DOCSLIB.ORG

The Mammalian Assemblage of Mazan (Vaucluse, France) and Its Position in the Early Oligocene European Palaeobiogeography

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Mammalian Assemblage of Mazan (Vaucluse, France) and Its Position in the Early Oligocene European Palaeobiogeography Swiss J Geosci (2013) 106:231–252 DOI 10.1007/s00015-013-0145-5 The mammalian assemblage of Mazan (Vaucluse, France) and its position in the Early Oligocene European palaeobiogeography Olivier Maridet • Marguerite Hugueney • Loı¨c Costeur Received: 4 December 2012 / Accepted: 12 August 2013 / Published online: 16 November 2013 Ó Swiss Geological Society 2013 Abstract The locality of Mazan (Provence, South-Eastern other Early Oligocene localities allows deciphering the France) yielded numerous remains of vertebrates, including European mammalian palaeobiogeography at the beginning numerous isolated teeth and a few bone fragments of of the Oligocene. The mammalian assemblage of Mazan mammals. A preliminary faunal list was published by Triat shows significant affinities with other localities from Wes- et al; the present systematic revision of the mammalian tern Europe (especially French and Spanish localities), remains and the description of new specimens reveal that while localities from the eastern part of Europe (Anatolian, the assemblage comprises 18 taxa belonging to 7 orders and Bavarian and Bohemian localities) are noticeably different, 10 families. Among the mammalian remains, the therid- even though these were not subjected to strong palaeobio- omyids and cricetids are the two most abundant groups. geographic differentiation nor endemism. The locality of This revision confirms the ascription of the locality to the Paguera 1 (Majorca)–possibly already insular in the Early biochronological unit MP21, which corresponds to the very Oligocene–shows peculiar affinities with Anatolian and beginning of the Oligocene. As this locality overlies the Bavarian localities rather than with those in Western Late Eocene faunas of Mormoiron, it clearly illustrates the European. This, together with the absence of strong ende- drastic changes induced by the European ‘Grande-Coupure’ mism, suggests the existence of land connections with the in Southeastern France like in the rest of Europe. A palae- Anatolian region, but also between the Anatolian and the obiogeographic analysis based on a comparison with 22 Bavarian regions, permitting faunal exchanges. Keywords Palaeogene Á Europe Á Mormoiron Basin Á Editorial handling: D. Becker & D. Marty. Mammalia Á Palaeobiogeography Electronic supplementary material The online version of this Abbreviations article (doi:10.1007/s00015-013-0145-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. FSL Faculte´ des Sciences de Lyon, France NMB Natural History Museum, Basel, Switzerland O. Maridet (&) m/M Lower/upper molars Geologie und Pala¨ontologie Abt., Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, Austria H Crown height e-mail: [email protected] TrW Trigonid width TaW Talonid width M. Hugueney TaL Talonid length CNRS-UMR 5276 ‘‘Laboratoire de Ge´ologie de Lyon, Terre, Plane`tes et Environnement’’, University Lyon 1, Bat. Geode, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France e-mail: [email protected] 1 Introduction and geological setting L. Costeur The locality of Mazan is situated in the Provence (South- Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Augustinergasse 2, 4001 Basel, Switzerland eastern France, Fig. 1a), in the southern part of the e-mail: [email protected] Mormoiron Basin (Vaucluse), part of a succession of 232 O. Maridet et al. Fig. 1 Sketch map of France with a the location of Mazan at national Comtat quarry, modified after Triat et al. (1971). The layer, which scale, b at local scale, and c the synthetic log of the Cenozoic yielded the studied mammalian assemblage is indicated by a star sedimentary deposits and geological formations in the Malemort-du- basins that subsided between the rising Alps and the England). However, some charophyte taxa found in the Rhodanian through. Although the quarry that yielded the ‘‘Blauvac Complex’’ Formation are also known in the fossil remains is partly located in the municipality of Lower Hamstead beds (southern England), which are Early Malemort-du-Comtat, the mammal locality is usually Oligocene in age (Feist-Castel 1976). The two formations called after the nearest town Mazan (Fig. 1b). The Palaeo- that follow on