Evolution of the carnivoran (Carnivora, Mammalia) guild structure across the Middle/Upper Miocene boundary in Germany

Abstract

We analyse the evolution of carnivoran guilds (body mass, locomotor pattern, and diet preference) across the Middle to Upper Miocene boundary based on a comparison of the carnivoran fauna from Steinheim (Mammal Neogene zone MN 7/8; Servallian to early Tortonian), and from the Eppelsheim Formation (Mammal Neogene zone MN 9/10; mid-Tortonian), Germany. Results reveal a massive faunal turnover between these two communties due to taxonomic differences up to the family level. Guild structures of both carnivoran faunas were similar, implying that Late Miocene taxa replaced Middle Miocene taxa in their respective niches rather than new ecological strategies being added to the guild. This is not surprising, as (1) the majority of Late Miocene taxa were derived from European Middle Miocene ancestors and mostly share their paleoecology, (2) of the few undisputed Late Miocene immigrant taxa (Eomellivora, Simocyon, Sivaonyx), only Eomellivora adds new ecological strategies to the guild, and (3) both faunas occupied the same kind of partly open woodland paleoenvironment. Our paper supports previous studies, suggesting that ecological diversity remains stable across the Middle to Upper Miocene boundary and that similar environments produce similar carnivoran guild structures irrespective of taxonomical composition.