Pleistocene Mammalian Fauna Research Articles

Preliminary description of a late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna prior to the extinction of Gigantopithecus blacki from the Yixiantian Cave, Guangxi ZAR, South China.

In recent years, nearly 20 cave sites with rich assemblages of mammalian fossils have been found and excavated in the Chongzuo area, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Their ages are distributed throughout the entire Pleistocene Epoch. These discoveries have greatly facilitated our understanding of the evolution of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna and the environmental context of human evolution in southern China. Here, we present a preliminary report on a diverse late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna from the Yixiantian Cave in southern China, which is a typical representative of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna (sensu lato). The fossil mammals are represented by isolated dental remains only. In 2010 and 2011, two seasons of systematic excavations at the Yixiantian Cave yielded a total of 4,958 identifiable mammalian teeth. They were identified as belonging to 37 species and 6 orders of mammals. In addition, the tooth type of all the teeth representing each species was also determined where possible. A single fragmentary molar was identified as belonging to Gigantopithecus blacki, indicating that its population had declined sharply at this time and was on the brink of extinction. Description of the Yixiantian fauna will not only help better characterize the composition of the Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna during the late Middle Pleistocene, but also clarify our understanding of the paleoenvironmental context at a time just prior to the extinction of G. blacki.

Taphonomy and biochronology of the Late Pleistocene mammalian fauna at Baolai cave, in Bubing Basin, southern China

ABSTRACT This paper reports a mammalian fauna collected from the excavation of Baolai cave, southeast of Bubing Basin, in 2004. The fauna mainly consists of extant species and only a few typical members of ‘Ailuropoda-Stegodon fauna’ (Stegodon, Ailuropoda and Rhinoceros). According to results of the U-series dating from flowstones overlying and below the fossil beds (54–24 Ka), the Baolai fauna represents the mammalian assemblage in the Late Pleistocene. Compared with the faunas of Middle and Late Pleistocene in southern China and Southeast Asia, extant species dominate the Baolai fauna, mostly consistent with modern fauna of southern China during the Holocene. Modern fauna emerged later in southern China than in Southeast Asia, presenting successive characteristics. Significant bias for small or tiny fossils in Baolai cave reveals a special taphonomic process. Baolai cave is located at the same horizontal level as Upper Wuyun cave and Ganxian cave which yield Middle Pleistocene deposits with mammalian fossils. However, the Baolai fauna is much younger. Based on the gnawing marks on tooth roots, rodents may be the main taphonomic agent, or the fossils were brought in by flow-water through the karstic system above.

New discovery of a late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna in Ganxian Cave, Southern China

ABSTRACT This report describes fossils recovered from Ganxian Cave in 2008 and 2018 by the Natural History Museum and Anthropology Museum of Guangxi. The cave sedimentary fill yielded rich mammalian fossils consisting mainly of isolated teeth of medium- to large-sized mammals (Primates, Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Rodentia, Artiodactyla) of typical ‘Ailuropoda-Stegodon’ fauna, (e.g. Stegodon orientalis, Ailuropoda baconi, Pongo weidenreichi, Tapirus sinensis, Megatapirus augustus, Crocuta ultima), and more numerous extant species belonging to 28 taxa in total. The biochronological age of the fauna agreed with the age estimates obtained using Uranium–series and coupled ESR/U-series dating. Collectively, these results indicate a Ganxian fossil age range of 168.9 ± 2.4 ka to 362 ± 78 ka and establish Ganxian Cave as one of the most precisely dated Middle Pleistocene fossil sites in southern China. Comparison of Ganxian fauna with Pleistocene fossil records of the well-documented faunas of southern China and southeast Asia indicates that the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) probably first appeared in Ganxian Cave. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction-based analysis of the large mammalian fossil assemblage from Ganxian Cave indicates that during the late Middle Pleistocene, the habitat consisted mainly of forests with some open areas and the climate was warm and humid.