top of the ‘‘Blauvac Complex’’ Formation gene deposits in the Malemort-du-Comtat quarry comprise are mainly composed of dolomitic, calcareous clays a sequence of 60 meters including four formations and (Lower Patis Formation) and calcareous clays (Upper Patis starting with the gypsum beds of the Blauvac Complex Formation), and are both characterised by a complete Formation (Fig. 1c). A comprehensive section was drawn absence of fossil remains. On top of the section, the so- and studied by Triat et al. (1971; table 1). The basal for- called ‘‘Brotia laurae and Tympanotonos labyrinthus For- mation, the so called ‘‘Blauvac Complex’’ Formation, is mation’’ is composed of marls and detritic limestones, composed of gypsum and yielded a charophyte flora which yielded numerous charophytes, gastropods and equivalent to that of the gypsum beds from Mormoiron, mammalian remains. This formation is named after the France (well-known for its Late Eocene Palaeotherium freshwater gastropods that are abundant throughout this fauna). The charophyte flora is also equivalent to that of the formation. Eocene Montmartre gypsum Formation (Paris Basin, It is noteworthy that in their initial publication, Triat France) and Bembridge Limestone Formation (southern et al. (1971) assigned an Early Oligocene age to the lower The Oligocene mammals of Mazan 233 part of the section (just above the gypsum, i.e. ‘‘Blauvac length and width, as these are easier for comparisons. Complex’’ Formation), and a ‘Middle’ Oligocene age However, we also measured the length and width of the (today no longer recognised as a valid stage) to the rest of wear surface according to Vianey-Liaud (1972) for com- the section above the Lower Patis Formation, due to the parison with her data (these measurements are available on fact that the Eocene–Oligocene boundary was not yet request to the authors). All the measurements are given in precisely known by that time. Based on the present revision millimetres. of the fossil assemblage, we can now undoubtedly assign an early Early Oligocene age to the ‘‘Brotia laurae and 2.2 Biochronologic framework Tympanotonos labyrinthus Formation’’, implying therefore that the Eocene–Oligocene boundary lies somewhere The biochronologic framework is based on the European within the Lower and Upper Patis Formations. Land Mammal Ages (ELMA, Sen 1997) which is subdi- A preliminary faunal list of the mammals was pub- vided into a succession of European mammal reference lished by Triat et al. (1971). All remains come from levels for the Palaeogene (MP; Schmidt-Kittler et al. 1987), brown–black, clayish paleosol layers (indicated by a star each of them being correlated with the Palaeogene geo- on the Fig. 1c), located at the base of the ‘‘Brotia laurae logical time scale (Luterbacher et al. 2004; Vandenberghe and Tympanotonos labyrinthus Formation’’. Other fossil- et al. 2012). For the biogeographic analysis, Mazan is iferous layers found in the quarry were very poor but compared with 22 other Early Oligocene European locali- apparently of an identical age because of the presence of ties (Table 1, Electronic Supplementary Material 1). Theridomys aquatilis. In addition to mammal remains, Previous studies have quantified the mammalian faunal tortoise carapaces, crocodile teeth and squamate vertebrae turnovers based on regional assemblages (Legendre and and maxillary fragments were also found. Here, we Hartenberger 1992; Legendre et al. 2006). Their results present a review and a description of the mammalian showed that, after the Eocene–Oligocene faunal change, remains found at the Mazan locality, and we compare this the turnovers occurring between the biochronological units mammalian assemblage with other Early Oligocene MP21 and MP22 were relatively low, but high again localities in order to reconstruct the evolution of the between MP22 and MP23. In order to reconstruct the European palaeobiogeography after the Eocene–Oligocene European palaeobiogeography at the beginning of the transition. Oligocene we made a compilation of localities assigned to MP21 and MP22 (between ca. 33.9 and 30.8 Ma, Van- denberghe et al. 2012). The age of each locality generally 2 Materials and methods is according to the original assignation of the authors, except for the localities discussed below. 