Eomyidae fauna turnover at the Early-Middle Miocene boundary in the Morteral section (Magro Basin, Valencia, Spain)

Abstract The material of Eomyidae from three localities (Morteral 1, Morteral 20A and Morteral 22) of the Morteral section in the Magro Basin, eastern Spain, is described. These localities contain remains of Ligerimys and Eomyops. Morteral 1 is situated in the lowest part of the section and contains Ligerimys ellipticus, whereas Morteral 20A and Morteral 22 are situated in the middle part of the section and contain, among other rodent species, Eomyops noeliae. The youngest localities in the Morteral section (Morteral 41 and 44) record Megacricetodon collongensis, first representative of Megacricetodon in the Middle Miocene (MN5). The locality Morteral 20A contains Megacricetodon primitivus;…

The miocene deposits of the Quesa basin (Betic foreland) outcrops in the central part of the Valencia province (Spain). Quesa basin is a subsiding hanging-wall basin related to an ENE-WSW listric fault system. The deposits of this basin are formed by a 440 metres thick sequence of red clays, containing few intercalations of sandstones and micritic white limestones, and breccias. The upper 70 metres of this sequence is a wedge-shaped unit composed by breccias containing megablocks, wich interfinger with tabular limestones towards the central part of the basin. The breccias are foot-wall derived debris fiow deposits formed during normal faulting. A mammal site close to the base of the breccia…

Early Miocene marsupialiforms, gymnures, and hedgehogs from Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Spain)

AbstractMaterials from the localities of Araia d'Alcora in the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Spain, early Miocene, Biozone C, MN4) have yielded an assemblage of erinaceids and metatherians, relatively rich for an Iberian site. The most common erinaceid is the gymnureGalerix symeonidisiDoukas, 1986, present in almost all of the studied sites. Other erinaceids in the faunal list are possibly an indeterminate species of the generaLantanotheriumFilhol, 1888 andAtelerixPomel, 1848, in what constitutes one of their oldest occurrences in Europe. Metatherians are represented by the herpetotheriidAmphiperatherium frequens erkertshofense(Koenigswald, 1970). The material described here was partially publis…

Cazuma 1, nueva localidad de micromamíferos (Mammalia, Rodentia) del Aragoniense superior en la cuenca de Quesa - Bicorp (prov. Valencia)

En el presente trabajo se describe la asociación de Megacricetodon crusafonti (Freudenthal, 1963), Megacricetodon sp. y Heteroxerus aff. grivensis (Forsyth Major, 1893) de Cazuma 1, localidad situada en el sector de Bicorp, en la cuenca terciaria de Quesa - Bicorp (Prov. Valencia). La edad atribuida a esta localidad es Aragoniense Superior. Hasta el momento, con ésta, ya son cinco las localidades conocidas de mamíferos en el Aragoniense de la cuenca de Quesa - Bicorp (Cazuma 1, Quesa 0, Quesa 2, Quesa 3 y Quesa 6).

Erratum to “Palaeoecological context for the extinction of the Neanderthals: A small mammal study of Stratigraphic Unit V of the El Salt site, Alcoi, eastern Spain” [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 530 (2019) 163–175]

El Salt is an important reference site for understanding the extinction of Neanderthal populations in the eastern Iberian Peninsula during MIS 3. In this paper, we describe the small mammal assemblage from Stratigraphic Unit V, the youngest unit with evidence of human presence, based on nearly 1300 specimens. A total of seven rodents (Microtus arvalis, Microtus duodecimcostatus, Microtus cabrerae, Sciurus vulgaris, Arvicola sapidus, Eliomys quercinus and Apodemus sylvaticus), three insectivores (Talpa occidentalis, Crocidura sp., Sorex sp.) and one lagomorph (Oryctolagus cf. cuniculus) were identified. Palaeocological analyses point to drier conditions in this part of the stratigraphic sequ…

Towards an environmental assessment model of palaeontological and archaeological heritage in the Autonomous Valencian Community without comparative torts

The deficient management of the paleontological heritage through the environmental impact assessment procedures from the Valencian public administrations, linked mainly to the lack of competent technical means in the matter, results in an almost abandonment of it. On the contrary, the archaeological heritage has a series of perfectly structured tools that allow any possible impact on it regarding projects and actions subject to environmental impact assessment that can be detected and corrected. The damage that this situation creates results in the abandonment and almost absolute lack of protection of the palaeontological heritage in the Valencian Community. Despite how much has been written…

Coping with arid environments: A critical threshold for human expansion in Europe at the Marine Isotope Stage 12/11 transition? The case of the Iberian Peninsula.