Morphology of the Bony Labyrinth Supports the Affinities of Paradolichopithecus with the Papionina

Discoveries in recent decades indicate that the large papionin monkeys Paradolipopithecus and Procynocephalus are key members of the Late Pliocene – Early Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Eurasia. However, their taxonomical status, phylogenetic relationships, and ecological profile remain unclear. Here we investigate the two latter aspects through the study of the inner ear anatomy, as revealed by applying micro-CT scan imaging techniques on the cranium LGPUT DFN3-150 of Paradolichopithecus from the lower Pleistocene (2.3 Ma) fossil site Dafnero-3 in Northwestern Greece. Using geometric morphometric methods, we quantified shape variation and the allometric and phylogenetic signals in extant cercopithecines (n = 80), and explored the morphological affinities of the fossil specimen with extant taxa. LGPUT DFN3-150 has a large centroid size similar to that of baboons and their relatives. It shares several shape features with Macacina and Cercopithecini, which we interpret as probable retention of a primitive morphology. Overall, its inner ear morphology is more consistent with a stem Papionini more closely related to Papionina than Macacina, or to a basal crown Papionina. Our results, along with morphometrical and ecological features from previous studies, call into question the traditional hypothesis of a Paradolichopithecus-Macacina clade, and provide alternative perspectives in the study of Eurasian primate evolution during the late Neogene-Quaternary.

CHRONOLOGY OF FOSSILIFEROUS LOCALITIES IN MANJRA VALLEY, DISTRICT LATUR, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

ABSTRACTThe present paper is an announcement of first absolute age dating directly on fossilized bones and teeth of the Pleistocene mammalian fauna from the Manjra valley, District Latur, Maharashtra, India. The fossilized samples were measured using the AMS facility at Inter-University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, India. The results gave the time frame of 21,423 BP to 24,335 BP that correspond close to and the threshold of LGM and sheds important light on the palaeoecology of the area that supported diverse megafaunal species in the Upper Manjra valley. These calendar dates not only have wider significance in terms of first ever approximate chronological frame for the Pleistocene fauna in Peninsular India but also offer methodological innovations especially when the adequate bioapatite is absent in the fossilized bones and teeth from the fossil record.

Zoogeographic significance of Dmanisi large mammal assemblage

We undertake a comparative mammalian zoogeographic analysis with the aim of revealing the extent to which the Dmanisi Early Pleistocene large mammal assemblage resembles, at the genus level, African, Arabian, and Eurasian localities of similar age. The inclusion of Old World Pliocene and Pleistocene mammalian faunas provides us with insights into the provincial origins of specific mammalian taxa and permits us to assess the relative affiliation of the Dmanisi mammalian faunas to other faunas in the Old World. Our analysis also allows us to consider hypotheses about the timing and direction of zoogeographic connections between western Eurasia and Africa during the Early Pleistocene. We utilize multiple zoogeographic analytical tools as a cross-comparison of Dmanisi with 42 other Eurasian and African mammalian-bearing localities between 2.7 and 0.7 Ma. Overall, we find that Dmanisi compares most closely with a subgroup of Greek, Italian, and Spanish localities that are slightly younger than Dmanisi itself. This could suggest a progressive dispersal from East to West of the large mammal communities during the late Early Pleistocene and the first occurrence at Dmanisi, and then later in Western Europe, of some taxa such as Stephanorhinus ex gr. etruscus-hundsheimensis, Equus altidens, Bison georgicus, Soergelia minor, Megantereon whitei, Canis borjgali, Canis (Xenocyon) lycaonoides. Dmanisi's habitats included drier areas, probably of open wooded savannah and grassland and by mountainous to semiarid rocky terrain. There is evidence that Dmanisi records short intervals of increased aridity in the middle part of the succession contemporaneous with the occurrence of Homo.

Yukon to the Yucatan: Habitat partitioning in North American Late Pleistocene ground sloths (Xenarthra, Pilosa)

The late Pleistocene mammalian fauna of North America included seven genera of ground sloth, representing four families. This cohort of megaherbivores had an extensive geographic range in North America from the Yukon in Canada to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and inhabited a variety of biomes. Within this latitudinal range there are taxa with a distribution limited to temperate latitudes while others have a distribution restricted to tropical latitudes. Some taxa are better documented than others and more is known about their palaeoecology and habitat preferences, while our knowledge of the palaeoecology of taxa more recently discovered remains limited. In order to better understand what aspects of their palaeoecology allowed their dispersal from South America, long–term success in North America and ultimately the underlying causes for their extinction at the end of the Pleistocene more information is needed. A summary overview of the differences in the palaeoecology of the late Pleistocene sloths in North America and their preferred habitats is presented based on different data sources.