2.1 Specimens and terminology For Olalla 4A, Freudenthal (1996) initially suggested a MP22 age, due to the association of Elfomys (Issiodoro- Due to intense quarry activities, the material is often mys) medius and Sciuromys cayluxi (these taxa appear in damaged, especially the tiniest specimens are generally MP22 in the Quercy region). However, the locality also broken. All the described specimens are deposited in the yielded Blainvillimys langei and Pseudoltinomys gaillardi, collections of the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (FSL, which are usually considered as typical of MP21. Conse- ‘Faculte´ des Sciences de Lyon’), and are catalogued with quently the correlation of this locality to MP22 seems the numbers: FSL 98250 to FSL 98831. questionable, and we thus adopt a more cautious opinion The terminology used to describe molars follows Crochet and rather propose an MP21-22 age. Interestingly, if the (1980) for marsupials and insectivores, Daxner-Ho¨ck and age of Olalla 4A is indeed older than initially proposed, Ho¨ck (2009) for Gliridae, Maridet and Ni (2013)
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The World at the Time of Messel: Conference Volume
    T. Lehmann & S.F.K. Schaal (eds) The World at the Time of Messel - Conference Volume Time at the The World The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference 2011 Frankfurt am Main, 15th - 19th November 2011 ISBN 978-3-929907-86-5 Conference Volume SENCKENBERG Gesellschaft für Naturforschung THOMAS LEHMANN & STEPHAN F.K. SCHAAL (eds) The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference Frankfurt am Main, 15th – 19th November 2011 Conference Volume Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung IMPRINT The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates 22nd International Senckenberg Conference 15th – 19th November 2011, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Conference Volume Publisher PROF. DR. DR. H.C. VOLKER MOSBRUGGER Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany Editors DR. THOMAS LEHMANN & DR. STEPHAN F.K. SCHAAL Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany [email protected]; [email protected] Language editors JOSEPH E.B. HOGAN & DR. KRISTER T. SMITH Layout JULIANE EBERHARDT & ANIKA VOGEL Cover Illustration EVELINE JUNQUEIRA Print Rhein-Main-Geschäftsdrucke, Hofheim-Wallau, Germany Citation LEHMANN, T. & SCHAAL, S.F.K. (eds) (2011). The World at the Time of Messel: Puzzles in Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironment, and the History of Early Primates. 22nd International Senckenberg Conference. 15th – 19th November 2011, Frankfurt am Main. Conference Volume. Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Frankfurt am Main. pp. 203.
    [Show full text]
  • The Record of Deinotheriidae from the Miocene of the Swiss Jura Mountains (Jura Canton, Switzerland)
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.08.10.244061. this version posted August 10, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. It is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license. The record of Deinotheriidae from the Miocene of the Swiss Jura Mountains (Jura Canton, Switzerland) 1 Gagliardi Fanny, 2, 3 Maridet Olivier & 2, 3 Becker Damien 1 Biology, University of Neuchâtel, CH-2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland; [email protected] 2 Jurassica Museum, Route de Fontenais 21, CH-2900 Porrentruy, Switzerland; [email protected], [email protected] [corresponding authors] 3 Earth Sciences, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 6, CH-1900 Fribourg, Switzerland Abstract: The Miocene sands of the Swiss Jura Mountains, long exploited in quarries for the construction industry, have yielded abundant fossil remains of large mammals. Among Deinotheriidae (Proboscidea), two species, Prodeinotherium bavaricum and Deinotherium giganteum, had previously been identified in the Delémont valley, but never described. A third species, Deinotherium levius, from the locality of Charmoille in Ajoie, is reported herein for the first time in Switzerland. These occurrences are dated from the late early to the early late Miocene, correlating to the European Mammal biozones MN4 to MN9. The study is completed by a discussion on the palaeobiogeography of dinotheres at European scale. Key words: Prodeinotherium, Deinotherium, Bois de Raube formation, Miocene, Jura, Switzerland. Introduction The order of Proboscidea currently regroups large mammals whose common characteristic is the possession of a trunk and tusks. Within the Afrotherians superorder, it has for sister group the Sirenia order (dugongs and manatees).
