The late Miocene small carnivores of the lower Axios valley (Macedonia-Greece)

Abstract

An abundant collection of small carnivores from the late Miocene of the lower Axios valley (Macedonia, Greece) is studied. The material comes from the localities “Ravin de la Pluie”, (RP1), “Vathylakkos-2” (VTK), “Vathylak-kos-3” (VAT), “Prochoma-1” (PXM) and “Pentalophos-1” (PNT). A form similar (but not the same) to Protictitherium gaillardi ( Forsyth Major, 1903) is found in the late Vallesian. Plioviverrops orbignyi ( Gaudry & Lartet, 1856) and a form similar to Plioviverrops guerini ( Villalta & Crusafont, 1948) are found in the early Turolian, In the late Turolian the species Protictitherium crassum ( Deperet, 1892) is found. A small carnivore similar to Protictitherium crassum ( Deperet, 1892) is found in the locality PNT. The studied material is described and compared morphologically and dimensionally with the known material from various localities of Europe and Asia. Finally the biostratigraphy of the found species is also discussed.