Pleistocene Mammalian Fauna Research Articles

The mammalian faunas of Pakefield/Kessingland and Corton, Suffolk, UK: evidence for a new temperate episode in the British early Middle Pleistocene

It has been recognised for some time that early Middle Pleistocene mammal faunas in Britain can be divided into an earlier group with Mimomys savini (e.g. West Runton Freshwater Bed—WRFB), and a later group with Arvicola terrestris cantiana (Boxgrove, Westbury, Ostend), representing two or more temperate/interglacial stages. On the basis of the available early Middle Pleistocene non-marine molluscan faunas, Meijer and Preece (in: C. Turner (Ed.), The Early Middle Pleistocene in Europe, Balkema: Rotterdam, 1996, pp. 53–82.) and Preece (Quaternary Science Reviews 20 (2001)) recognised three biostratigraphic groups, representing at least three temperate stages. These are largely compatible with the vertebrate faunas, but new evidence presented here strongly indicates that Pakefield/Kessingland represents an additional, hitherto unrecognised temperate stage with Mimomys savini, younger than the WRFB but older than Little Oakley, Boxgrove and Westbury.New exposures and finds from the Cromer Forest-bed Formation at Pakefield, Suffolk have prompted a fresh look at the palaeontology of Pakefield/Kessingland and also Corton, which has a similar lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic sequence. The large-mammal fauna (at least in part pollen substage II) includes Hippopotamus sp., Palaeoloxodon antiquus, and Megaloceros dawkinsi—none of which has so far been found in the WRFB—strongly suggesting that the Suffolk sites represent a distinct stage. Further, no records of ‘southern’ European plant, invertebrate or vertebrate taxa have been found in the WRFB, whereas the plants Trapa natans and Salvinia natans—indicating summers warmer than now—are known from Pakefield/Kessingland and Corton, providing corroborative evidence for a stage distinct from the Cromerian s. s.

GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION AND BIOCHRONOLOGICAL EVIDENCES OF THE MONTE RICCIO SECTION (TARQUINIA, CENTRAL ITALY)

The geological evolution of the area of M.te Riccio for the Plio-Pleistocene time span has been pointed out. The M.te Riccio area was probably an high during Gelasian-Santernian times. The stratigraphical sequence shows the passage from a coastal marine environment during Pliocene, to a coastal environment during Early Pleistocene (testified by evidences of shorelines) to continental conditions during the upper part of Pleistocene. The analysis of the mammal bones coming from a level overlying a marine formation (Macco auct.) allow us to ascribe the faunal association to the late Villafranchian (Tasso F.U.) referable to the beginning of the Pleistocene. It is the first signalation of an Early Pleistocene mammal fauna in the Northern Latium.

Biogeography of Early and Early Middle Pleistocene Mammalian Faunas of Italy

BIOGEOGFIAPH/A » vol. XIX ~ 7997 {Pubblicato /I 31 orrobre 1998) Gli efietfi delle variazioni climatiche pleisloceniche sulla dinamica dei popolamemi animali e vegetali nella Penisola italiana Biogeography of Early and Early Middle Pleistocene Mammalian Faunas of Italy AUGUSTO AZZAROLI Dz;z7tzrtz‘77m2t0 di Scimze dellzz Term, Unizzerszfiz di Firenze 2/izz Giorgio La Pinz, 4 — 50121 Firerzze Key words: Climatic phases during the Ice Age, Pleistocene palaeoclimate, Eemi-an, \X/Lirmi-an, Holocene palaeoclimatc. SUMMARY The strrtigraphical distribution oFEarlyand Middle Peistocene mammalian fossils in ltaly is described in detail. The author stresses the occurrence oftwo major climatic events, the First between 3.1 and 2.5 M.y. ago, the second at 1.0-0.9 M.y. The distribution of Italian continental faunas before and after the second event are described in detail. There is a definite lag from continental Faunas turnovers and temperature changes of sea waters. Faunas which preceded and followed the second temperature drop in ocean waters are described in detail. The Pleistocene begins at oxygen isotope stage 62, near the top of the Olduvai palaeomagnetic event, about 1.8 M.y. ago (Fig. 1). This date coincides with the arrival in large number of the so called “Northern Guests” in the Mediterranean, although older, scattered occurrences of these guests have been observed in Italy. When this boundary was officially defined, in the International Geological Congress of London, 1948, the arrival of cold climate indicators in the middle latitudes appeared to be a relevant event in the history ofour planet. Subsequent studies have shown that it coincided with a minor sea retreat and negative climatic oscillation: the oxygen isotope curve of oceans does not evidence any definite climatic change at this time. Greater variations in ocean temperatures took place earlier and later. The isotope curve evidences a progressive decline in water temperatures between 3.1 and 2.5 My, isotope periods KM2 and 100. Around 2.5 M.y. the “Acquatraversan event” ofAmbrosetti et al. (1972) Was characterised by a marked sea retreat and a major faunal revolution, both in oceans and continents. Another, more marked temperature fall is recorded in the same curve at cold period 22, shortly after 0.9 M.y. ago, the “Cassian event” ofAmbrosetti et al. (1972), also characterized by a sea level fall. At this time the pattern of oscillations ofocean temperatures changed