    [Show full text]
  • LETTER Doi:10.1038/Nature14423
    LETTER doi:10.1038/nature14423 A bizarre Jurassic maniraptoran theropod with preserved evidence of membranous wings Xing Xu1,2*, Xiaoting Zheng1,3*, Corwin Sullivan2, Xiaoli Wang1, Lida Xing4, Yan Wang1, Xiaomei Zhang3, Jingmai K. O’Connor2, Fucheng Zhang2 & Yanhong Pan5 The wings of birds and their closest theropod relatives share a ratios are 1.16 and 1.08, respectively, compared to 0.96 and 0.78 in uniform fundamental architecture, with pinnate flight feathers Epidendrosaurus and 0.79 and 0.66 in Epidexipteryx), an extremely as the key component1–3. Here we report a new scansoriopterygid short humeral deltopectoral crest, and a long rod-like bone articu- theropod, Yi qi gen. et sp. nov., based on a new specimen from the lating with the wrist. Middle–Upper Jurassic period Tiaojishan Formation of Hebei Key osteological features are as follows. STM 31-2 (Fig. 1) is inferred Province, China4. Yi is nested phylogenetically among winged ther- to be an adult on the basis of the closed neurocentral sutures of the opods but has large stiff filamentous feathers of an unusual type on visible vertebrae, although this is not a universal criterion for maturity both the forelimb and hindlimb. However, the filamentous feath- across archosaurian taxa12. Its body mass is estimated to be approxi- ers of Yi resemble pinnate feathers in bearing morphologically mately 380 g, using an empirical equation13. diverse melanosomes5. Most surprisingly, Yi has a long rod-like The skull and mandible are similar to those of other scansoriopter- bone extending from each wrist, and patches of membranous tissue ygids, and to a lesser degree to those of oviraptorosaurs and some basal preserved between the rod-like bones and the manual digits.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    European Journal of Taxonomy 753: 1–80 ISSN 2118-9773 https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.753.1389 www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu 2021 · Tissier J. et al. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Monograph urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8009DD3B-53B0-45C9-921E-58D04C9C0B48 New species, revision, and phylogeny of Ronzotherium Aymard, 1854 (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) Jérémy TISSIER 1,*, Pierre-Olivier ANTOINE 2 & Damien BECKER 3 1,3 Route de Fontenais 21, JURASSICA Museum, 2900 Porrentruy, Switzerland & Chemin du musée 4, Université de Fribourg, Department of Geosciences, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland. 2 Place Eugène Bataillon, Institut des sciences de l’évolution de Montpellier-CNRS-IRD-RPHE, Université de Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France. * Corresponding author: [email protected] 2 Email: [email protected] 3 Email: [email protected] 1 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:7418361D-FAA0-4D7D-AE4A-80B5C9288B31 2 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:61FBD377-963B-4530-A4BC-0AB4CBCAD967 3 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:E1D8E6B2-6F92-4B0B-A772-4F5C561851DB Abstract. Ronzotherium is one of the earliest Rhinocerotidae in Europe, which fi rst appeared just after the Eocene/Oligocene transition (Grande Coupure), and became extinct at the end of the Oligocene. It is a large-sized rhinocerotid, with a special position in the phylogeny of this group, as being one of the earliest-branching true Rhinocerotidae. However, its intra-generic systematics has never been tested through computational phylogenetic methods and it is basically unknown. Its taxonomical history has gone through numerous complications, and thus we aim to provide here a complete revision of this genus, through phylogenetic methods.
    [Show full text]
  • Technical Specifications for Registration of Geographical Indications
    TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS NAME OF GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION Ventoux PRODUCT CATEGORY Wine COUNTRY OF ORIGIN France APPLICANT Organisme de défense et de gestion de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée Ventoux 388 Maison des Vins - Avenue Jean Jaurés 84206 Carpentras Cedex France Tel. 33.04.90.63.36.50 Fax 33.04.90.60.57.59 [email protected] PROTECTION IN COUNTRY OF ORIGIN Date of protection in the European Union: 9/12/2011 Date of protection in the Member State and reference to national decision: décret du 27 juillet 1973 PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Raw material Grape varieties: Vermentino B Grenache Blanc Marselan N Bourboulenc B Cinsaut N Marsanne B Counoise N Clairette B Carignan N Mourvedre N Roussanne B Viognier B Syrah N Grenache N Piquepoul Noir N Alcohol content Red wine: minimum 12% vol. White wine: minimum 11.5% vol. Rosé wine: minimum 11.5% vol. Physical appearance Red wine, White wine, Rosé wine DESCRIPTION OF GEOGRAPHICAL AREA The grapes are harvested and the wines made and developed on the territory of the following municipalities in the department of Vaucluse: Apt, Aubignan, Le Barroux, Le Beaucet, Beaumettes, Beaumont-du-Ventoux, Bédoin, Blauvac, Bonnieux, Cabrières-d'Avignon, Caromb, Carpentras, Caseneuve, Crestet, Crillonle-Brave, Entrechaux, Flassan, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Gargas, Gignac, Gordes, Goult, Joucas, Lagnes, Lioux, Loriol-du-Comtat, Malaucène, Malemort- du-Comtat, Maubec, Mazan, Méthamis, Modène, Mormoiron, Murs, Pernes, Robion, La Roque- sur-Pernes, Roussillon, Rustrel, Saignon, Saumane, Saint-Didier, Saint-Hippolyte-le-Graveron, Saint-Martin-de-Castillon, Saint-Pantaléon, Saint-Pierre-de-Vassols, Saint-Saturnin-d'Apt, Venasque, Viens, Villars and Villes-sur-Auzon.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Late–Middle Eocene of Eastern Thrace
