems spanning the Late Miocene extinction of Oreopithecus bambolii, Baccinello Basin (Tuscany, Italy)

Oreopithecus bambolii is a Late Miocene hominoid with an extensive fossil record in the Baccinello Basin (Tuscany, Italy), and was the only western European hominoid to survive a major extinction event ca. 9.6 Ma (millions of years ago). Oreopithecus lived in the insular Tusco-Sardinian paleobioprovince, where it evolved many unique anatomical specializations that make it important for understanding the mechanisms and history of Late Miocene hominoid evolution. The eventual extinction of Oreopithecus and its associated fauna ca. 6.5 Ma has generally been attributed to interaction with species that arrived from continental Europe following tectonic collision of the Tusco-Sardinian province with mainland Italy, but palynological, paleontological, and sedimentological records indicate an environmental shift toward more variable climate across the extinction event.To explore the possibility of environmental change as a contributing factor in the extinction of Oreopithecus, we developed a stable carbon and oxygen isotope record from organic matter in paleosols from the Baccinello Basin. These data show very low temporal and spatial variability (indicating plant ecosystem stability through time and space) and provide no evidence for ecologically significant changes in floral composition spanning the extinction event, suggesting that environmental change was not an underlying cause for the extinction of Oreopithecus and its associated fauna. The carbon isotope values fall entirely within the range of isotopic variability for modern plants following the C₃ photosynthetic pathway (trees, shrubs, cool-season grasses), indicating that C₄ vegetation (warm-season grasses) was not an important component of biomass. When corrected for temporal variation in the carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the paleosol carbon isotope values are consistent with predicted values based on modern plants and the Baccinello palynoflora, supporting the reliability of paleosol isotopic records as paleoecological proxies.     

Late Turolian Mesopithecus (Mammalia: Cercopithecidae) from Axios Valley (Macedonia,Greece): earliest presence of M. monspessulanus in Europe

The fossil mammal localities of the Axios Valley (Macedonia, Greece) yielded a rich collection of Mesopithecus remains, which were first described at the beginning of the 1990s. The late Turolian Dytiko localities include several specimens of Mesopithecus, which were originally separated in two size-related forms: the relatively larger-sized M. cf. or aff. pentelicus, and the relatively smaller-sized M. cf. monspessulanus. However, some Dytiko specimens were only partially described, or remained even undescribed because the cranium either was still in connection with the mandible or was markedly deformed. Later, careful cleaning of the materials and their revision based on larger comparative samples indicate that they represent two distinct species: the relatively larger-sized specimens belong to M. pentelicus, while the relatively smaller-sized ones to M. monspessulanus. The Dytiko M. pentelicus has slightly smaller dental dimensions compared to M. pentelicus from Pikermi, indicating a possible trend for size decrease. The Dytiko M. monspessulanus, although close to the typical form of this species, has somewhat larger dimensions. The semi-terrestrial M. pentelicus disappeared at the end of the Miocene, while some of its populations adapted to the wetter and more woody Pliocene habitats, finally giving origin to M. monspessulanus, whose elbow-joint indicates an arboreal lifestyle. M. monspessulanus was widely distributed in Europe, but its remains are very scarce and are all from the Pliocene. Some questionable indications for the presence of M. monspessulanus in the latest Miocene come from some Italian Messinian sites (Gravitelli, Baccinello V3), but this scenario still needs verification. However, even if its presence in some Italian localities was confirmed, the Dytiko M. monspessulanus nonetheless represents the earliest known occurrence of this species in Europe, as the Dytiko fauna is considered as latest Turolian (pre-Messinian, 7.0–6.0 Ma).     

A <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deinotherium gigantissimum</Emphasis> (Mammalia,Proboscidea) palate with deciduous dentition from the area of Veles,Republic of Macedonia

The paper describes a deinothere palate preserving both deciduous tooth rows from the area of Veles, Republic of Macedonia. The specimen is referred to Deinotherium gigantissimum, the largest and latest European deinothere species. Similar finds from the late Miocene of Southeast Europe and Asia Minor are discussed.     

