Europe's first Upper Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeleton from the Koněprusy Caves: a hyena cave prey depot site in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic)

One of the Europe's most complete Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeletons from the Kon?prusy Caves, Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) is an older pathological (hindlimb arthritis) and possibly smaller female individual. Few other cannibalistically scavenged hyena remains of older animals demonstrate a ‘small population’ that used the Main Dome area as a den site, which was marked well by faecal pellets. A large amount of megafauna prey was accumulated, and bones were further damaged or cracked. These hyenas hunted Przewalski horses dominantly, as has been documented all over the Bohemian Karst at several Late Pleistocene hyena den caves. The mammoth was mostly absent, instead the woolly rhinoceros was one of the meat colossi with indestructible bones also found in the Main Dome. These are the best indicators for hyena den sites identifications in general. Those massive bones found are left in repeating damaged ways and mainly as shafts and exposed best with bite marks in the bone spongiosa. Rhinoceros carcass body parts were removed by hyenas from the scavenging sites of the nearby surroundings, which they deported to the ‘prey storage den’-type site in the Main Dome area of the Kon?prusy Caves.     

Fossil bats from the Late Pleistocene site of the Aguilón P7 Cave (Zaragoza,Spain)

Bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) are a valuable and independent source of palaeoenvironmental information in Quaternary sites because bat assemblages are not necessarily produced by the same processes as those of other small mammals. Here, we report a small collection of bats (MNI 15) from a cave infill of the Aguilón P7 (AGP-7) site (Zaragoza, Spain) dated Late Pleistocene (MIS 3). This is one of the rare localities south of the Ebro River (right bank) with Neanderthal tracks; therefore, the palaeoenvironmental data provided here may help us to understand Neanderthal history. Nine bat taxa were identified, viz. Rhinolophus ferumequinum, R. hipposideros, Myotis gr. myotis/blythii, M. cf. bechsteinii, M. emarginatus, M. daubentonii, Plecotus gr. auritus/austriacus, Hipsugo savii vel. Pipistrellus kuhlii/nathusii, and Miniopterus schreibersii. The presence of a high number of yearlings of the former four species suggests the presence of breeding colonies. The surprisingly high diversity of the sample indicates a variegated vegetation cover and relatively high humidity for the MIS 3 stage in the region.     

A partial skeleton of Geotrypus antiquus (Talpidae, Mammalia) from the Late Oligocene of the Enspel fossillagerst?tte in Germany

The partial skeleton of a young adult Geotrypus antiquus (de Blainville 1840) from the Upper Oligocene (MP 28) found in Enspel comprises the skull with both mandibles, distal ends of both scapulae, left clavicula, humeri, ulnae and radii of both sides, various elements of the hand, some vertebrae, ribs, and the left femur. For the first time, the previously postulated association between dentition and postcranial elements can be confirmed. The skeleton exhibits strong adaptations for a subterranean life, similar to modern fossorial moles. The humerus is wide with a large pectoral process. The wing-like greater and lesser tuberosities, teres tubercle, and distal epicondylus are clearly developed. The metacarpals and phalanges are broad and stout. There are several sesamoid bones in the broad digging hand, including a prepollex (os falciforme). The preserved bones allowed the forelimb of G. antiquus to be reconstructed. Previous finds of G. antiquus have mainly been from France, with a few specimens from Switzerland and southern Germany. The specimen from Enspel is the northernmost record. A cladistic analysis, based on the matrix of Sánchez-Villagra et al. (Cladistics 22:59?C88, 2006), confirms the basal position of Geotrypus within the Old World moles (Talpini).     

An intertropical opossum (Mammalia,Marsupialia, Didelphidae) from the late Middle–Late Pleistocene of austral South America

The record of an opossum is reported here coming from a Middle–Late Pleistocene fluvial sedimentary sequence outcropping in the austral Chaco geomorphological region, Santa Fe province. Despite this family has different living forms widely distributed in South American plains, with great tolerance to diverse habitats conditions, the Pleistocene occurrence of didelphoids is very scarce and only limited to Holocene deposits sensu lato from austral pampean plains. The specimen found represents at the moment the only Pleistocene didelphoid opossum from Argentina with an accurate stratigraphical context. In a taphonomic framework, MFA-Pv 1582 shows no evidence of abrasion produced by transport, probably resulting of a very short time-transport. This intertropical form of Didelphis genus from Pleistocene sequences displays undoubtedly novel and sustancial paleoenvironmental and ecomorphological conditions to test in the austral Chaco region. Although the specimen shares a generalized didelphoid form, some morphologies in the humerus are closer with arboreal habits. In this context, added to the sedimentological and stratigraphical framework, it’s possible to suggest that subtropical conditions with some woodlands and wetlands dominate the provenance region of the fossil material, over a late Middle–Late Pleistocene interglacial period.     