First Discovery of Dicerorhinus sumatrensis from Yanjinggou Provides Insights into the Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae of South China

AbstractThe Rhinocerotidae is one of the most common and important families in the Pleistocene mammalian fauna of South China. Since the last century, most of the Pleistocene rhinocerotid fossils were prematurely assigned to Rhinoceros sinensis, which has resulted in confusion of taxonomy for decades, especially in South China. The Yanjinggou area in Chongqing Municipality of China, where the neotype of R. sinensis came from, has yielded abundant rhinocerotid fossils and is a key area to solve this problem. A recently discovered juvenile skull from a karstic fissure in this area can be referred to Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Fischer, 1814), which is the first confirmed non‐Rhinoceros rhinocerotid from the area. This new finding indicates that non‐Rhinoceros fossils might have been mixed in AMNH collection from Yanjinggou and thus the diagnosis of Rhinoceros sinensis needs reformation. On the other hand, Stephanorhinus ?kirchbergensis is also detected in Granger's collection based on our reobservation. The coexistence of Rhinoceros, Dicerorhinus and Stephanorhinus shows the higher diversity of Pleistocene rhinocerotids in South China.

An assemblage of <italic>Stegodon orientalis </italic>fossils from the Yumidong Cave site in Wushan, Chongqing, with emphasis on the taphonomic analysis

<p indent="0mm">Stegodont fossils have been recovered from many paleoanthropological sites in South China and Southeast Asia, marking them as one of the most important constituents in Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Asia. Yet very limited taphonomic research has been conducted so far concerning the context of their present in paleoanthropological sites. Recently, a large number of stegodont fossils have been found at the Yumidong Cave site in Wushan County, Chongqing Municipality, providing us with opportunities not only for morphological observation, but also taphonomic analysis. The studied materials include 94 cranial remains (jaws and teeth) and 54 remains of the postcrania from both the upper and lower cultural layers at Yumidong, which make up about 18.5% of the total identified specimens. Morphologically, the ridge-crest formulae, the number of mammillae and the measurements of most these specimens conform to <italic>Stegodon orientalis</italic>. Taphonomically, traces of natural activities, such as water transportation and bite marks of animals, are very few on the surface of these <italic>Stegodon</italic> remains; meanwhile, these fossils are unearthed associated with paleolithic tools in the Yumidong Cave site, among which at least three bone tools are made of incisors of<italic> Stegodon orientalis</italic>. These observations indicate that ancient human activity was the dominant cause in the accumulation of this <italic>Stegodon</italic> fossil assemblage. Due to the peculiarity of tooth replacement and attrition of these proboscideans, we are able to attribute most of each individual specimen, except two fragments of M2/3, as belonging to a distinct individual animal. The analysis of mortality age profiles shows that neonate and juvenile individuals account for more than 85% among the <italic>Stegodon</italic> fossils, indicating a type of selective mortality of immature individuals. In the schematic typology of living and extinct proboscidean age profiles, the type B of Haynes is dominated by the youngest age group which may result from hunting either by carnivores or humans. The skeletal element profiles show that the cranial and foot elements are the most numerous category. This phenomenon is always considered as a resultant taphonomic effect of scavenger behavior. But given the unique anatomic structure of proboscidean, hunting behavior cannot be ruled out here; in other words, the ancient human might hunt immature stegodonts but take a strategy of transporting the cranial and foot parts of carcass to their base camp, for these parts of stegodont contain more fat than other animals and are easy to carry. Irrespective of scavenging or hunting, the ancient humans which occupied the Yumidong Cave site appear to have preferred neonate and juvenile stegodonts rather than the adults, which were not easy to hunt. Alternatively, meat from neonate and juvenile <italic>Stegodon</italic> may have had better taste and nutritional value. Perhaps, a combination of these two factors may have motivated the highly selective exploitation of juvenile Stegodon by early humans at the Yumidong site.