Pleistocene horses from Tarija, Bolivia, and validity of the genus †Onohippidium (Mammalia: Equidae)

ABSTRACT The rich Pleistocene (Ensenadan) mammalian fauna from Tarija, Bolivia, contains abundant fossil horses. Traditionally, it has been stated that three genera, Equus and the hippidiforms Hippidion and Onohippidium, and as many as five species are represented by the equids in the Tarija fauna. Recently, it has been proposed that Onohippidium is a junior synonym of Hippidion and thus there is only one valid genus of hippidiform at Tarija. The present study reports new data from upper and lower dentitions, metapodials, and the skull (particularly the preorbitai facial fossa) showing that three monospecific equid genera are present in the Pleistocene of Tarija, including the primitive hippidiforms Hippidion principale and Onohippidium devillei, and the advanced equine Equus insulatus. The genus Onohippidium is indeed valid and distinct from Hippidion based on facial characters, dental pattern, and metatarsal proportions. Comparisons with relevant equids from North America confirm that the hippidiform horses share synapomorphies with Pliohippus and that they diversified in North America during the late Miocene prior to dispersal to South America before, or about, 2.5 myr ago, at the beginning of the Uquian (late Pliocene). Equus, which shares synapomorphies with North American Dinohippus, apparently was a later immigrant, first appearing in South America at the beginning of the Ensenadan (early Pleistocene), about 1.5 myr ago.

Ancient feeding ecology and niche differentiation of Pleistocene mammalian herbivores from Tarija, Bolivia: morphological and isotopic evidence

The exceedingly rich middle Pleistocene mammalian fauna from the classic Ensenadan Tarija basin in southern Bolivia contains a diversity of medium to large-bodied herbivores consisting of both endemic (†Toxodontia, †Litopterna, Xenarthra) and immigrant (Rodentia, Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, and Artiodactyla) taxa. In order to characterize feeding ecology and niche differences, a suite of morphological characters was measured for each of 13 species of herbivorous mammals from the Pleistocene of Tarija; these were combined with carbon isotopic results from tooth enamel. (The Xenarthra were excluded from this study because they lack tooth enamel.)Several different bivariate and multivariate combinations of characters can be used to characterize the feeding adaptations, niches, and guild composition of the Tarija mammalian herbivores. During the Pleistocene the browsing guild in the Tarija basin is interpreted to include the tapir (Tapirus tarijensis), extinct llama (Palaeolama weddelli), peccary (Tayassusp.), and deer (Hippocamelussp.). The mixed-feeding guild included two horse species (Hippidion principaleandOnohippidium devillei), litoptern (Macrauchenia patachonica), and capybara (Neochoerus tarijensis). The grazing guild included the numerically dominant horse (Equus insulatus), two lamine species (Lama angustimaxillaand cf.Vicugna, provicugna), notoungulate (Toxodon platensis), and gomphothere proboscidean (Cuvieronius hyodon). The grazing guild has the widest range of body sizes relative to the two other guilds. Closely related sympatric species within the Equidae and Camelidae differentiate their niches from one another using a combination of body size, feeding ecology, and probably local habitat. Most of the paleoecological reconstructions resulting from this combined morphological and isotopic analysis corroborate previous studies based primarily on morphology; there are, however, some notable surprises.

