A mid-miocene age for the Slanci formation near Belgrade (Serbia), based on a record of the primitive antelope Eotragus cf. Clavatus from Visnjica

Der Van,Slobodan Knezevic,Ivan Stefanovic

doi:10.2298/gabp0701053v

Abstract

In a borhole at Veliko Selo near Belgrade in the Miocene lacustrine sediments Slanci, which are locally known as the Slanacka Serija, a mammal tooth was found. The age of these deposits is under discussion. The fossil is here described and attributed with a query to the primitive antelope Eotragus clavatus (GERVAIS, 1850), which is suggestive of a Early Serravallian ("upper Badenian") or Early Middle Miocene age for these deposits, whereas an Aquitalian or Eggenburgian ("Egerian" or "Eggenburgian") (Early Miocene) age can be ruled out.

Highlights

The Danube Klju~ area near Belgrade is situated on the borderline of the Balkan Mountains and the Pannonian lowlands on the south bank of the River Danube, comprising the villages of Grocka, Vi{njica and Veliko Selo
The single molar from Vi{njica, is kept in the collection of the Institute for Regional Geology and Paleontology, Faculty of Mining and Geology, University of Belgrade (RGF). It is here compared with Eotragus teeth from other localities, as housed at in the following collections: IPS, Institut de Paleontologia, Sabadell; IPUW, Institut für Paläontologie der Universität Wien; MHNT, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Toulouse; MNHN, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris; NMB, Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel; SLJG, Steiermärkisches Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz
The crown is worn, it is visible that the tooth must have been fairly low, suggesting a Middle Miocene bovid or Miocene cervid, because younger members of these families tend to have higher crowns

Summary

Introduction

The Danube Klju~ area near Belgrade is situated on the borderline of the Balkan Mountains and the Pannonian lowlands on the south bank of the River Danube, comprising the villages of Grocka, Vi{njica and Veliko Selo. Recent studies into the construction of a canalization basin near Vi{njica–Veliko Selo have yielded new data on the geological structure of this area, as well as the first fossil mammal molar from Miocene lacustrine sediments (Slana~ka serija, “formation” sensu PAVLOVI] (1922) This tooth enables an age assignement for strata from which it was recovered. To KRSTI] 2007), the benthic species Spiroplectinella carinata (D’ORBIGNY) and planctonic Globigerinidae are present The age of these younger strata deposited in the Danube Klju~ area is estimated to be between 13.25 and 12.9 Ma. Rich macrofloral remains from the village of Slanci were described by MILAKOVI] (1956, 1959) and MIHAJLOVI] (1978). The contact between the “Lake group of the Danube Klju~” (Veliko Selo, Slanci and Bu~var formations sensu DOLI]) and the marine sediments of Badenian (Middle Miocene) age, he considered to be discordant.

Material and methods

Discussion