Eomyidae fauna turnover at the Early-Middle Miocene boundary in the Morteral section (Magro Basin,Valencia, Spain)

The material of Eomyidae from three localities (Morteral 1, Morteral 20A and Morteral 22) of the Morteral section in the Magro Basin, eastern Spain, is described. These localities contain remains of Ligerimys and Eomyops. Morteral 1 is situated in the lowest part of the section and contains Ligerimys ellipticus, whereas Morteral 20A and Morteral 22 are situated in the middle part of the section and contain, among other rodent species, Eomyops noeliae. The youngest localities in the Morteral section (Morteral 41 and 44) record Megacricetodon collongensis, first representative of Megacricetodon in the Middle Miocene (MN5). The locality Morteral 20A contains Megacricetodon primitivus; Morteral 1 and Morteral 22 contain a form of Megacricetodon different from both M. primitivus and M. collongensis, therefore, these three localities are of lower Aragonian age (MN4). In the Aragonian type area, L. ellipticus is rare in zone B (lower part of MN4) and frequent in zone C (upper part of MN4). The first record of Eomyops in the Aragonian type area occurs in MN7/8 and in MN5 in Central Europe. The turnover of eomyid faunas in MN4 localities of the Morteral section clearly confirms the hypothesis of Engesser (1999) that Eomyops may have appeared earlier than supposed so far (MN5).     

The fossil Bovidae (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel: Out of Africa during the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition

We report the study of the collection of fossil bovid specimens from the Early-Middle Pleistocene Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov. This locality, situated in the Levantine Corridor (the bottleneck that connects Africa and Eurasia) is a key site to explain the faunal and human dispersals out of Africa during the Matuyama/Brunhes boundary around 0.8 Ma. Two species of bovine (Bos sp., and Bovini gen. et sp. indet. cf. Bison sp.), one antelope (Gazella sp. cf. G. Gazella), and another indeterminate Bovidae gen. et sp. indet., have been recorded. The largest species, Bos sp., is an African immigrant related to the species from the Eritrean site of Buia, Bos buiaensis, which evolved from the buffalo of Olduvai Pelorovis oldowayensis, and colonized the Eurasian continent in parallel with the dispersal of the Acheulian culture into the northern continent. Numerous important species first recorded in several localities of Early-Middle Pleistocene transition from Eurasia are included in this dispersal out of Africa, including the megaherbivore, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, and the carnivores Crocuta crocuta, and later, Panthera leo and Panthera pardus. This faunal turnover is coincident with the change to colder climates that dominated the Middle Pleistocene.     

Eomyops noeliae sp. nov., a new Eomyidae (Mammalia,Rodentia) from the Aragonian of Spain

A new species of Eomyops, Eomyops noeliae, is described. from the locality MT-20A (Morteral section, Magro basin, eastern Spain). It is intermediate in size between the large eomiid, E. hebeiseni, and the small species of the group E. catalaunicus, E. bodvanus and E. oppligeri. The age range is Lower Aragonian. MT-20A is located between deposits that contain Megacricetodon primitivus and M. collongensis. Morphologically, E. noeliae sp. nov. is clearly different from the rest of species of the genus, due to an important reduction of the lingual anteroloph of M^1,2,3 and the labial anterolophid of M₃. The lower incisor shows two parallel ridges along the enamel like the type species of the genus, E. catalaunicus. This character is basic for the distinction between Eomyops and the North American genus Leptodontomys.     

Cricetid rodents from the Lower Siwalik Subgroup of Jammu,India: Biochronological significance

We describe the cricetid rodents represented by Megacricetodon daamsi, Megacricetodon sivalensis, and Myocricetodon sivalensis, recovered from two localities, Dehari and Jhajjar Kotli, lying in the upper part of the Lower Siwalik Subgroup of Jammu Province. The cricetid fauna is similar to that reported from the Pakistan Siwaliks. Based on the species identifications and the stratigraphic range of the cricetid taxa in the Siwalik succession of Pakistan, the age of the Dehari locality is correlated to between 13.8 and 13.2 Ma, whereas an age of 13.8–12.5 Ma would be assigned to the Jhajjar Kotli rodent yielding level. The occurrence of similar rodent taxa at the two investigated sites points to the homotaxial nature of the fossiliferous beds.     

