Quercy Phosphorites Research Articles

Floor-age constraining of a tectonic paroxysm of the Pyrenean orogen. Late Middle Eocene mammal age of a faulted karstic filling of the Quercy phosphorites, south-western France

Breaking effects of a Pyrenean compressive tectonic phase are recognised in northern Pyrenean foreland, such as in the Quercy Jurassic limestone platform. The age of this phase still remains poorly constrained. In the so-called Quercy phosphorites area, within the Prajoux–Mémerlin paleokarst system near the city of Cajarc, a clay filling shows a strike slip fault effect, close to N–S direction. According to an analysis of the mammal fauna and inferred chronology of the polyphased paleokarst infilling, the age of the faulted clay is late Middle Eocene, with a mammal age estimate of 41.5 Ma. This provides reliable precise floor-age constraining for the involved sismo-tectonic paroxysm, seemingly related to the Pyrenean tectonic compressive phase.

Floor-age constraining of a tectonic paroxysm of the Pyrenean orogen. Late Middle Eocene mammal age of a faulted karstic filling of the Quercy phosphorites, south-western France

Breaking effects of a Pyrenean compressive tectonic phase are recognised in northern Pyrenean foreland, such as in the Quercy Jurassic limestone platform. The age of this phase still remains poorly constrained. In the so-called Quercy phosphorites area, within the Prajoux—Mémerlin paleokarst system near the city of Cajarc, a clay filling shows a strike slip fault effect, close to N-S direction. According to an analysis of the mammal fauna and inferred chronology of the polyphased paleokarst infilling, the age of the faulted clay is late Middle Eocene, with a mammal age estimate of 41.5 Ma. This provides reliable precise floor-age constraining for the involved sismo-tectonic paroxysm, seemingly related to the Pyrenean tectonic compressive phase. © 2000 Editions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS

A new species of Eofelis (Carnivora: Nimravidae) from the Phosphorites of Quercy, France

For the first time, a great part of the material assigned to the small nimravid Eofelis is present in a single work. A revised diagnosis is proposed and two species are distinguished in the old collections from the Phosphorites of Quercy: E. edwardsii which is the type species and the most abundant in collections; and Eofelis giganteus n.sp., a very large species since it is about twice as large as E. edwardsii. Unfortunately, the nature of the old collections from Quercy does not allow us to establish an ancestry-to-descendant relationship between these taxa.

Plagiolophus huerzeleri, une nouvelle espèce de Palaeotheriidae (Perissodactyla, Mammalia) de l'Oligocène inférieur (Rupélien, MP 23), à murs (Vaucluse, France)

The Murs locality has yielded important remains of Plagiolophus yet unpublished. The study of thismaterial has shown that it represents a new species which must be referred to the nominotypical subgenus, owing to its long post-canine diastemata and to its rather shallow nasal incision. Plagiolophus huerzeleri nov. sp. can be distinguished from P. javali by a less bulky mandible with smaller teeth, and by a less cumbersome locomotory apparatus. It differs mainly from P. ministri by a 20% larger size, a less slender aspect with a broader skull and a slightly longer face. The other mammals of the Murs fauna, together with occurrences of the new species in well dated local faunas from the Quercy Phosphorites, such as Itardies, lead us to refer the Murs locality to the biochronologic level MP 23, whilst P. ministri from Villebramar seems to be restricted to the level MP 22.

Impact des crises dans les domainesmarins et terrestres: Évolution de la diversité des conodontes (Dévonien, Montagne Noire) et des mammifères (Paléogène, Quercy)

The analysis of two regional composite sequences from France, the first one from the Devonian from theMontagne Noire and the second one from the phosphorites of Quercy, allows us to compare the evolution of diversity for two distinct groups, marine conodonts and terrestrial mammals. Similar responses of these two groups to environmental crises indicate a general process, whichever the systematic group, the life habitat, or the geological period are. Thus, local origination and extinction rates are almost constant at a similar level during as table period between crises, whereas much higher rates characterize the crises. Significative differences between the two groups are observed regarding the maximum level of rates and the duration of biotic reaction. These can be explained by the timing and by the intensity of the crises. Consequently, immediate recolonizations occur after Devonian events which are important, but with a quick return to favorable conditions. On the opposite, a longstanding deterioration and geographical barriers at the “Grande Coupure” slow down the immigration rates and thus recovery lasts a longer period of time.

Découverte d'une forme ancestrale du Petit Panda dans le Miocène moyen de Madrid (Espagne)

One isolated lower tooth (M 2) collected in the Middle Miocene of Madrid (Spain) is determined as a new taxon: Magerictis imperialensis nov. gen. nov. sp. It is very close to the lesser panda, Ailurus fulgens. Thus, the origins of the lesser panda are not with procyonids, but with european mustelids. The origin of ailurids, as well as the simocyonids, are close to a form such as Amphictis, a small Oligocene mustelid from the Phosphorites of Quercy, which already shows an elongated M 2.