Late Pleistocene mammal fauna in Northeast China

Late Pleistocene mammal fauna in Northeast China

Grassland Vegetation in the Southern Great Plains during the Last Glacial Maximum

New pollen records from White Lake in the Southern High Plains and from Friesenhahn Cave on the southeastern Edwards Plateau of Texas indicate that the glacial-age vegetation of the southern Great Plains was a grassland. The High Plains was a treeless Artemisia grassland and the Edwards Plateau, at the south edge of the Great Plains, was a grassland with pinyon pines and deciduous trees in canyons and riparian habitats. The glacial-age grasslands differ from modern shortgrass and tallgrass prairies and may have no modern analog. The dominance of prairie vegetation during the last glacial maximum is compatible with late Pleistocene mammalian faunas and late-glacial grassland pollen records from the region. Earlier interpretations of a pine-spruce forest on the High Plains were based on pollen assemblages that are here shown to have been altered by postdepositional deterioration, resulting in differential preservation of conifer pollen grains. Accordingly, the "Tahoka Pluvial" and other "climatic episodes" defined by High Plains pollen records are abandoned.

The distinction between postcranial bones of Bos primigenius Bojanus, 1827 and Bison priscus Bojanus, 1827 from the British pleistocene and the taxonomic status of Bos and Bison

AbstractThe study of British Pleistocene mammal faunas has been hampered by the difficulty of telling the difference between the postcranial elements of the often abundant remains of the large bovids Bos primigenius Bojanus, 1827 and Bison priscus Bojanus, 1827. Here I present qualitative and morphometric criteria whereby Bos primigenius and Bison priscus radii, metacarpals, tibiae, astragali and metatarsals can be told apart using British Pleistocene material.

Palaeoenvironmental, paleontologic and stratigraphic significance of vertebrate remains in pleistocene limnic and alluvial deposits from southeastern Sicily

In southeastern Sicily on the Hyblean Plateau limnic deposits overlie early Pleistocene marine sediments and are covered by early Middle Pleistocene marine sands. In the limnic deposits fossil remains of large mammals have been collected and these represent the oldest found in a well-established Pleistocene stratigraphic succession in Sicily. The faunal association includes: Elephas falconeri Busk, the smallest Sicilian elephant, an elephant less reduced in size than E. falconeri, a canid ( Vulpes sp.?), rodents [ Leithia melitensis (Adams)], Chiroptera, Insectivora, fishes, birds, amphibians ( Bufo sp., Discoglossus sp.), and reptiles ( Lacerta sp., Testudo sp., Emys orbicularis Linnaeus). Alluvial fan deposits overlying the limnic deposits contain Elephas mnaidriensis Adams, Hippopotamus pentlandi Meyer, Cervus siciliae Pohlig and Bovidae. These new findings provide the stratigraphic evidence to definitively discredit previous chronological schemes for the Pleistocene dwarf elephants, which assumed a progressive decrease of the size with time, a hypothesis recently questioned by isoleucine epimerization age determination, which, however were object of discussion. These findings also represent a new step toward a better knowledge of the taphonomic conditions of the Pleistocene mammal-bearing deposits in Mediterranean islands, traditionally linked to karstic environment. Distribution of mammal faunas in the Hyblean Plateau proves fundamental in recognizing and dating Pleistocene mammal faunas in Sicily; the new findings fully confirm the assumption that Sicily experienced two elephant immigrations in Pleistocene times.

Environmental, ecological, and paleoanthropological implications of the late Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Equus Cave, northern Cape Province, South Africa

The late Pleistocene deposits of Equus Cave, northern Cape Province, South Africa, have provided more than 30,000 taxonomically identifiable mammal bones from 48 species. Context, associations, and features of the bone assemblage implicate brown hyenas as the main accumulators. The fauna is significant mainly because (1) it supplements previous evidence that regional climate was cooler and possibly also somewhat moister during part(s) of the late Pleistocene, but deviated less from the historic norm than in areas farther south; (2) it shows that Bond's springbok, which became extinct in the early Holocene, differed from the surviving common springbok not only in important morphological respects but also in reproductive pattern; and (3) it sustains earlier suggestions that an abundance of carnivores, a paucity of small hard bones, and increase in the cranial/postcranial ratio with species size, and exclusively attritional mortality profiles are features that tend to differentiate assemblages accumulated by brown hyenas from those accumulated by people. In addition, pending firmer dating, the fragmentary human fossils from Equus Cave may support an exclusively African origin for anatomically modern humans.

