First record of Mesopithecus (Cercopithecidae, Colobinae) from the Miocene of the Iberian Peninsula
We report dental remains of the extinct colobine monkey Mesopithecus from the Turolian (MN13, Late Miocene, ca. 6.23 Ma) locality of Venta del Moro (Valencia, Spain). They include most of the deciduous dentition and the unerupted germs of the first molars of a single infantile individual, as well as two lower left lateral incisors from two additional individuals. On the basis of morphometric comparisons, mainly based on the Ms, these remains are attributed to the Late Miocene species Mesopithecus pentelicus. They represent a significant addition to the knowledge of the deciduous dentition of this taxon, much less well-known than the permanent dentition. Although this genus was widely distri…
Cesi, an early Middle Pleistocene site in the Colfiorito Basin (Umbro-Marchean Apennine), central Italy
Near the village of Cesi, at the head of the Chienti River, in the Colfiorito Basin (Umbro-Marchean Apennines, central Italy), fluvio-lacustrine deposits have yielded mammal fossil remains. The results of a multidisciplinary investigation indicate that the vertebrate-bearing sediments date about 700 ka and accordingly provide a fossil assemblage for the Middle–Late Galerian. Palynological investigations carried out from sediments underlying the fossiliferous level suggest predominantly cold and dry conditions, whereas the fauna suggests a slight climatic amelioration towards cool and moist conditions in the uppermost part of the sequence. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New human remains of Archaic Homo sapiens and Lower Palaeolithic industries from Visogliano (Duino Aurisina, Trieste, Italy).
New human remains have been found during recent excavations conducted in the lower section of Visogliano dolina (Trieste, Italy). They are represented by teeth and a fragment of particularly robust mandible that for their morphological and morphometrical characters can be generically attributed to archaic Homo sapiens. The lithic industry is formed by flakes, carinated points, scrapers, choppers and chopping tools and is characteristic of the Italian Pebble Culture. Sediments, pollen and faunal remains indicate that this part of the deposit was formed during interglacial climatic conditions in the early, but not initial phase of Middle Pleistocene (isotopic stadium 13 or 11).
Fossil remains of Macaca sylvanus florentina (Cocchi, 1872) (Primates, Cercopithecidae) from the Early Pleistocene of Quibas (Murcia, Spain)
The macaque material from the Early Pleistocene site of Quibas (Albanilla, Murcia, Spain), including dentognathic remains, isolated teeth and some postcranial bone fragments, is described. Both metrically and morphologically, this sample must be attributed to Macaca sylvanus (the Barbary macaque). This species is currently distributed through North Africa and Gibraltar, but was much more widely distributed during the Plio-Pleistocene, being represented by several European fossil subspecies. Metrical comparisons of dental size and proportions between extant M. s. sylvanus and fossil Macaca sylvanus florentina from the type locality and other Italian sites are undertaken, in order to classify…