A small, “wader-like” bird from the Early Eocene of Messel (Germany)

A small bird with a shorebird-like beak and a very long hind toe is described from the Early Eocene of Messel in Germany. Vanolimicola longihallucis, gen. et sp. nov. is one of the few candidate species for a “wading bird” from Messel, that is, a bird that may have foraged along the shoreline of the ancient lake. A few features indicate a relationship to charadriiform birds and Jacanidae (jacanas) in particular, but charadriiform affinities are only weakly supported. In the preserved skeletal elements, V. longihallucis also resembles the taxon Songzia from the Early Eocene of China, which is considered to be a representative of the Ralloidea (rails and allies). A potential biogeographic significance of the new Messel fossil is strengthened by similar fossils from the North American Green River Formation.     

Egorov’s narrow-skulled vole (Rodentia,Arvicolinae) from the Late Pleistocene of Eastern Siberia,a North American immigrant

A comparative study of the Late Pleistocene Egorov’s narrow-skulled vole from the Indigirka River basin is performed. The taxon was previously regarded as a subspecies of Microtus (Stenocranius) gregalis (Pallas, 1779). Based on a number of morphological characters, it is shown that this vole is closer to the American species Mynomes (Vocalomys) miurus (Osgood, 1901). It is proposed that Mynomes (V.) miurus egorovi (Fejgin in Baranova et Fejgin, 1980) penetrated into northeastern Siberia during the Zyryanian glacial.     

Avian remains from the Upper Pleistocene (MIS3) site of Aguilón P-7, south of the Ebro River,Spain

Aves are represented by abundant fossil remains in Quaternary sites. Birds are well adapted to the environment they inhabit, so they make very good paleoenvironmental indicators for Quaternary sites. Here we analyse the avian remains from the Late Pleistocene (probably MIS3) site of Aguilón P-7 (AGP-7). The Pleistocene sediments fill up a shallow cave, which is located in the Zaragozan part of the Iberian Range, 55 km south of the city of Zaragoza. We have for the first time provided a taxonomic and taphonomic study of the avian assemblage of AGP-7, as well as a preliminary paleoenvironmental analysis based on these data. Nine avian taxa have been identified: Galliformes indet., Lagopus sp., Aquila chrysaetos, Gyps fulvus, Passeridae indet., Anthus sp., Prunella modularis,Sturnus cf. unicolor and Corvus monedula. The taphonomic analysis did not provide conclusive information. However, it suggests an accumulation of uneaten food remains by diurnal birds of prey. The identified taxa currently inhabit the Iberian Peninsula, populating woodland environments with rocky areas. They are found in areas with an oceanic climate, in contrast to the Mediterranean climate that now prevails in Aguilón.     

Parasites in micromammal fecal pellets throughout the Late Holocene (“Cueva Peligro” paleontological site,Patagonia, Argentina)

Parasite remains in micromammal fecal pellets collected from the paleontological site “Cueva Peligro” (CP 43°40′18”S, 66°24′52”W), Chubut Province, Argentina, were examined. The samples were obtained from two grids, dated between 1220 ± 70¹⁴C yr B.P. to modern dates. Fecal pellets were whole processed, rehydrated, homogenized, and examined via light microscopy. Eggs of parasites found were measured and photographed. Fecal pellets belong to one or more insectivore to omnivore unidentified micromammal species, possibly sigmodontine rodents. A high number of helminthes species was recorded (11 species), eight nematodes, two anoplocephalid cestodes and one acanthocephalan species. The sigmodontine-parasite relationship varied throughout the studied period and between studied grids. This is the first time that Gongylonema sp. and Syphacia sp. are reported from ancient times from Patagonia. The obtained results contribute to the knowledge of parasite assemblages associated to native South American sigmodontine rodents and the zoonoses present in the area throughout the lasts 1200 years.     