Geopalaeontological setting,chronology and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin continental successions (Late Miocene,Italy)

The Latest Miocene succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin in southern Tuscany (Italy) recorded a faunal turnover documenting the extinction of an older, insular, endemic faunal complex characterised by the extinct ape Oreopithecus bambolii and the setting of a new, continental, European faunal complex including the colobine monkey Mesopithecus. A similar turnover pattern (Late Miocene ape/Latest Miocene Cercopithecidae) is generally observed in Late Miocene continental successions of Eurasia, from Spain to central Europe, Southwest Europe, the near East, and Southwest Asia. Abundant literature reports that the Late Miocene Eurasian hominoid primate distribution closely tracks the climatic/environmental changes occurring during the 12–9 Ma interval, until their extinction in western Europe. In the primate record, the dispersion of Cercopithecidae and the contraction of hominids is interpreted as an event depicting a pattern of “continentalisation” in the Old World. The sedimentary succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano basin, one of the longest continuous vertebrate-bearing continental successions in the Neogene Italian record, contributes to the debate on this hypothesis. This paper provides an overview of the main characteristics of the sedimentary succession, the chronological constraints (biochronology, radiometric datings, magnetostratigraphy), and the palaeoenvironmental evolution as derived from palaeobiological approaches and from the study of stable carbon and oxygen isotope contents along the entire sedimentary succession. The 2 myr geological history of the Baccinello Cinigiano Basin, which documents the evolutionary history of Oreopithecus and associated faunas, does not have a direct relation with the event of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The evolutionary history of Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin and its palaeontological record have been mainly driven by the regional tectonism and palaeogeographic changes that affected the northern Tyrrhenian regions in Late Miocene (Latest Tortonian–Messinian) times.     

Fossil Macaca remains from RDB quarry (Villafranca d'Asti, Italy): new data and overview

Mentioned in faunal lists since the late 1960s, Macaca remains from Villafranca d'Asti (early Villafranchian, Italy) were never described in detail. If some doubts were reported in the past about the related stratigraphic position, at present, partly thanks to the original acquisition labels, there is enough information to place these finds within the updated stratigraphic and biochronologic framework of the Villafranca d'Asti area.The reported sample consists of upper dentition and postcranial bones. By size and morphology all these remains are clearly Cercopithecinae, comparable with the extant Macaca sylvanus and mostly distinguishable from Mesopithecus, Dolichopithecus and Paradolichopithecus. The dental remains in particular give us the opportunity to discuss an inferred European size trend from smallest Pliocene macaques up to the larger living species M. sylvanus. Although Pliocene localities in western Europe have yielded so far only scanty Macaca finds, our data (even if preliminary) refute a major overall size difference between the extant Barbary macaque and the related fossil remains.     

EVOLUTION, TAXONOMY AND ANTITROPICAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE PORPOISES (PHOCOENIDAE, MAMMALIA)

True porpoises are a morphologically distinctive and evolutionarily old group of odontocete cetaceans classified as the family Phocoenidae. They are distinct from members of the family Delphinidae, with which they have sometimes been classified. Re-examination of all living and fossil species of phocoenids yields new information on the evolution of the family and indicates the need for significant taxonomic changes. Two separate lines of descent within the group are classified as the subfamilies Phocoeninae and Phocoenoidinae. The living southern hemisphere spectacled porpoise, Phocoena dioptrica , is actually more closely related to the North Pacific Dali's porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli , than to other species of Phocoena. It therefore belongs in the subfamily Phocoenoidinae with Phocoenoides but represents a separate genus, Australophocaena (new genus). The earliest unquestioned fossil phocoenids have been found only in rocks around the Pacific basin. They include latest Miocene and Pliocene species of Piscolithax and the Late Miocene Salumiphocaena stocktoni (new genus) in the Phocoenoidinae, and an undescribed latest Miocene species in the Phocoeninae. World climate has influenced past and present distributions of phocoenids, and Australopbocaena dioptrica is possibly the antitropical counterpart of Phocoenoides dalli. All species of living phocoenids show similarities caused by convergent evolution, resulting in part from the phenomenon of paedomorphosis.     