    G Model PALEVO-993; No. of Pages 15 ARTICLE IN PRESS C. R. Palevol xxx (2017) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Comptes Rendus Palevol www.sci encedirect.com General Palaeontology, Systematics and Evolution (Vertebrate Palaeontology) First occurrence of Palaeotheriidae (Perissodactyla) from the late–middle Eocene of eastern Thrace (Greece) Première occurrence de Palaeotheriidae (Perissodactyla) du Miocène moyen–tardif de Thrace orientale (Grèce) a,b,∗ a Grégoire Métais , Sevket Sen a CR2P, Paléobiodiversité et Paléoenvironnements, UMR 7207 (CNRS, MNHN, UPMC), Sorbonne Université, Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, 8, rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France b Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 66045 Lawrence, Kansas, USA a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: A detailed assessment of postcranial fossils collected at Balouk Keui (Thrace, Greece) in the Received 11 July 2016 mid-19th Century by the naturalist Auguste Viquesnel enabled us to identify the material Accepted after revision 10 January 2017 as pertaining to Palaeotherium sp., cf. P. magnum, which constitutes the easternmost occur- Available online xxx rence of the genus during the Eocene. We have constrained the geographic and stratigraphic provenance of the fossil by reassessing information about Viquesnel’s itinerary and observa- Handled by Lars vanden Hoek Ostende tions. Although the exact age of the fossil remains uncertain, the occurrence of a palaeothere in the Thrace Basin during the Eocene indicates a wider geographic distribution for the Keywords: genus, which had previously been restricted to western and central Europe. The palaeothere Palaeotherium of Balouk Keui confirms that the palaeogeographic range of this group included the Balkans Thrace during the middle–late Eocene.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ossicular Chain of Cainotheriidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla)
    Dataset 3D models related to the publication: The ossicular chain of Cainotheriidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) Assemat Alexandre1, Mourlam Mickael¨ 1, Orliac Maeva¨ J1* 1Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution´ de Montpellier (UMR 5554, CNRS, UM, IRD, EPHE), c.c. 064, Universite´ de Montpellier, place Eugene` Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract This contribution includes the 3D models of the reconstructed ossicular chain of the cainotheriid Caenomeryx filholi from the late Oligocene locality of Pech Desse (MP28, Quercy, France) described and figured in the publication of Assemat et al. (2020). It represents the oldest ossicular chain reconstruction for a Paleogene terrestrial artiodactyl species. Keywords: Caenomeryx, incus, Late Oligocene, malleus, Stapes Submitted:2020-03-09, published online:2020-04-08. https://doi.org/10.18563/journal.m3.110 INTRODUCTION Model IDs Taxon Description UMPDS3353 Caenomeryx filholi middle ear with The 3D models presented here represent the first reconstruction petrosal, bulla, of a Paleogene terrestrial artiodactyl ossicular chain (see table stapes, incus, 1 and fig.1). It is based on ossicles preserved in the middle malleus ear cavity of the basicranium UM PDS 3353 from Pech Desse Table 1. Model. Collection: University of Montpellier. (MP 28, Quercy) referred to the cainotheriid Caenomeryx fil- holi. Cainotheriidae are an extinct family of small European en- Desse exceptionally preserves a complete set of ossicles: the demic artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates) documented between malleus and the stapes are preserved within the left bullar space, the Late Eocene and the Middle Miocene in Western Europe while the malleus and the incus are preserved on the right side.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 1 - Introduction
    EURASIAN MIDDLE AND LATE MIOCENE HOMINOID PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY AND THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGINS OF THE HOMININAE by Mariam C. Nargolwalla A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Anthropology University of Toronto © Copyright by M. Nargolwalla (2009) Eurasian Middle and Late Miocene Hominoid Paleobiogeography and the Geographic Origins of the Homininae Mariam C. Nargolwalla Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology University of Toronto 2009 Abstract The origin and diversification of great apes and humans is among the most researched and debated series of events in the evolutionary history of the Primates. A fundamental part of understanding these events involves reconstructing paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic patterns in the Eurasian Miocene; a time period and geographic expanse rich in evidence of lineage origins and dispersals of numerous mammalian lineages, including apes. Traditionally, the geographic origin of the African ape and human lineage is considered to have occurred in Africa, however, an alternative hypothesis favouring a Eurasian origin has been proposed. This hypothesis suggests that that after an initial dispersal from Africa to Eurasia at ~17Ma and subsequent radiation from Spain to China, fossil apes disperse back to Africa at least once and found the African ape and human lineage in the late Miocene. The purpose of this study is to test the Eurasian origin hypothesis through the analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of distribution, in situ evolution, interprovincial and intercontinental dispersals of Eurasian terrestrial mammals in response to environmental factors. Using the NOW and Paleobiology databases, together with data collected through survey and excavation of middle and late Miocene vertebrate localities in Hungary and Romania, taphonomic bias and sampling completeness of Eurasian faunas are assessed.