Cladistic approach on chronological relationship of the Pleistocene mammalian faunas from China

Cladistic approach on chronological relationship of the Pleistocene mammalian faunas from China

A late Middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna recovered in northeast Guangxi, southern China: Implications for regional biogeography

In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China, Quaternary mammalian assemblages, commonly known as “Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna”, are well documented in the central and southwest parts of the region. Unfortunately, our knowledge of Quaternary biogeographic variation in other areas of Guangxi is poor due to limited systematic investigations. Here, we report the faunal remains from the newly discovered Diaozhongyan (“DZY”) cave site in northeast Guangxi. Our initial excavation in autumn 2016 resulted in the removal of 10 square meters of sediment and the discovery of 304 pieces of large mammal teeth. Biostratigraphic correlations indicate a late Middle Pleistocene age and in situ fossil teeth and calcites were Uranium-series dated to ~210 ka. The DZY faunal assemblage consists of many typical components of the traditional “Ailuropoda-Stegodon” fauna representative of southern China. Interestingly, giant pandas, identified as Ailuropoda melanoleuca baconi, are one of the dominant components of the DZY fauna (15% of the entire assemblage). However, giant pandas rarely dominate Quaternary faunal assemblages in southern China. In addition, fossil orangutan (Pongo weidenreichi), one of the most common species in central and south Guangxi during the Middle Pleistocene, is absent in DZY in northeast Guangxi. Further, fossil orangutans have not been reported from other sites in Hunan or Hubei province. We hypothesize that the Nanling Mountains served as a geographic barrier for this species. Fossil orangutans are present southwest of this biogeographic line, but are absent northeast of the line. This biogeographic boundary needs to be further evaluated with additional studies.

Direct ESR dating of the Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage from Khok Sung locality, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Northeast Thailand

We report here the first direct dating study of the faunal assemblage from Khok Sung locality, Thailand. This palaeontological site is of great biochronological, palaeoenvironmental and biogeographical significance. Firstly, it has yielded a rich and diversified Pleistocene vertebrate fauna with up to 15 mammalian species from 13 genera, 10 reptile species, as well as fish and bird remains. Interestingly, while most of the mainland Southeast Asian Pleistocene mammal fossils originate from cave deposits, the Khok Sung fossil layer is located within an 8 m thick fluvial terrace. Secondly, it is geographically located in an area of major importance for reconstructing the migration pathway of large mammals between South China and Java. Combined US-ESR dating of five teeth provides two possible ages of 130 ± 29 ka and 217 ± 36 ka for the fossils. The reason for the occurrence of these two age groups lies in the fact that it was not possible to obtain sediments that were directly associated with the measured samples, nor was it possible to carry out in situ gamma dose rate measurements due to the high water level. Sediment samples recovered from museum specimens show significantly variable concentrations of radioelements. Both options are equally plausible, as independent methods did not provide firm evidence favouring one or the other age range. The results illustrate the intrinsic limitations of the ESR dating method when fossil teeth are not collected in situ during the excavation. Regardless whether the age of the Khok Sung fauna corresponds to MIS 7 or early MIS5, it is nevertheless one of the oldest assemblages directly dated in the region. Further efforts are required for more accurate fossil identification and attribution and for additional numerical dating in this region to improve the biochronological framework of the Pleistocene mammalian faunas in Southeast Asia, which presently remains quite imprecise.

Les challenges liés à l’identification de dents humaines partiellement digérées : première description de vestiges néandertaliens du site moustérien de Marillac (Marillac-le-Franc, Charente) et implications pour la recherche en paléoanthropologie.

Excavations at the collapsed cave site of Marillac (Marillac-le-Franc, Charente, France)1, uncovered in the lower half of the stratigraphy, a series of Late Pleistocene sedimentological facies containing a MIS 4/3 fauna. Also discovered were Middle Paleolithic artefacts (Quina Mousterian) and numerous fragmentary Neandertal fossils corresponding to a MNI of seven individuals. Analyses of the geomorphology of the eastern locus of the site, of the artefacts and especially of the animal bones of the lower part of the stratigraphy, suggest that over the course of time the site was intermittently used by Neandertals for processing animal carcasses. Cave carnivores appear to have sometimes been involved in scavenging activities of the remains abandoned by humans. Re-examination of two teeth - that were provisionally interpreted as bovid or cervid deciduous incisors by a palaeontologist unfamiliar with Pleistocene mammal fauna - have been identified as Neandertal maxillary permanent incisors. Originally considered as faunal deciduous incisors, what made their identification particularly difficult were the significant modifications to both the crown and roots of these teeth. This contribution explores the possible causes for this unusual morphology and, in particular, their ingestion by carnivores. This is the most parsimonious explanation as these teeth possess distinctive modifications clearly indicative of the effects of carnivore gastric secretion, damage which is described here for the first time for human teeth. Finally, a number of straight forward macroscopic features are described that permit the rapid identification of these specific taphonomic modifications on human teeth without the need for microscopy or micro-CT scanning. A literature review indicates that additional hominin teeth, with similar scavenger produced changes, may already have been identified at other sites, especially those dated to the Plio-Pleistocene.