Microvertebrates from unit G/layer 17 of the archaeological site of Hummal (El Kowm,Central Syria): Preliminary results

We present a first look at the microvertebrate fauna of the Middle Pleistocene site of Hummal in Central Syria. Some 2000 microvertebrate remains (1200 mammalian; 230 reptilian; 600 unidentified) were found in unit G/layer 17 by screen-washing sediments in an area of 4 m². The following taxa have been identified: Reptilia: Agaminae indet., Gekkota indet., Lacertidae indet. (2–3 taxa), Eryx sp., Natricinae indet.; and Mammalia: Crocidurinae indet., Chiroptera indet., Lepus sp., Arvicolinae indet., Ellobius sp., Microtus sp., Murinae indet. (large form), Mus sp., Meriones sp., Gerbillus sp. The presence of Ellobius indicates a Middle Pleistocene age of the fauna. This genus does not occur in Syria today, but is recorded in Israel in Late Acheulean to Early Mousterian sites. In North Africa, the occurrence of this genus is restricted to the early part of the Middle Pleistocene. The ecological requirements of the nearest living relatives of the recorded taxa indicate mainly open habitats, but also the presence of vegetation and wet conditions, at least close to the site. Lepus, Ellobius, Meriones, Gerbillus, and Eryx live to various extents in steppes, semi-deserts, and deserts. Various extant species of large murids that come into consideration occupy a variety of wooded habitats, grassland and savannah and require the presence of water. Hummal offers the most detailed Pleistocene portrait yet of hominin palaeoenvironment in an area that, at the end of the Pleistocene, became known as part of the Fertile Crescent.     

Early Miocene cricetids (Rodentia) from the Junggar basin (Xinjiang, China) and their biochronological implications

Among the 14 small mammal species from the early Miocene locality of the northern area of the Junggar basin (northern Xinjiang, China), four species are cricetids (Rodentia): unnamed species of Cricetodon and Eumyarion, and two new species, Karydomys debruijni nov. sp. and Megacricetodon beijiangensis nov. sp. Some aspects of the morphology of Cricetodon sp. are shared by Eucricetodon from the late Oligocene, suggesting that these specimens could be of intermediate form between Eucricetodon and Cricetodon. One tooth of Eumyarion sp. was found, making its determination uncertain, but its morphology is clearly differentiated from the one of Cricetodon sp. The species K. debruijni nov. sp. is established based on its primitive features compared to the species known in Europe and Anatolia, and its specific association of characters compared to Karydomys dzerzhinskii. M. beijiangensis nov. sp. shows many plesiomorphic features compared to the species already described in the middle Miocene of China. Based on both the whole assemblage of rodents and the species of cricetids, the biochronologic position and the age of the locality are discussed. The locality appears to be biochronologically very close to the fauna from the Chul’adyr Formation in Aktau Mountains, but we propose an age slightly older than the one proposed for this fauna, probably equivalent to the MN3 biozone in Europe.     

First detailed description of Hispanomys bijugatus Mein and Freudenthal, 1971 (Rodentia, Cricetodontinae) from the Upper Aragonian of La Grive-Saint Alban (France): Biostratigraphical implications

The material of Hispanomys bijugatus (Rodentia, Cricetodontinae) from La Grive-Saint Alban (carrière Lechartier, fissure L3) is described for the first time and compared with all species of the genus known to date. As common in the Upper Aragonian populations of Hispanomys, this taxon evidences a low variability. H. bijugatus shows some progressive characters with respect to the remaining Aragonian congeneric species, such as the absence of labial and lingual cingula surrounding the upper and lower molar valleys respectively, the increase in the number of roots on the second lower molar, and the lost of mesolophs. This suggests that H. bijugatus, in spite of being one of the oldest species of the genus, is relatively derived with regard to the coeval congeneric species. Because H. bijugatus and H. decedens are believed to be closely related species within the same lineage, the fact that the former shows a more progressive dental morphology than the latter suggests that the unnamed fissure-fillings from La Grive and La Grive M (with H. decedens only) are older than La Grive L3 (with H. bijugatus only). The coexistence of both species at locality L5 suggests an intermediate age.     