日本の中・後期更新世のほ乳動物相

The Middle and Late Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Japan are described with new opinions on their succession and relation to the continental faunas. Although fossil materials assignable to early Middle Pleistocene are seemingly scarce in Japan, the fauna of that time is considered to have been transitional between the Early and Middle Pleistocene ones. On the other hand, fossil records which are younger than early Middle Pleistocene are abundant from the mainlands of Japan; viz. the Honshu-Shikoku-Kyushu area.In the middle Middle Pleistocene, the fauna of this area contained a considerable number of taxa which are extant today in the area (about 50%). It was also characterized by a high proportion of endemic species and the predominance of temperate forest elements. From this time to the late Middle Pleistocene, several species disappeared from the fauna; at the same time, immigrants from the continent were scarce. The faunal characters of the late Middle Pleistocene were basically identical with those of the preceding time.In the early Late Pleistocene, no mammal seems to have immigrated from the neighboring continent, and faunal composition was almost consistent with that of the late Middle Pleistocene. The elements of that fauna still persisted in the late Late Pleistocene, apart from the extinction of a few forms. In addition to the fact mentioned above, immigration from the northern part of the continent was recognized in the late Late Pleistocene, although it was restricted to a few large herbivore forms and to a short time duration.The introduction of the continental faunas to the mainlands of Japan during Middle and Late Pleistocene times was not so remarkable as previously inferred. Therefore it becomes doubtful that the faunas of the area were drastically replaced by the immigration of the Choukoutien, Wanhsien and Loess faunas of China during those times.

Magnetic polarity stratigraphy of the Pleistocene section at Portland (Victoria), Australia

Three to seven oriented paleomagnetic samples were collected from 16 sites in the Nelson Bay and Bridgewater formations at Portland, Victoria, which contains the recently discovered Nelson Bay local fauna (L.F.). The entire section has reversed polarity. These results, along with Globorotalia truncatulinoides within the section, and the presence of underlying middle Pliocene-dated basalts, indicate that the Portland section, and the included Nelson Bay L.F., was deposited within the late Matuyama Chron between 1.66 and 0.73 myr ago. This represents the first well-documented pre- 14C Pleistocene mammalian fauna in Australia calibrated in direct stratigraphic context with absolute dating methods. In addition, the reversed polarity for the Bridgewater Formation confirms the previous hypothesis that the depositional history of this beach-sand deposit is time-transgressive across the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary.

Extinction and the zoogeography of West Indian land mammals

The timing and causes of extinctions of West Indian land mammals during three time intervals covering the last 20000 years (late Pleistocene and early Holocene, Amerindian, and post-Columbian) are discussed in detail. Late Pleistocene extinctions are attributed to climatic change and the post-glacial rise in sea level, whereas most late Holocene extinctions are probably human caused, resulting from predation, habitat destruction and introduction of exotic species. Extinctions have dramatically altered the composition of the non-volant mammal fauna, but have had a lesser impact on bats. Of the 76 recognized species of living and extinct non-volant mammals in the West Indies, 67 species (88%) have gone extinct since the late Pleistocene, whereas only eight of the 59 species of bats (14%) have disappeared during this same time interval. A larger percentage of Antillean bat species (24%) have suffered localized extinction on certain islands, particularly obligate cave-dwelling forms. These local extinctions occurred primarily on small islands, and probably resulted from changes in cave microclimates and flooding of low-lying caves by rising sea levels. The majority of West Indian bats and all of the edentates, primates and rodents are Neotropical in origin. The South American fossil record indicates that most West Indian terrestrial mammals did not evolve until the early Miocene or thereafter. The Caribbean islands had assumed essentially their modern position and configuration by the Miocene, thus leaving overwater dispersal as the primary mechanism by which these endemic South American mammal groups reached the islands. The primitive insectivores, Solenodon and Nesophontes, are derived from Early Tertiary forms in North America that may have reached the islands through vicariance by way of a proto-Antillean archipelago. Many of the bats are either conspecific or congeneric with mainland taxa, suggesting that most species reached the islands by overwater dispersal during the Late Cenozoic, primarily from Central and South America. Two hypothetical immigration rates are calculated for West Indian land mammals, one assuming the earliest colonization in the late Eocene and the other based on an early Miocene origin. The known Late Quaternary and living Antillean land mammal fauna was derived from approximately 50 separate colonization events (13 for non-volant mammals and 37 for bats) giving immigration rates of one species per 800000 years since the late Eocene, or one species per 400000 years since the early Miocene. Immigration rates for bats are approximately three times greater than those for non-volant mammals throughout the Tertiary and eight times greater in the Pleistocene, presumably reflecting their greater dispersal abilities. These immigration rates should be considered rough values, owing to deficiencies in the fossil record, especially the absence of pre-Pleistocene fossils. Extinction rates calculated for the last 20 000 years demonstrate that an average of one species of mammal went extinct every 267 years during that time period. Since the arrival of man in the West Indies some 4500 years ago, 37 species of non-volant mammals have disappeared giving the rapid extinction rate of one species every 122 years. Island area-species diversity curves are plotted for both the current and late Pleistocene mammal faunas. All Caribbean islands with a reasonably complete fossil record have more species in the late Pleistocene and Holocene than in the living fauna. The living non-volant mammals of the West Indies do not constitute a natural fauna, but are an impoverished subset of species that managed to escape the extinctions that decimated the remainder of the fauna. Historical or theoretical biogeographic analyses of Antillean mammals that fail to incorporate extinct forms will be unlikely to elicit any meaningful patterns.