Cougars’ key to survival through the Late Pleistocene extinction: insights from dental microwear texture analysis

Cougars (Puma concolor) are one of only two large cats in North America to have survived the Late Pleistocene extinction (LPE), yet the specific key(s) to their relative success remains unknown. Here, we compare the dental microwear textures of Pleistocene cougars with sympatric felids from the La Brea Tar Pits in southern California that went extinct at the LPE (Panthera atrox and Smilodon fatalis), to clarify potential dietary factors that led to the cougar''s persistence through the LPE. We further assess whether the physical properties of food consumed have changed over time when compared with modern cougars in southern California. Using dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA), which quantifies surface features in three dimensions, we find that modern and Pleistocene cougars are not significantly different from modern African lions in any DMTA attributes, suggesting moderate durophagy (i.e. bone processing). Pleistocene cougars from La Brea have significantly greater complexity and textural fill volume than Panthera atrox (inferred to have primarily consumed flesh from fresh kills) and significantly greater variance in complexity values than S. fatalis. Ultimately, these results suggest that cougars already used or adopted a more generalized dietary strategy during the Pleistocene that may have been key to their subsequent success.     

A traversodont cynodont from the Middle Triassic (Ladinian) of Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Nanogomphodon wildi n. gen., n. sp. is based on a tiny lower postcanine tooth from the lower Lettenkeuper (Lower Keuper or Erfurt Formation; Ladinian) of Michelbach an der Bilz (Baden-Württemberg). It represents the first record of a traversodont cynodont from the Middle Triassic of Europe and exhibits a distinctive combination of dental features. Along with recent discoveries of other traversodont taxa from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America,Nanogomphodon indicates the existence of a distinct lineage of these cynodonts in the Northern Hemisphere.      

The Cenomanian Gastropoda of the Kassenberg quarry in Mülheim (Germany,Late Cretaceous)

Forty-six gastropod species are described from the Cenomanian of the Kassenberg quarry in Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany, twelve of them are new. They are assigned to 33 known genera and two new genera.Deikella n. gen. is introduced for threeTurbo-like species which have strong axial ribs in contrast to the smooth RecentTurbo. Frydatinus n. gen. is introduced for a loosely coiled archaeogastropod with a round aperture and spine-like extensions on its outer side. A new species ofDelpeya is introduced, and it is suggested that this genus derived from the JurassicNummocalcar. The high number of pleurotomariids indicates that these gastropods still lived on rocky shores during the Cenomanian, in contrast to modern times, where they are restricted to hardgrounds in deep-water. The new species are:Bathrotomaria harasewychi, Deikella spinicostata, Deikella ruhrensis, Deikella? muelheimensis, Trochus rauenorum, Margarella (Promargarita) spiraloides, Margarella (Promargarita) trochoides, Semisolarium boehmi, Onkospira perrilliatae, Delpeya hilperti, Neritopsis kasei, andOtostoma kassenbergensis.     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene palaeoenvironmental changes in central Tierra del Fuego (~54°S) inferred from pollen analysis

A pollen record was obtained from a coring site at La Correntina mire (54°33′S, 66°59′W, 206 m a.s.l.) to the east of Lago Fagnano, centre of Tierra del Fuego. The results indicate that the valley bottom was free of ice shortly before 15,400 cal bp. Pioneer vegetation included dwarf shrub heaths, grasses and herbs with sparsely distributed Nothofagus trees, indicative of dry conditions. Nothofagus expanded by 10,000 cal bp and the forest-steppe ecotone was established by 9,400 cal bp, implying warm conditions and an increase in available moisture. After ca. 5,000 cal bp, the development of a closed-canopy forest is interpreted as the result of wetter and colder conditions. After 3,000 cal bp, Nothofagus forest became more open, and by about 400 cal bp there was a further decline of the forest. A closed-canopy Nothofagus forest re-established after 400 cal bp.     

A Late Pleistocene (MIS3) ungulate mammal assemblage (Los Rincones,Zaragoza, Spain) in the Eurosiberian–Mediterranean boundary

The Late Pleistocene archaeo-palaeontological sites in the Iberian Peninsula are located mainly on the coasts. Here, we present for the first time a palaeoenvironmental proxy for Upper Pleistocene locality (Marine Isotope Stage 3 MIS3) that is in the interior peninsular, in the Moncayo massif (Zaragoza). This is actually the boundary between Mediterranean and Eurosiberian climatic regions. This study is based in the site ungulates: Capra pyrenaica, which is larger in size than the current and fossil Capra from the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula. The horses have a small size, which is similar to that of the horses from Fontainhas and Casares. Significantly lesser in the number of specimens are the roe deer, the southern chamois and the auroch. The study and comparison of the faunal assemblage of the locality of Los Rincones with other sites of the Iberian MIS3 show a cluster of sites in the southern Peninsular, though separated, due to the abundance of Capra pyrenaica. The association of Los Rincones is similar to the southern peninsular sites such as Nerja, Gorham Cave, Cova Beneito and Zafarraya. The ungulate assemblage of Los Rincones represents a landscape with temperate climate, presence of steppe and patches of forest, similar to the current landscape surrounding the cavity today.     