A new Ruscinian site in Europe: Baza-1 (Baza basin,Andalusia, Spain)

The Guadix–Baza depression (southeastern Spain) preserves one of the best continental Plio-Pleistocene records of the European continent. The new site, Baza-1, is the first Ruscinian locality with fauna of large vertebrates known in the basin. During the summer seasons of 2001, 2002, 2015 and 2016, systematic excavations were undertaken in the site over an area of 25 m², which provided > 400 fossil remains of Ruscinian mammals. The faunal assemblage is diverse, comprising 17 genera. Rodentia are represented by Ruscinomys sp., Apocricetus barrierei, Debruijnimys julii, Apodemus gorafensis, Castillomys gracilis, Occitanomys cf. brailloni, Paraethomys meini, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys cordii, Trilophomys cf. castroi and Eliomys aff. intermedius. Large mammals are represented by two proboscideans, Anancus arvernensis and Mammut borsoni, the rhino Stephanorhinus sp. cf. S. jeanvireti, the equid cf. Hipparion sp., two bovids, a large sized Alephis sp. and a small-to-middle sized Bovidae indet. (cf. Antilope sp.), and a middle sized deer, Cervinae indet. This record is completed by the presence of a chelonid, Testudinae indet. Biostratigraphic data from micro and macromammals suggest an age for the assemblage between 4 and 4.5 Ma.     

New finds of the Neogene lizard and snake fauna (Squamata: Lacertilia; Serpentes) from the Slovak Republic

This paper deals with the squamate fauna from three Neogene localities in Slovakia. Neogene lizards and snakes have rarely been reported from this region and many aspects of their evolution and palaeodiversity are still poorly understood. Squamate remains from the Upper Miocene (MN 9) locality of Borsky Sv?ty Jur belong to at least five different taxa: Lacerta sp., Pseudopus sp., Colubroidea indet. (? Elapidae), Natricinae indet. and Colubridae indet. The ophidian assemblage from Ivanovce (Lower Pliocene; MN 15b) is dominated by colubrids, mainly Zamenis longissimus. The remainder is comprised of the species Natrix natrix. Squamate material from this locality also includes Lacerta cf. agilis, Pseudopus sp. and Ophisaurus sp., while that from Hajnáčka (Upper Pliocene; MN 16a) is extremely poor, comprising just one taxon - Natrix natrix. The Ivanovce material represents the oldest proof of the former existence of the species Zamenis longissimus and Natrix natrix in the Slovak Republic. The composition of this snake fauna indicates faunistic and palaeoecological changes at the end of the Miocene, although this was not as rapid as at similar localities in Europe. The squamate fauna of Slovakia has changed very little since the beginning of the Pliocene, and the majority of taxa are represented by species that currently occur in this region.     

Upper Ordovician bryozoans from the Xiazhen Formation of Yushan,northeastern Jiangxi,East China

The bryozoan fauna from the Xiazhen Formation (Katian, Upper Ordovician) of northeast Jiangxi Province, southeast China is reported here. Seventeen species of bryozoans belonging to fifteen genera and four orders are identified: Homotrypa yushanensis, Homotrypa sp., Prasopora yushanensis, Trematopora sp., Monotrypella sp., Rhombotrypa sp., Orbignyella sp., Constellaria jiangxiensis, Constellaria sp., Stictopora nicholsoni, Trigonodictya parvula, Ptilodictya ensiformis, Stictoporella sp., Pseudopachydictya sp., Nematopora sp., Arthrostylidae sp. indet., and Chasmatoporidae sp. indet. Four of these genera have been reported previously but nine genera (Trematopora, Monotrypella, Rhombotrypa, Orbignyella, Trigonodictya, Ptilodictya, Stictoporella, Pseudopachydictya, and Nematopora), one rhabdomesine and one fenestrate are found for the first time in the Late Ordovician strata of South China. Our palaeogeographical analysis suggests that the bryozoan association is typical for the Katian, which is mostly widespread in Laurentia, Siberia, Baltica and Mediterranean, and displays palaeobiogeographical relationships to the Laurentia–Siberia Province.     