A late Miocene low-nutrient window for Caribbean reef formation?

Miocene and Pliocene reef tracts of the Caribbean were less common and smaller than older Oligocene and younger Pleistocene to Recent reefs. In the present study, samples from the Arroyo Bellaco exposures in the Cibao Valley, northern Dominican Republic were analyzed for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr to refine the age for a rare, well-developed Mio-Pliocene reef sequence. A mean age of 6.2 million years old (Ma) was determined for the reef. This age places the reef in the latter part of the late Miocene Messinian stage. The reef originated in a low-nutrient window at the end of a global cooling event and sea level lowstand, coincident with a period of decreased upwelling intensity from 6.2 to 5.8 Ma. Reef demise is attributed to a latest Miocene transgression and an associated pulse of marine siliciclastic deposition.     

Relationships between the fossil colobine Mesopithecus pentelicus and extant cercopithecoids, based on dental metrics

Maxillary dental measurements from six specimens of Mesopithecus pentelicus, 64 cercopithecines, 59 African colobines, and 64 Asian colobines were analyzed by means of a "nested research design" that was specifically designed to explore the affiliation between fossils and extant cercopithecoids at different systematic levels. The results showed that the variation among taxonomic groups was mainly associated with size; however, in addition, interesting shape differences emerged, molars were shown to be important discriminators, Mesopithecus was confirmed as a colobine (as expected) and found to be closer to Asian species than to African ones, and the odd-nosed colobines were found to share more dental similarities with Mesopithecus than other colobines. The last finding is in contrast to previous studies, in which it was proposed that M. pentelicus is morphologically closely related to the African colobus and the gray langur (Semnopithecus).     

Calcaneal features of the Greek Miocene primate Mesopithecus pentelicus (Cercopithecoidea: Colobinae)

This paper investigates substrate preferences of the Greek Colobine Mesopithecus pentelicus WAGNER, from the Miocene of Pikermi, by examining selected functional features of the calcaneus that distinguish between arboreal and terrestrial Cercopithecidae. Mesopithecus possesses a relatively long proximal calcaneal region associated with a slightly low and wide surface for the insertion of m. triceps surae. These features approximate that of semi-terrestrial Cercopithecidae and would suggest terrestrial cursorial activities. On the other hand, the relatively long and narrow proximal calcaneo-astragalar facet, similar to that of most arboreal species, would provide ampler subtalar movements. The mosaic of these features implies a semi-terrestrial way of life and conforms to the savanna-woodland paleoenvironment of Pikermi, Greece. These features appear to be well associated with foot function and change of habitus and are used to examine scenarios of the evolutionary history of the Colobinae.     

甘肃灵台雷家河剖面中的日进鼠(Chardinomys)

甘肃灵台雷家河剖面产出的日进鼠化石包括了该属从老到新的所有种类 :中新世末—上新世初的C .primitivussp .nov.、早上新世的C .lingtaiensissp .nov .、早上新世—晚上新世初的C .yusheensis和早上新世—晚上新世的C .nihowanicus。系统描述了上述各种 ,对种间的演化过程及该属与Occitanomys和Orientalomys的关系进行了比较和讨论。     

Systematics and phylogeny of Vasseuromys (Mammalia,Rodentia, Gliridae) with a description of a new species from the late Miocene of eastern Europe