    [Show full text]
  • Taxonomy and Affinities of African Cenozoic Metatherians
    Spanish Journal of Palaeontology 36 (2), 2021 https://doi.org/10.7203/sjp.36.2.20974 Sociedad Española de Paleontología ISSN 2255-0550 / eISSN 2660-9568 OPEN ACCESS RESEARCH PAPER Taxonomy and affi nities of african cenozoic metatherians Taxonomía y afi nidades de los metaterios cenozoicos africanos Vicente D. CRESPO & Francisco J. GOIN Abstract: The record of extinct African metatherians (Mammalia, Theria) is scanty, restricted Received: 20 January 2021 in time (Eocene–Miocene), and its taxonomy is still subject of debate. A review of all African Accepted: 24 May 2021 metatherians, or alleged metatherians, known up to now, led us to the recognition of only Published online: XXX three taxa referable to this group: (1) Kasserinotherium tunisiense (Peradectoidea?), from the early Eocene of Tunisia; (2) Peratherium africanum (Herpetotheriidae), from the early Oligocene of Egypt and Oman, and (3) an indeterminate Herpetotheriidae? from the early Corresponding author: Miocene of Uganda. Herpetotheriids probably reached Afro-Arabia from Europe in one Vicente D. Crespo or more dispersal waves since the early Oligocene. Kasserinotherium, on the contrary, [email protected] suggests an earlier (Paleocene) arrival from South America, judging from its alleged affi nities with South American and Australian taxa. Such a migration event (probably, Keywords: through a fi lter corridor such as the Rio Grande Rise-Walvis Ridge system in the South Mammalia Atlantic) may also explain the enigmatic presence of polydolopimorphian metatherians in Metatheria the Cenozoic of central Anatolia (Turkey). A more radical hypothesis is that all European (Eurasian?) Marsupialiformes have an ultimate origin in South America, from where they Africa dispersed via Africa by the Paleocene–earliest Eocene.
    [Show full text]
  • Oligocene and Early Miocene Mammal Biostratigraphy of the Valley of Lakes in Mongolia
    Palaeobio Palaeoenv (2017) 97:219–231 DOI 10.1007/s12549-016-0264-x ORIGINAL PAPER Oligocene and early Miocene mammal biostratigraphy of the Valley of Lakes in Mongolia Mathias Harzhauser1 & Gudrun Daxner-Höck1 & Margarita A. Erbajeva2 & Paloma López-Guerrero1,3 & Olivier Maridet4,5 & Adriana Oliver 1,6 & Werner E. Piller7 & Ursula B. Göhlich1 & Reinhard Ziegler8 Received: 13 July 2016 /Revised: 28 October 2016 /Accepted: 10 November 2016 /Published online: 15 December 2016 # The Author(s) 2017. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract The Taatsiin Gol Basin in Mongolia is a key area for data. Therefore, we test and evaluate the informal biozonation understanding the evolution and dispersal of Central Asian scheme that has been traditionally used for biostratigraphic mammal faunas during the Oligocene and early Miocene. correlations within the basin. Based on the analysis of the huge After two decades of intense fieldwork, the area is extraordi- dataset, a formalised biostratigraphic scheme is proposed. It narily well sampled and taxonomically well studied, yielding a comprises the Cricetops dormitor Taxon Range Zone large dataset of 19,042 specimens from 60 samples. The spec- (Rupelian), subdivided into the Allosminthus khandae Taxon imens represent 176 species-level and 99 genus-level taxa com- Range Subzone and the Huangomys frequens Abundance prising 135 small mammal species and 47 large mammals. A Subzone, the Amphechinus taatsiingolensis Abundance Zone detailed lithostratigraphy and new magnetostratigraphic and (early Chattian), the Amphechinus major Taxon Range Zone radiometric datings provide an excellent frame for these biotic (late Chattian), subdivided into the Yindirtemys deflexus This article is a contribution to the special issue BThe Valley of Lakes in Mongolia, a key area of Cenozoic mammal evolution and stratigraphy^.