Thaumastosaurus bottiide Stefano, 1903, an anuran with Gondwanan affinities from the Eocene of Europe

ABSTRACT Thaumastosaurus bottii De Stefano, 1903 is an anuran from the phosphorites of Quercy (upper Eocene, SW France). It was originally described as a saurian reptile, on the basis of the posterior part of the skull. The type material was lost and the original description was insufficient. In the present paper, description of new material from the locality La Bouffie is given, which made it possible to define the genus as well as to designate the neotype and paratypes. Revision of its taxonomic assignment confirmed Rage's conclusion that it has Gondwanan affinities. The possible paleogeographic connections between Gondwana and Laurasia in the Eocene and pre-Eocene times are briefly summarized; the Late Cretaceous terrestrial route between North and South America appears as the most probable.

Une nouvelle faune à mammifèresd'âge éocène moyen (Lutétien supérieur) dans les phosphorites du Quercy

The new karstic fissure filling of Cuzal (Quercy, Southern France) has yielded a diversified small mammal fauna including to date 17 species among which 7 are new for the Quercy phosphorites. The classical taxon Paroxyclaenus lemuroides Teilhard, 1921 (Pantolesta, Paroxyclaeninae) formerly known exclusively in the locality of Mémerlin (Lot), has been identified there. Some elements suggest that the Cuzal fauna could be Late Lutetian in age (MP 13–14).

La faune de mammifères de Vielase (phosphorites du Quercy, Sud de la France): Preuve paléontologique d'une karstification du Quercy dès l'Eocène inférieur

La faune de mammifères de Vielase (phosphorites du Quercy, Sud de la France): Preuve paléontologique d'une karstification du Quercy dès l'Eocène inférieur

On the Occurrence of the so-called Viverra Hastingsiæ of Hordwell in the French Phosphorites

Some few years ago the late Mr. William Davies described and figured the imperfect skull of a small Carnivore from the Upper Eocene (Lower Oligocene) of Hordwell, under the title of Viverra Hastingsiæ . With his accustomed care, Mr. Davies pointed out that the species so named agreed very closely with a so-called Viverra from the Lower Miocene of St. Gérand-le-Puy, in the Allier, known as V. antiqua , and also with one from the Quercy Phosphorites described by M. Filhol as Viverra angustidens . Indeed, Mr. Davies gives no characters whereby V. Hastingsiæ can be distinguished from V. angustidens , at that time known only by several mandibular rami. The chief point of resemblance to V. angustidens was shown by the great height of the blade of the lower carnassial tooth in V. Hastingsiæ . It was also pointed out that the first upper premolar of the latter was of unusually small size in regard to the other teeth; and since the same feature occurs in the lower jaw of V. angustidens (the first lower premolar of V. Hastingsiæ is wanting), we have another point of resemblance between the English and French Civets. It, may clear the ground here to say that the skull figured by M. Filhol as Viverra antiqua has been referred by Dr. Schlosser to Herpestes lemanensis , which has lower teeth of quite a different type. So far as I am aware no description of the crabium of V. angustidens from the Phosphorites has hitherto been given. Recently, however, the British

On Dacrytherium ovinum from the Isle of Wight and Quercy

As far back as 1857 Sir Richard Owen described and figured in this Society's Journal the nearly complete mandible of an Ungulate mammal from the Headon beds (Lower Oligocene) of the Isle of Wight under the name of Dichobune ovina . Subsequently it was pointed out by P. Gervais that this species could not belong to the genus Dichobune (or Dichobunus , as it should be called), but that it was closely allied to Xiphoclon . At a still later period I myself came to the conclusion that the so-called Dichobune ovina should be referred to the genus Dacrytherium , established by Dr. H. Filhol on specimens obtained from the Quercy Phosphorites of Central France, and I accordingly adopted for the name of the species Dacrytherium ovinum . With regard to the French specimens on which the genus and species Dacrytherium Cayluxi were established by Dr. Filhol,it may be observed that the most important are a cranium and a mandible, which were said to be associated. These specimens were subsequently described in the ‘Ann. Sci. Geol.’ vol. viii. (1877) pp. 217 et seq ., the cranium being represented in pl. xviii. figs. 311–313, and the mandible in pl. x. figs. 254–256. It being assumed that the cranium and mandible were associated, neither was specially distinguished as the type, but since the name Dacrytherium was appropriately given from the presence of a large lachrymal fossa in the cranium, it is manifest that the latter must be regarded as the actual type of the genus and species. In Referring

III.—Note on Three Genera of Fossil Artiodactyla, with Description of a New Species

IN his memoir on the Vertebrates of the Quercy Phosphorites, Dr. Filhol has described two species which he refers to the genus Cœnotherium, viz. C. commune and C. elongatum. Of the former only one ramus of the mandible is figured, and it is referred to a varietal form under the name of procommune: the latter, which is a small form, is known by the cranium and mandible. Both species have no diastema in the dental series. In addition to these, two small species are referred to the genus Plesiomeryx, under the names of P. cadurcensis and P. quinquedentatus, the latter being known only by the mandible; these forms are distinguished from the true Cænotherium by the presence of a diastema between the earlier premolars.