18th International Senckenberg Conference 2004 in Weimar The development of the Late Pliocene to early Middle Pleistocene large mammal fauna of Ukraine VITALIY LOGVYNENKO National Museum of Natural History, ul. B. Khmelnitski 15, 01030 Kiev-30, Ukraine [email protected] On the basis of the extensive fossil mammal • Eucladoceros appeared and stayed con- material from the Northern Black Sea area and stantly, whilst during the final stages of this adjacent regions of Ukraine, the Khaprovian, complex the first representatives of genus Tamanian and Tiraspolian Faunal Complexes Bison (Eobison) also appeared. (correlating with the Late Pliocene to early The Taman Faunal Complex comprises the Middle Pleistocene) have been characterised large mammal faunas of the Early Pleistocene according to the regional species assemblages and can be approximately correlated with and evolutionary levels of those large mammal the Early Biharian. The main Ukrainian locali- present. ties from this complex are Kairy, Prymorsk, Large mammal faunas from the Akchagyl- Cherevychnye (upper level), Chortkiv and Kuyalnik sediments have been assigned to the Tarkhankut. The fauna of the Tamanian Complex Khaprovian Faunal Complex, which can be represents the next developmental stage fol- approximately correlated with the Upper Villa- lowing the Khaprovian. The lower boundary of franchian and MN17. The most important large this complex is determined by the appearance mammal sites from Ukraine are Kotlovina (mid- of the elephant A. meridionalis tamanensis. The dle and upper levels), Tokmak, Cherevychnye large mammal species assemblage is general (middle level), Dolinske, Velika Kamyshevakha, the same as that of the Khaprovian complex, Kryzhanivka (lower level) and Reni. but many animals represent a higher evolution- The Khaprov Faunal Complex is character- ary level: the late form of southern elephant ised by the appearance of quite different types Archidiskodon m. tamanensis, Stephanorhi- of large mammal faunas. The lower boundary of nus etruscus, Elasmotherium caucasicum, this complex is determined by the emergence Equus (A.) suessenbornensis (the next stage of elephants and horses. Important events dur- of E. (A.) stenonis development), Paracame- ing the Khaprovian Complex are (cf. Fig. 1): lus alutensis, the last representatives of genus • The replacement of members of Mammuti- Eucladoceros and Bison (Eobison) tamanensis. dae (Mastodon borsoni = Mammut borsoni) The dominant species are A. m. tamanensis, and Gomphoteriidae (Anancus arvernensis) E. (A.) suessenbornensis and E. caucasicum. by Elephantidae (Archidiskodon gromovi), The deer group of genus Cervus (Cervus ex. gr. which became widespread. Anancus elaphus) is developing. gromovi was replaced by Archidiskodon The Tiraspol Faunal Complex comprises meridionalis meridionalis during the middle the large mammals faunas from the beginning of Late Pliocene; of the Middle Pleistocene (an approximate ana- • Rhinoceroses were represented by the logue of the late Biharian). The main localities in genus Stephanorhinus (S. etruscus) and the Ukraine are Morozivka, Shutnovtsi, Tikhonivka new genus Elasmotherium appeared; and Bilyaivka. Stratigraphically, these localities • The last hipparions disappeared and were mainly represent the final stage of this com- replaced by true horses Equus (Allohippus) plex. livenzovensis and E. (A.) stenonis, which The dominant species is Archidiskodon subsequently became predominant; trogontherii, which is consistently recorded. • The specific composition of camels changed Two rhinoceros species of the genus Stephano- and Paracamelus alutensis appeared; rhinus have been discovered, S. etruscus and 18th International Senckenberg Conference 2004 in Weimar S. mercki. The horses are represented by cores and greater size of the distal parts of limb three species, the most dominant being Equus bones. The Tiraspolian fauna represents the (Equus) mosbachensis. Camels disappear starting point for the formation of the Middle completely. In the Tiraspolian Faunal Complex, Pleistocene fauna. The Bilyaivka locality has Artiodactyla are represented by several Cervi- yielded A. trogontherii, together with S. mercki nae (Alces latifrons, Praedama suessenborn- and E. (E.) mosbachensis and various rep- ensis, Cervus acoronatus and Praemegaceros resentatives of Cervidae. It can be compared verticornis) and Bison (Bison) aff. schoeten- with Süßenborn in Western Europe, although at sacki, which differs from the typical German Bilyaivka there are more steppe elements. B. schoetensacki by the structure of the horn Fig. 1 The stratigraphical distribution of large mammals (Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, Tylopoda and Artiodactyla) in Ukraine during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. .