    [Show full text]
  • Le Mot Du Maire
    N° 96– Mai 2019 Le mot du Maire Budget de la Commune Le 13 avril dernier, le conseil municipal a approuvé le budget dont voici les grandes lignes : Reconduction de l’opération Fleurs Cette année nous allons reconduire l’opération « Fleurs » sur le En 2018, malgré la baisse conséquente des dotations même format que l’année dernière. A savoir : Vous qui êtes de l’Etat, la Commune a réalisé principalement les intéressés, vous passez en mairie. Nous vous faisons un bon investissements suivants : la fin de l’accessibilité de la pour les fleurs et vous allez les récupérer chez Mme Marie Mairie, l’achèvement du logement dans la chapelle MAURIZOT qui se fera directement payer par la Mairie. Saint-Etienne, la sécurisation des falaises et la signalétique dans le village. Une seule condition : que les fleurs soient visibles de la voie publique, intra et extra muros. Section Section fonctionnement 2018 investissement 2018 Le Maire François ILLE Dépenses : Dépenses : 273 774,59 € 87 464,73 € Avis d’enquête publique (soit 6% de moins qu’en 2017) (soit 35% de moins qu’en 2017) Projet de Parc naturel régional du Mont-Ventoux Recettes : Recettes : 331 391,08 € 145 630,71 € Par arrêté du Président du Conseil Régional de la Région Provence- Alpes-Côte d’Azur N°2019-88 du 12 avril 2019, une enquête En 2019, les prévisions d’investissement sont les publique sur les territoires des communes d’Aubignan, d’Aurel, suivantes : Beaumont-du-Ventoux, Bédoin, Blauvac, Brantes, Caromb, Restauration de la fontaine du Loup et de la Vache à Carpentras, Le Crestet, Crillon-le Brave, Entrechaux, Faucon, Saint-Gens, qui vient d’être achevée, et pour laquelle Flassan, La Roque-sur-Pernes, Le Barroux, Le Beaucet, Malaucène, la Municipalité a obtenu une subvention de 11 600 € Malemort-du-Comtat, Mazan, Méthamis, Modène, Monieux, du Département.
    [Show full text]
  • Attachment J Assessment of Existing Paleontologic Data Along with Field Survey Results for the Jonah Field
    Attachment J Assessment of Existing Paleontologic Data Along with Field Survey Results for the Jonah Field June 12, 2007 ABSTRACT This is compilation of a technical analysis of existing paleontological data and a limited, selective paleontological field survey of the geologic bedrock formations that will be impacted on Federal lands by construction associated with energy development in the Jonah Field, Sublette County, Wyoming. The field survey was done on approximately 20% of the field, primarily where good bedrock was exposed or where there were existing, debris piles from recent construction. Some potentially rich areas were inaccessible due to biological restrictions. Heavily vegetated areas were not examined. All locality data are compiled in the separate confidential appendix D. Uinta Paleontological Associates Inc. was contracted to do this work through EnCana Oil & Gas Inc. In addition BP and Ultra Resources are partners in this project as they also have holdings in the Jonah Field. For this project, we reviewed a variety of geologic maps for the area (approximately 47 sections); none of maps have a scale better than 1:100,000. The Wyoming 1:500,000 geology map (Love and Christiansen, 1985) reveals two Eocene geologic formations with four members mapped within or near the Jonah Field (Wasatch – Alkali Creek and Main Body; Green River – Laney and Wilkins Peak members). In addition, Winterfeld’s 1997 paleontology report for the proposed Jonah Field II Project was reviewed carefully. After considerable review of the literature and museum data, it became obvious that the portion of the mapped Alkali Creek Member in the Jonah Field is probably misinterpreted.
    [Show full text]