Vasseuromys is a species‐rich genus of small‐ to medium‐sized glirids spanning the latest Oligocene to late Miocene of Europe and western Asia. Despite extensive discoveries over the past 50 years, little phylogenetic work has been done on Vasseuromys. This study presents the first phylogenetic analysis of the genus that includes all the described species and a new taxon Vasseuromys tectus sp. nov. from the late Miocene of eastern Europe, providing the first insights into the evolutionary relationships within the clade. Results suggest that the genus is clearly paraphyletic. Two strongly supported genus‐level clades are recognized within ‘Vasseuromys’: a restricted Vasseuromys clade (containing the three species, V. pannonicus, V. rugosus and V. tectus) and the Glirulus clade that includes ‘Vasseuromys’ duplex. The remaining ‘Vasseuromys’ species are found to constitute a set of paraphyletic taxa, with the polyphyletic ‘Ramys’ nested within it. The genus Gliruloides is synonymized with Glirulus. Vasseuromys tectus sp. nov. is the most derived member of the genus in having a greater number of cheek teeth ridges including constantly present anterotrope, centrotrope, second prototrope on M1–2, third metatrope on M2, two to three posterotropids on p4 and strong ectolophids on lower molars. The results of the study confirm a European origin for Vasseuromys while suggesting that the late Miocene species of the genus dispersed from the east in the early Turolian.     

记陕西蓝田晚中新世灞河组4种跳鼠(Dipodidae,Rodentia)化石

描述了陕西蓝田晚中新世早期灞河组的4属4种跳鼠:蓝田原跳鼠(新种)(Protalacta- ga lantianensis sp.nov.)、副跳鼠(未定种)(Paralactaga sp.)、原始三趾心颅跳鼠(新种)(Sal- pingotus primitivus sp.nov.)和小五趾心颅跳鼠(新种)(Cardiocranius pusillus sp.nov.)。蓝田原跳鼠兼有原跳鼠和副跳鼠的特征,可能是原跳鼠向副跳鼠进化过程中产生的一种过渡类型。副跳鼠和原始三趾心颅跳鼠及小五趾心颅跳鼠分别代表了副跳鼠属在中国的最早记录和心颅跳鼠亚科(Cardiocraniinae)在地史上的首次出现。4种跳鼠指示了蓝田地区当时的自然环境可能比现代更加干旱。     

A New Rhinoceros From The Lower Miocene Of The Bugti Hills, Baluchistan, Pakistan: The Earliest Elasmotheriine

The stratigraphical position of the Dera Bugti area (Baluchistan, Pakistan), which yielded the remains described herein, is discussed. Dental and postcranial material attributed to Bugtirhinus praecursor gen. et sp. nov., from the lower Miocene (MN 3) of the same area, is described. This species is the oldest and most primitive member of the elasmotheriine group within Rhinocerotidae (Mammalia). A new diagnosis is established for the Elasmotheriini. Comparison with the other lower and middle Miocene elasmotheriine taxa leads to the tree [Bugtirhinus praecursor [Caementodon oettingenae [other elasmotheriine taxa]]]. An upper Oligocene–lowermost Miocene Asiatic differentiation is suggested for the group, strengthened by a first appearance datum in the Dera Bugti area (lower part of the MN 3). The origin and dispersal of the elasmotheriines throughout Eurasia are discussed and correlated with major faunal exchanges. K ey words : Bugti Hills, Pakistan, Rhinocerotidae, Elasmotheriini, Miocene, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography.     

A NEW SPECIES OF THE WOMBAT WARENDJA FROM LATE MIOCENE DEPOSITS AT RIVERSLEIGH, NORTH-WEST QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Abstract:  A new species of the plesiomorphic wombat Warendja is described. Warendja encorensis sp. nov., the second species to be attributed to this genus, is known from a single fossil locality (Encore Site) at Riversleigh, north-west Queensland. Specimens of W. encorensis are limited to isolated teeth, two mandibular fragments and a maxillary fragment. Two molars preserve the unworn crown morphology. Encore Site has been estimated to be late Miocene in age, making these the only known specimens of Warendja to be clearly older than Pleistocene. Warendja encorensis is also the first described species of wombat from Miocene deposits to which hypselodont teeth have been attributed. It differs from W. wakefieldi in its larger size, distribution of enamel, and in details of the incisor and premolar morphology.     