Criteria for identifying the African origin of early Pleistocene mammalian fauna in Eurasia

The “Migratory Wave Hypothesis” suggests that early Pleistocene Homo dispersed from Africa together with a suite of other large mammals. Support for this hypothesis has been found primarily at the sites of ‘Ubeidiya, (Israel) and Venta Micena (Spain) where a high number of African taxa have been identified. This paper presents a critical evaluation of how we can identify these taxa and suggest criteria for the identification of taxa of African origin present in Eurasia during the early Pleistocene. Biogeography, taxonomy and chronology are used to develop criteria that have an effect on how we defined or identify African taxa. By critically evaluating the number of African taxa in Eurasia through the lens of these criteria, the number of African taxa may be reduced from a maximum of 30 to a minimum of six. The actual number may be either one of these two numbers, or any number in between, depending on how rigorous we are in applying the criteria. Thus, while the criteria presented in this paper have face value, they are not in any way more “correct” than other criteria, but are heuristic in presenting the difficulties in assigning an African origin to fauna found in early Pleistocene sites. This points to the need to be cautious when making inferences about the relationship between the dispersal of Homo with that of other African taxa.

Chronological, taphonomical, and paleoenvironmental aspects of a Late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Guanambi, Bahia, Brazil

Bahia state is widely known for the presence of fossiliferous deposits of Late Pleistocene – early Holocene. Although most studies in the state have been carried out on cave environments, studies concerning natural tank deposits have been expanded in the last few years, particularly in other states of Northeast Brazil. Therefore, the present work aims to study two new natural tanks: “Lagoa das Abelhas” and “Lagoa do Rancho”, in Guanambi municipality, south-central Bahia, Brazil. The identified taxa include representatives of Xenarthra (Eremotherium laurillardi, cf. Glossotherium sp., Pachyarmatherium brasiliense, Glyptodontinae, Propraopus sulcatus, Pampatherium humboldti, and Holmesina paulacoutoi), Notoungulata (Toxodontidae), Proboscidea, Perissodactyla (Tapirus terrestris and Equus (Amerhippus) neogaeus), and Cetartiodactyla (Camelidae). The taphonomic analysis allowed the fossiliferous deposit from Lagoa das Abelhas to be classified as an ex situ assemblage, while the Lagoa do Rancho deposit was interpreted as a peripheral assemblage. Based on its paleofaunal composition, the landscape of the Guanambi region would have comprised open areas with pastures and patches with arboreal elements. The 14C radiocarbon dating results point to ages of 22,230 ± 55 years for the Lagoa das Abelhas and 16,020 ± 40 years for the Lagoa do Rancho tanks, indicating that the Guanambi paleofauna lived during the Last Glacial Maximum, in a drier phase of the Late Pleistocene.

Allometric models in paleoecology: Trophic relationships among Pleistocene mammals

Paleoecology is a discipline within paleontology that has grown enormously but still remains relatively new. The paleoecology of South American Pleistocene mammals has been a point of major debate since the mid-1990s. This debate focuses mainly on the discussion of the existence of an ecological imbalance between the energetic requirements of the carnivores and the amount of energy provided by the herbivores, and the possibility of using allometric models when studying fossil faunas. The aim of this work was to study the Pleistocene mammalian faunas as a whole and to contribute to such debate. A total of 107 Pleistocene faunas was selected and studied with four thermodynamically based trophic models. Two other faunas were included in the study, Serengeti (modern) and Santa Cruz (Miocene) because they would contribute to the discussion of the relevance of allometric models used in paleoecology. Although this approach may produce results with errors, currently it is among the best tools to be employed in studying paleontology since they can predict characteristics of species, communities or environments with small amounts of data. The models behaved differently in each territory and none of them could explain on its own the paleoecology of the Pleistocene mammalian faunas. The Productivity models are the ones that better explain the paleoecology of several faunas and show the absence of imbalance in the modern Serengeti fauna. Further refinement of these models will make it possible to better understand Pleistocene mammal communities around the world and to analyze vertebrate faunas from other times in the fossil record.