Does site elevation determine the start and intensity of human impact? Pollen evidence from southern Germany

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - We investigated lake sediments from Großer Ursee, Landkreis Ravensburg, Allgäu, Baden-Württemberg, to explore whether human activity was...     

A new peirosaurid (Crocodilyformes) from the Late Cretaceous (Turonian–Coniacian) of Patagonia,Argentina

Peirosauridae is composed of mid- to large-sized terrestrial mesoeucrododylian crocodyliforms distributed throughout Gondwanan landmasses. Here we describe a new peirosaurid that comes from the upper levels of the Portezuelo Formation (Turonian–Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous) from Loma de la Lata, Neuquén Province, Argentina. This specimen consists of some associated bones belonging to a single individual. In order to facilitate comparisons, we recognise two different peirosaurid morphotypes based on skull shape: broad- and narrow-snouted taxa. The new taxon may be related to broad-snouted taxa, especially Gasparinisuchus peirosauroides. The new taxon here reported has strong heterodont dentition when compared with other peirosaurids. As in related forms, the fourth dentary tooth is caniniform, very large, acute and transversely compressed (much more than other peirosaurids), and the anterior dentary teeth have less globular, sharp serrated crowns. Large interalveolar spaces are present between both mandibular and maxillary teeth, a trait only observed on the new taxon. With this addition, we elevate the number of Patagonian peirosaurids to four. Moreover, it represents together with Lomasuchus palpebrosus the second peirosaurid species described for the Portezuelo Formation.     

Stephanorhinus jeanvireti (Mammalia,Rhinocerotidae) from the early Pleistocene of Colțești (southwestern Romania)

The Rhinocerotidae material from the early Pleistocene Tetoiu Formation of Colțești (southwestern Romania) is here described for the first time. The rhinoceros is documented by calcaneus and second, third, and fourth metatarsals, probably belonging to the same individual. The morphology and the dimensions of these specimens enable us to record the presence of Stephanorhinus jeanvireti, a relatively rare rhinoceros usually reported from late Pliocene European localities and recently considered a junior synonym of S. elatus. Nevertheless, the taxon Rhinoceros elatus is here regarded as a nomen dubium and the name S. jeanvireti is retained in order to maintain nomenclatural stability, being it based on much more diagnostic material. In Romania, S. jeanvireti has been listed within a few late Pliocene faunal assemblages, but the rhinoceros remains are fragmentary and isolated bones. The Colțești find is among the best documented records of S. jeanvireti in Romania. The biochronological distribution of S. jeanvireti is mainly confined within the MNQ16 (early and early middle Villafranchian), and its first occurrence is doubtfully reported in late MNQ15 faunas. The record of Colțești (MNQ17/MNQ18) represents, instead, the last occurrence of this taxon in Europe.     

Microbial origin of travertine fabrics—two examples from Southern Germany (Pleistocene stuttgart travertines and miocene riedöschingen Travertine)

Summary In Southern Germany, two examples of travertines of different age and depositional morphology were examined in detail. Travertines are laminated carbonate rocks formed by precipitation from mineral and/or thermal waters. They include characteristic facies types, such as bushy layers (‘shrubs’) referred to calcification of branching microbes (‘Dichothrix’-morphotype), laminar microbial mats, peloidal layers, and gas bubble layers formed within the sediment. In travertines, microbial activity is the most important factor for carbonate precipitation. Tufas differ from travertines by their abundance of molds of higher plants (leaves, reed, moss, green algae). They may be associated with travertines, but do not exhibit strict travertine facies types. Tufas are common in normal fresh water environments. Contrary to travertines and tufas, calcareous sinters usually occur in restricted areas like spring fissures, caves, or in pores, where microbial activity is not totally absent, but not of paramount importance for precipitation. Pedogenetic processes, which can alter travertine deposits, are responsible for large-scale features such as tepee-structures, and some intraclastic layers, and microscopic structures like endolithic borings andMicrocodium. Travertines may also grade into lacustrine limestones with Characeae, ostracods, and aquatic gastropods.