Microfaunal remains at Middle Pleistocene Qesem Cave, Israel: Preliminary results on small vertebrates, environment and biostratigraphy

Preliminary results of the investigation of the microfauna at the Acheulo-Yabrudian Middle Pleistocene site of Qesem Cave, Israel, are presented. Thus far the assemblage includes ca. 10,000 bone and tooth fragments, of which 50% could be identified to the generic and some hundreds to the species level. Based on the current material, the fauna includes the following squamate reptiles: Laudakia sp., Chamaeleo sp., Gekkonidae indet., Lacertidae indet., Scincidae indet., Pseudopus sp., Varanus sp., Colubroidea indet. (at least three species) and micromammals: Suncus etruscus, Crocidura cf. leucodon, Crocidurinae indet. (large form), Chiroptera indet., Sciurus cf. anomalus, Cricetulus cf. migratorius, Microtus guentheri, Nannospalax ehrenbergi, Dipodillus cf. dasyurus, Meriones cf. tristrami, Gerbillidae indet., Mus cf. musculus, Apodemus cf. flavicollis. These results suggest that the fauna includes only taxa that occur recently in the territory of Israel. The ecological preferences of the nearest living relatives of the recorded taxa allow us to infer a paleoenvironment with a mosaic of open and woodland habitats. However, comparing the lower with the upper levels of the microfauna-bearing profile, a slight shift towards more wooded conditions might be detectable. Biostratigraphical inferences from the recorded micromammal taxa cover a rather wide age range, whereas the radiometric (U-series and preliminary TL) dating enable a provisionally estimated date for the microfauna-bearing levels at 360-300 ka. Detailed morphometric comparisons with material from other sites in the region are necessary and may yet provide further insights.     

Remains of sea turtles from the Ikovo locality (Lugansk Region, Ukraine; Middle Eocene)

Fragmentary remains of sea turtles (Cheloniidae sensu lato: Argillochelys sp., Puppigerus nessovi Averianov, 2005, and Cheloniidae gen. indet.) from the Ikovo locality (Lugansk Region, Ukraine; Lower Lutetian, Middle Eocene) are described. The genera Argillochelys and Puppigerus are recorded for the first time in Eastern Europe. The turtle assemblage from Ikovo is similar at the generic level to West European assemblages (Belgium, Great Britain) of approximately the same age (Lower-Middle Eocene). In the presence of P. nessovi, the Ikovo assemblage is similar to that from the Middle Eocene Dzheroi 2 locality (Uzbekistan).     

Les grands mammifères du Villafranchien supérieur des travertins du Bassin de Denizli (Sud-Ouest Anatolie,Turquie)

The large mammals from travertine deposits in the Denizli basin include the following species: Archidiskodon meridionalis meridionalis, Equus cf. altidens s. l., E. cf. apolloniensis, Stephanorhinus cf. etruscus, Metacervoceros rhenanus, Cervalces (Libralces) ex gr. minor-gallicus, Palaeotragus sp., Bovinae gen. and sp. indet. This association resembles those from the late Villafranchian of Southern and Eastern Europe, and, to some extent, fromWestern Asia, and could be older than 1.2 Ma.     

A new species of Anchitherium (Equidae: Anchitheriinae) from the Middle Miocene of Abocador de Can Mata (Vallès-Penedès Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula)

Anchitherium nievei sp. nov. is erected on the basis of dentognathic remains from the late Aragonian (MN7+8, ca. 12.3–12.1 to 11.7–11.6 Ma, Middle Miocene) of three localities from the Abocador de Can Mata local stratigraphic series (els Hostalets de Pierola, Vallès-Penedès Basin, Catalonia, Spain). This taxon differs from endemic species of Anchitherium from the inner Iberian basins, most closely resembling A. aurelianense, A. hippoides and A. steinheimense by its marked brachyodonty and small dental size, although differing by dental proportions and several details of occlusal morphology. From a paleoenvironmental viewpoint, the presence of this taxon fits well with previous inferences that indicated a relatively closed and humid forested habitat, more similar to that of similarly aged French localities.     