Magnetostratigraphy of Plio–Pleistocene fossiliferous cave sediments in the Bubing Basin, southern China

Abstract Our understanding of the chronological sequence of Pleistocene land mammal faunas (including hominids) preserved in caves and fissures in the karstic terrain of subtropical southern China has been greatly impeded by the discontinuous nature of the strata yielding the fossils. A contributory issue is the lack of suitable elements for numerical dating, especially for the Early Pleistocene cave sediments. Here we present new magnetostratigraphic dating results for five cave sedimentary sequences in the Bubing Basin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which contain the typical Pleistocene Gigantopithecus fauna and Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna of southern China. The five karstic caves are situated at elevations ranging from 252 m to 191 m above sea level. The integrated dating results reveal that the five cave sedimentary sequences span an age range from the late Gauss normal Chron to the early Brunhes normal Chron. The faunas are assigned to >2.6 Ma (Mohui–houshan Cave), 1.95–1.78 Ma (Mohui Cave), 0.99–0.78 Ma (Baolai Cave) and ∼0.7 Ma (Upper Wuyun and Ganxian Caves). Furthermore, by combining our new magnetostratigraphy work with previously published magnetostratigraphic, U–series and electron spin resonance dating results, a chronological sequence of the Plio–Pleistocene mammalian faunas from cave sites in southern China has been established. The chronological sequence contributes to an improved understanding of the evolutionary processes of Plio–Pleistocene land mammals, as well as of early humans in subtropical southern China.

Villafranchian-Galerian mammal faunas transition in South-Western Europe. The case of the late Early Pleistocene mammal fauna of the Frantoio locality, Arda River (Castell’Arquato, Piacenza, Northern Italy)

We investigated the fossil mammal assemblage from the late Early Pleistocene (early Galerian) site of the Arda River. Seven taxa were identified: one carnivore (Ursus dolinensis), five artiodactyls (Sus strozzii, Pseudodama farnetesis, Praemegaceros sp., Bison sp., and Hippopotamus sp.) and one perissodactyl (Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis). The Arda River faunal assemblage includes taxa already present in the Villafranchian, such as Pseudodama and Sus strozzii. The bear U. dolinensis and the bison, a more evolved form than Bison (Eobison), are taxa typical of the beginning of the Galerian mammal age. Paleontological, sedimentological and paleobotanical data point towards the presence of woodlands settled on an alluvial plain with patches of grassland dated around 1.0 Ma. The continental sediments of the Arda River represent one of the first steps of the forming of the alluvial Po valley.

Palaeoenvironmental and chronological constraints on the Early Pleistocene mammal fauna from loess deposits in the Linxia Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau

Abstract The Longdan mammal fauna from the central part of Linxia Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau, is the first Early Pleistocene fauna in China in which the fossils are derived loess deposits, and it provides an excellent opportunity to document mammalian and environmental evolution in Asia. However, the precise age and palaeoenvironmental setting of the fauna are controversial due to the poor exposure of the outcrop section. In the present study, a 105-m-long drill core was obtained from Longdan village and used for detailed magnetostratigraphic dating. The results demonstrate that the late Pliocene- Pleistocene loess deposits in the Longdan section deposited since ca. 3 Ma and that the Longdan fauna has an age range of 2.5–2.2 Ma. In addition, the results of lithological and rock magnetic analyses demonstrate that paleosols are weakly developed throughout the whole core and that in the lower and middle parts the core the magnetic susceptibility and its frequency dependence are relatively low and uniform. These observations, combined with the ecological characteristics of the Longdan fauna, indicate that during the Early Pleistocene the climate in the Longdan area, and even in the Linxia Basin, was sub-humid and that the aeolian dust was frequently subjected to post-depositional reworking by water.

On the history of Early—Middle Pleistocene mammal faunas of the Central Balkans

Based on the study of the Trlica faunas (Montenegro), the paleozoogeographical aspects of the history of faunas of the Central Balkans and Europe in the late Early Pleistocene and beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (1.8–0.4 Ma) are analyzed.