The Pleistocene deer hunter of Sardinia

The Pleistocene mammalian fauna of Sardinia isendemic and consists of only a few taxa, indicating island conditions at the time.A sharp faunal break in the Middle Pleistocene separates an older fauna with Nesogoral from a younger one (Middle/Upper Pleistocene) which contains mainly deer (Megaceros cazioti), and ochotonid (Prolagus sardus), a small canid (Cynotherium sardous), and Tyrrhenicola.Commonly paleoecological conditions on islands have led to the development of faunas with dwarfed species, showing a low gear locomotion due to lack of large carnivores. In this aspect the younger Pleistocene fauna of Sardinia is different. A deer with the proportion of mainland species and a small canid were found. This is suggestive of the presence of a large predator. Indeed, together with this fauna a human temporal bone, showing some distinctive characters, was found in Grotta di Corbeddu, Oliena, Sardinia.These findings gave rise to further excavations in the same cave. A paleolithic settlement was discovered and two types of bone artefact could be distinguished. 14C dating revealed an age of 13590±140 yrs. B.P.These results suggest the development of an endemichuman culture, adapted to the restricted island environment and to the monotonous prey of deer and ochotonids, different from any known culture of that age.

Climatic implications of Late Pleistocene and Holocene faunal associations in Australia

Late Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Australia contain many extant taxa that indicate more mesic conditions. The presence of many disharmonious pairs of taxa in these faunas implies that the Pleistocene climate was more equable than at present. The climate began to change between 16,000 and 20,000 years B.P. to less equable conditions. Faunas younger than 16,000 years B.P. contain fewer disharmonious associations and show changes in the geographic distribution of many taxa approaching their present ranges. The disappearance of numerous disharmonious associations takes place at the same time as the extinction of the Pleistocene megafauna. The correspondence in time of the extinction of many Pleistocene taxa and the decrease in equability of the climate suggests that the cause of the widespread extinction 16,000 to 20,000 years ago lies in this climatic change which would lower plant productivity at certain seasons, putting stress on some components of the fauna.

An early Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Bethleham

An early Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Bethleham

Note on a new pleistocene mammalian fauna from Akiyoshi district, Yamaguchi Pref.

Note on a new pleistocene mammalian fauna from Akiyoshi district, Yamaguchi Pref.

Two Pleistocene mammalian faunas from Alachua County, Florida

Two Pleistocene mammalian faunas from Alachua County, Florida

Recent and Pleistocene Mammalian Fauna of Brazos County, Texas

Recent and Pleistocene Mammalian Fauna of Brazos County, Texas

The Geographical Distribution of Ancestral Man

The latest studies of fossil Mammals appear to show that the Upper Pliocene and Pleistocene mammalian faunas of Europe were chiefly immigrants from the Asiatic region (35). The corresponding faunas of Africa seem to have been derived chiefly from the same source (28, 35). The distribution of the stone implements of Palaeolithic Man also can be best explained by supposing that the successive human races who made them started in Asia, and migrated westwards in two divergent streams to Europe and Africa respectively (6). Until the latest phase of the Pleistocene, there cannot have been any direct communication between the men of northern Africa and those of southern Europe. Man, indeed, like the other mammals seems to have originated in the Asiatic region.