青海西宁盆地中新世哺乳动物

本文记述了1978年在青海西宁盆地八个地点发现的14种中新世哺乳动物,其中包括Alloptox chinghaiensis,Megacricetodon sinensis,Bunolistriodon minheensis三个新种。文中除把一些种属与欧洲有关的种类做了系统上的形态对比外,并对鼢鼠类(Myospalacinae)和五趾跳鼠类(Allactaginae)的起源做了探讨。     

Contribution of fossil Lagomorpha (Mammalia) to the refinement of the late Miocene–Quaternary palaeobiogeographical setting of Italy

Fossil lagomorphs are very useful palaeogeographical indicators. In the last 15 years, several papers centered on fossil lagomorphs contributed to improve the Italian late Miocene–Quaternary palaeogeographical setting, solving palaeobiogeographical enigmas debated for decades, and providing new, challenging palaeogeographic data. The high number of endemic fossil lagomorphs of Italy is due in part to its complex tectonic history (insular endemisms), and in part to the semi-isolation and the physiography of the Peninsula (continental endemisms). In Italian lagomorphs, a direct causal relationship between dispersal and turnovers is not observed, except for the Toringian. Actually, species replacements are customarily due to archipelago effect (late Miocene), phyletic speciation (Pliocene of Sardinia and Italian mainland) or occur after the extinction of older congeneric species (early Pleistocene).     

The Oldest Cranium of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sinomastodon</Emphasis> (Proboscidea,Gomphotheriidae), Discovered in the Uppermost Miocene of Southwestern China: Implications for the Origin and Migration of This Taxon

The origin of the Old World brevirostrine gomphotheriid taxon Sinomastodon has been debated intensively. The discovery of the oldest known Sinomastodon cranium, reported herein, supports its endemic origin and contradicts the prevalent theory of its North America origin. The new cranium was discovered from the Shuitangba locality, southwestern China, and is dated at about 6.5–6.0 Ma, corresponding to the latest Miocene. The new specimen shows distinct characters from the other species of Sinomastodon and was therefore named Sinomastodon praeintermedius, sp. nov. Newly discovered, isolated Sinomastodon-like teeth from the upper Miocene to the lower Pleistocene of southwestern China and Southeast Asia indicate a long evolution of Sinomastodon endemically. Remains of this species are frequently accompanied by those of stegodontid species. These two groups may have had a similar migration route, invading northern China and Japan during the latest Miocene, and retreating or becoming extinct from the Palearctic realm by the end of the Pliocene. The migrations of proboscideans may have been sparked by major paleoenviromental changes, i.e., the strengthened summer monsoon beginning in the late Miocene (~7–8 Ma) and global cooling due to the expansion of ice sheets from the middle Pliocene to the early Pleistocene. The new finding reveals a close relationship of the early Pliocene fauna of northern China and the latest Miocene fauna of southwestern China, and thus provides novel insight into the origin and components of Pliocene fauna in northern China.     

Dental remains of Equatorius africanus from Kipsaramon, Tugen Hills, Baringo District, Kenya.

Forty-one isolated large hominoid teeth, as well as most of the mandibular and three maxillary teeth associated with a partial skeleton, were recovered from middle Miocene Muruyur sediments near Kipsaramon in the Tugen Hills, Baringo District, Kenya. The isolated teeth were collected as surface finds and the skeleton was excavated in situ at locality BPRP#122 dated between 15.58 Ma and 15.36 Ma. The majority of the teeth recovered at BPRP#122 are referable to a minimum of five individuals of the hominoid Equatorius africanus. Three of the teeth, however, are provisionally assigned to Nyanzapithecus sp. The new hominoids from Kipsaramon add to an increasing inventory of specimens that suggest greater large hominoid taxonomic diversity from the middle Miocene of Kenya than was previously recognized. It is suggested that there are two large-bodied hominoid species present at Mabako, only one of which is assignable to Equatorius.