scholarly journals Preliminary report on the middle Pleistocene small mammal fauna from Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Thrace

1998 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Winfried Santel ◽  
Wighart Von Koenigswald

Abstract. Aus den Ablagerungen der Yarimburgaz-Höhle werden zwei Kleinsäugerfaunen vorgelegt. Die sehr begrenzte Fauna aus dem älteren Sedimentationszyklus I enthält außer Arten, die auch heute noch in der weiteren Region verbreitet sind, vor allem Cricetus cricetus. Die jüngere Fauna aus dem Zyklus III, der einen großen Teil des archäologischen Materials geliefert hat, ist auch faunistisch erheblich reicher. Die Fauna ist gekennzeichnet durch Einwanderer aus dem südrussichen Steppengürtel (Lagurus transiens/lagurus, Cricetus cricetus, Ochotona pusilla, und Sicista subtilis). Hinzu kommt Rattus rattus als Einwanderer von Süden. Die ökologische Interpretation läßt auf eine erhebliche Ausweitung der Steppenregion nach Süden schließen. Arvicola ist im Mittelmeerraum als stratigraphischer Indikator nicht brauchbar. Dagegen kann aus der Übergangsform von Lagurus transiens zu L. lagurus ein mittelpleistozänes Alter abgeleitet werden. Dabei kann das frühere wie das spätere Mittelpleistozän ausgeschlossen werden.

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 48-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia K. Markova ◽  
Andrey Yu. Puzachenko

Evolutionary changes in European small mammals during the second half of the Middle Pleistocene, from the Likhvin (Holsteinian, Hoxnian) Interglacial (MIS 11) to the beginning of the Mikulino (Eemian) Interglacial (MIS 5e), that is between 424 ka BP and 130 ka BP were traced. Trends in evolutionary change were documented, and East European and West European faunas were compared. An integrated analysis of available theriological, geological, and geochronological data for the second half of the Middle Pleistocene in Europe has shown marked changes in the small mammal fauna throughout the period under consideration and provided information on the climate and environments at different time intervals. Changes traceable in the Arvicolinae phyletic lines made a correlation between the West European and East European mammal localities possible. The biostratigraphic scheme of the second half of the Middle Pleistocene has been developed and maps of small mammal localities compiled.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Markova ◽  
A. Yu. Puzachenko

The paper is concerned with the small mammal fauna evolution in Europe in the Middle Pleistocene. The information on the faunas of the end of the Early Pleistocene has been also taken into consideration. The data available made possible identifying several stages in the small mammal evolution. Not all intervals within the Middle Pleistocene are provided with sufficient information for recognizing individual stages; that is particularly true for the cold periods of the Middle Pleistocene – the Donian and the Okian glaciations (=Elsterian, =Anglian). Based on the studies of small mammal localities, the biostratigraphic scheme has been developed, the principal phylogenetic lineages of Arvicolinae were traced, and maps of the Middle Pleistocene small mammal localities have been compiled


Author(s):  
L. Popova ◽  
M. Krochak ◽  
O. Krokhmal' ◽  
E. Tzyzh

A new locality of the Pleistocene small mammals at Vynyavy (L'viv region) has been discovered in the filling of rock shelters beneath the massive well-cemented sandstone of the Opillia Suite of the Badenian, the Middle Neogene. The locality was formed as a result of pellet accumulation. Predators, whose activity was forming the taphocoenosis, were birds and predatory beasts that inhabited the rock shelters and small caves in the looser underlying sandstone. The fauna includes fossils of insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. The presence of Arvicolachosaricus and the evolutionary level of other arvicolidsallow identification this fauna as Khasarian one. The closest analogue of Vynyavy, with respect to the geological age, is a fauna from sub-moraine deposits of the Dnieper area, Matviivka. Ecologically, Vynyavy fauna shows similarity with Medzhybizh (Syngilian fauna of the Bug area). Geological age of the locality is the Middle Pleistocene, Dnieprovian climatolith, and, taking into account ecological features of the fauna, most likely, its beginning. On the basis of small mammal fauna, open steppe habitats should be reconstructed for the time span presented by Vynyavy fauna. Climate was colder than the present one, although not extremely cold, which is evidenced by the presence of insectivores. Climate was also wet enough, as soon as all xerophillous species are absent. Special characteristic feature is the absence of Laguridae, usual for the Pleistocene of Ukrainian group. Arctic component is presented by a lemming. High percentage of the water vole in the taphocoenosis indicates extensive areas of flood-plains and high fluvial activity, which could be expected during interstadials rather than during cold epochs. Otherwise, a decrease of seasonal floods would have resulted in foresting of valley and, as a consequence, in the appearance of forest mammal species, which are observed in Vinyavy fauna. Remains of ground squirrels belong to Spermophilusodessanus, a fact that supports a recent (Holocene) colonization of this area by its present inhabitant, S. citellus.


2014 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.F. Mayhew ◽  
F.E. Dieleman ◽  
A.A. Slupik ◽  
L.W. van den Hoek Ostende ◽  
J.W.F. Reumer

AbstractWe investigated fossil small mammals from a borehole near Moriaanshoofd (Zeeland, southwest Netherlands) in order to get better insights in the fossil mammal faunas that are found in the subsurface in the southwestern Netherlands, and to investigate the age and provenance of the mammal fauna that is being dredged from the deep tidal gullies in the nearby Oosterschelde estuary. The record in the borehole covers Gelasian (Early Pleistocene) to Holocene deposits, represented by six formations. Thirty-nine specimens of small mammals were obtained from the borehole. These fossils derived from the Early Pleistocene marine Maassluis Formation and from directly overlying deposits of a Late Pleistocene age. During Weichselian times (33–24 ka), a proto-Schelde River shaped the northern Oosterschelde area. The river reworked substantial amounts of Early and Middle Pleistocene deposits. At the base of the Schelde-derived fluvial sequence (regionally described as the Koewacht Formation), Gelasian vertebrate faunas were concentrated in the channel lag. The Late Pleistocene channel lag is almost certainly the main source for the rich Early Pleistocene vertebrate faunas with larger mammals dredged from the Oosterschelde.


1986 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 215-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Roberts ◽  
M. R. Bates ◽  
C. Bergman ◽  
A. P. Currant ◽  
J. R. Haynes ◽  
...  

The acheulian site at Boxgrove contains one of the most extensive areas of in situ fauna and flintwork yet discovered in Britain. This material is found in a complex sequence of sediments which represent depositional conditions from a 42 m sea level rise to the onset of a full periglacial climate. Excavation of the archaeological horizon has been accompanied by a programme of multidisciplinary research examining site formation processes, palaeolandscape and palaeoecological development, using sedimentological and environmental reconstruction techniques. Dating of the site is tentative as no absolute dates are available at present. However, comparative analysis with other British sites would suggest a position for the Boxgrove sequence within the Middle Pleistocene. The archaeological horizon is interpreted as being deposited towards the latter part of an interglacial or an interstadial period.


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