ISSN 0031 0301, Paleontological Journal, 2015, Vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 651–667. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2015. Original Russian Text © I.A. Vislobokova, A.K. Agadjanian, 2015, published in Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal, 2015, No. 6, pp. 86–102.
New Data on Large Mammals of the Pleistocene Trlica Fauna, Montenegro, the Central Balkans I. A. Vislobokova and A. K. Agadjanian Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya ul. 123, Moscow, 117997 Russia e mail: [email protected], [email protected] Received September 18, 2014
Abstract—A brief review of 38 members of four orders, Carnivora, Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, and Artio dactyla, from the Pleistocene Trlica locality (Montenegro), based on the material of excavation in 2010–2014 is provided. Two faunal levels (TRL11–10 and TRL6–5) which are referred to two different stages of faunal evolution in the Central Balkans are recognized. These are (1) late Early Pleistocene (Late Villafranchian) and (2) very late Early Pleistocene–early Middle Pleistocene (Epivillafranchian–Early Galerian).
Keywords: large mammals, Early–Middle Pleistocene, Central Balkans DOI: 10.1134/S0031030115060143
INTRODUCTION of the Middle Pleistocene (Dimitrijevic , 1990; Forsten The study of the mammal fauna from the Trlica and Dimitrijevic , 2002–2003; Dimitrijevic et al., locality (Central Balkans, northern Montenegro), sit 2006); the MNQ20–MNQ22 zones (Codrea and uated 2.5 km from Pljevlja, provides new information Dimitrijevic , 1997); terminal Early Pleistocene improving the knowledge of historical development of (Crégut Bonnoure and Dimitrijevic , 2006; Argant the terrestrial biota of Europe in the Pleistocene and and Dimitrijevic , 2007), Mimomys savini pusillus biochronology. In addition, this study is of interest Zone (Bogic evic and Nenadic , 2008); or Epivillafran in connection with the fact that Trlica belongs to chian (Kahlke et al., 2011). archeological sites of an early stage of penetration of Since 2010, Trlica has been studying within the Hominini (genus Homo) into Europe. framework of the Program of Cooperation of the Rus The locality was discovered in the 1960s in Pleis sian Academy of Sciences and Montenegro Academy tocene deposits infilling karstic cavern in Triassic of Sciences and Arts. The head of the Russian part is limestones. It was studied by a research team headed Academician A.P. Derevjanko. Employees of the by Dimitrijevic from University of Belgrade (1990; Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Sibe Dimitrijevic et al., 2006). Based on the material of rian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Mos excavation in 1988, 1990, and 2001, the following cow State University, and Borissiak Paleontological large mammals were determined in this fauna: Canis Institute, of the Russian Academy of Sciences (PIN) etruscus, C. falconeri, Vulpes sp., Mustelidae gen. et sp. participated in excavation. I.A. Vislobokova and indet., Ursus etruscus, Pachycrocuta brevirostris, A.K. Agadjanian (PIN) identified large and small Homotherium cf. crenatidens, Panthera cf. gombaszoe mammals, respectively. The results of excavation were gensis, Elaphantidae indet., Palaeoloxodon antiquus, published in a series of papers (Derevjanko et al., Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis, Equus stenonis, 2011, 2012a, 2012b, 2013). Excavation is headed by E. cf. major, Alces cf. carnutorum, Cervus elaphus, M.V. Shunkov. The section is divided into 12 layers, Eucladoceros giullii, cf. Rupicaprini, Bison (Eobison) layers 5–11 of which contain mammal fossils (Derev sp., and two new species of the musk oxen, Megalovis janko et al., 2012). Due to the level by level collection balcanicus and Soergelia intermedia (Forsten and of fossil material, the taxonomic list of the Trlica Dimitrijevic , 2002–2003; Crégut Bonnoure and Fauna is considerably improved and expanded, Dimitrijevic , 2006; Argant and Dimitrijevic , 2007). changes in the mammal composition throughout the Horses, a rhinoceros, bovids, and small mammals section are traced, and the age of the locality is speci have been described (Codrea and Dimitrijevic , 1997; fied. Our studies have shown that the lower bone bear