Cyrtocrinids (Cyrtocrinida,Crinoidea) and other associated crinoids from the Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian)–Cretaceous (Berriasian–Barremian) of the Carpathian Foredeep basement (western Ukraine)

Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian–Tithonian) and Cretaceous (Berriasian–Barremian) strata of the Ukrainian part of the Carpathian Foredeep basement are rich, at least locally, in crinoid remains. Crinoids belonging to cyrtocrinids (Cyrtocrinida) are represented by whole cups, isolated remains of disarticulated cups, brachial plates and columnals. They are assigned to the following taxa: Cyrtocrinida indet., Eugeniacrinites cf. cariophilites (von Schlotheim), Lonchocrinus sp., Phyllocrinus stellaris Zaręczny, Ascidicrinus pentagonus (Jaekel), Gammarocrinites sp., Psalidocrinus armatus (Zittel), Psalidocrinus sp., and Hemibrachiocrinidae gen. indet. Cyrtocrinids are associated with other stalked (isocrinids, Isocrinida and millericrinids, Millericrinida) and stemless (saccocomids, Roveacrinida) crinoids. Columnals, pluricolumnals, brachial plates, and cirrals of isocrinids are assigned to Balanocrinus sp., Isocrinina fam. et subfam. indet., and columnals of millericrinids to Millericrinida indet. Free-living roveacrinids are assigned to Saccocoma sp. and Crassicoma sp. Knowledge on Jurassic and Cretaceous crinoids formerly described from Ukraine is discussed. Although majority of crinoids described herein seems to be allochthonous, autochthonous forms were also found with certainty in some intervals. These include some cyrtocrinids, which dominate in shallow-water environments of the Ukrainian Carpathian Foredeep basement. Isocrinids are also common in this shallow marine environment, whereas sessile saccocomids are assigned to low-energy, mud-supported bottom, open marine, outer-platform/upper slope, and relatively deep environments.     

Sierra del Colmenar 1A,a new late Messinian (Late Miocene) locality in the Bajo Segura Basin (SE Spain): biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental implications

Abstract

In this paper, we have studied a new micromammal site from the Sierra del Colmenar section (Elche, SE Spain), named Sierra del Colmenar 1A (SCO-1A), representing the uppermost levels of Messinian age of the Bajo Segura Basin. The sedimentary context of this locality corresponds to a costal lagoon with marine influence. The fossil site has yielded remains of Apodemus aff. gorafensis, Paraethomys meini, Apocricetus alberti, Occitanomys alcalai, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys cf. truci, Muscardinus sp., Parasorex ibericus, Prolagus michauxi and Soricidae indet. Based on this assemblage, we propose a Late Miocene age (MN13) for the locality SCO-1A, matching the previously inferred age for the stratigraphic unit in which the fossil site is situated. According to its faunal composition, we infer warm and humid climate conditions in the moment of formation of this locality, agreeing with the environmental conditions of the Messinian age in a parallic sedimentary context.     

Late Cretaceous (Santonian-Campanian) sea lilies (Echinodermata,Crinoidea) from the glacial rafts of northwestern Poland

Seven Santonian (Isocrinus? minutus, Tetracrinus jagti, Cyathidium senessei, Bourgueticrinidae indet., Notocrinidae indet., Glenotremites paradoxus, Marsupites testudinarius) and seven Campanian (Nielsenicrinus carinatus, Austinocrinus sp., Bourgueticrinidae indet., Bourgueticrinus cf. constrictus, B. ellipticus, B.? suedicus, Roveacrinina gen. et sp. indet.) crinoid taxa from the Cretaceous glacial rafts of northwestern Poland (near Wolin Island) are described for the first time. The taphonomy and palaeogeographic implications are discussed. The present assemblage differs taxonomically from the crinoid faunules recently described from the glacial rafts of eastern Poland. However, these faunules are similar to crinoids from the autochthonous Upper Cretaceous sediments of southern and eastern Poland (Miechów Trough, Kraków-Cz?stochowa Upland, Middle Vistula River valley). An update of Late Cretaceous crinoids from the Miechów Trough and Kraków-Cz?stochowa Upland is also given.