Abstract Archaeological remains have highlighted the fact that the interglacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 was a threshold from the perspective of hominin evolution in Europe. After the MIS 12 glaciation, considered one of the major climate-driven crises experienced by hominins, the archaeological records show an increasing number of occupations, evidence of new subsistence behaviors, and significant technical innovations. Here, we used statistical and geographic techniques to analyze the amphibian- and reptile-based paleoclimate and habitat reconstructions generated from a large data set of the Iberian Peninsula to (1) investigate if temperature, precipitation, and/or forest cover may h…

Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the stratigraphic unit Xb of El Salt (Middle Palaeolithic; Alcoy, Spain): palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic implications

The locality of El Salt (Middle Paleolithic, Alcoy, Spain) is mainly known by having one of the youngest Neanderthals records of the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. In this work, we have analysed the herpetofaunal fossils from the upper part of stratigraphic unit Xb, dated at 52.3 ± 4.6 ka (MIS 3). The faunal list is composed by three taxa of anurans (Alyte obstetricans, Bufo bufo s.l., and Epidalea calamita), one taxon of blanid (Blanus cinereus s.l.), two taxa of lizards (Chalcides bedriagai and cf. Acanthodactylus erythrurus), and one taxon of snakes (cf. Rhinechis scalaris). All of them have a broad distribution range in the Mediterranean, with wide ecological preferences range. This as…

The southernmost Miocene occurrence of the last European herpetotheriid Amphiperatherium frequens (Metatheria, Mammalia)

Abstract The present work provides for the first time a detailed description of teeth attributable to metatherians in the Miocene fossil record of Spain, and justifies their generic and specific ascription. The fossil elements found correspond to Amphiperatherium frequens, the last herpetotheriid that inhabited Europe. This is so far the southernmost occurrence of this species, thus showing that its geographic range extended further southward than previously thought.

Latest Villafranchian climate and landscape reconstructions at Pirro Nord (southern Italy)

Abstract Early Pleistocene terrestrial climate conditions in the Mediterranean region, especially between 1.3 and 1.7 Ma, are poorly understood. Here, the amphibian and reptile fossil record from 24 fissures (Cava Pirro) of the Pirro Nord karstic complex (southern Italy) is used to infer quantitative paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. These numerical data indicate that the mean annual temperature may have been somewhat lower (–1.6 to –3.6 °C compared to modern temperatures) than that of today, and the mean annual precipitation slightly higher (+90 to +240 mm) than modern values. Seasonality was more pronounced, with cooler summers (–0.4 to –2.0 °C) and much colder winters…

Muridae from the late Miocene site of Venta del Moro (Eastern Spain)

AbstractMurids are usually the dominant faunas of the late Miocene and early Pliocene micromammal assemblages. The present work deals with the murid faunas of the well-known late Miocene locality of Venta del Moro, comprising over 2700 molars ascribed to the taxa Apodemus gorafensis, Occitanomys alcalai, Paraethomys meini and Stephanomys dubari. This list differs from those of previous studies by the presence of A. gorafensis instead of A. gudrunae. The presence of A. gudrunae in younger localities than Venta del Moro implies that both species, considered ancestor and descendant, coexisted for some time. In addition, the analysis of such an extensive collection has allowed us to check the v…

Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Venta del Moro (Cabriel Basin, Spain): biostratigraphical, phylogenetic and palaeoecological inferences

Fossil squirrels are relatively abundant in Aragonian and Ramblian assemblages, but very scarce in the Late Turolian and Ruscinian of the Iberian Peninsula. Until now, the locality of Venta del Mor...

Eomyops noeliae sp. nov., a new Eomyidae (Mammalia, Rodentia) from the Aragonian of Spain

Abstract A new species of Eomyops, Eomyops noeliae, is described. from the locality MT-20A (Morteral section, Magro basin, eastern Spain). It is intermediate in size between the large eomiid, E. hebeiseni, and the small species of the group E. catalaunicus, E. bodvanus and E. oppligeri. The age range is Lower Aragonian. MT-20A is located between deposits that contain Megacricetodon primitivus and M. collongensis. Morphologically, E. noeliae sp. nov. is clearly different from the rest of species of the genus, due to an important reduction of the lingual anteroloph of M1,2,3 and the labial anterolophid of M3. The lower incisor shows two parallel ridges along the enamel like the type species o…

Mio-Pliocene rodent assemblages from Alcoi Forn (Alcoy Basin, Eastern Spain). Biostratigraphical and palaeoclimatical inferences

AbstractIn this work, we describe four new micromammal sites in the northern side of the Gormaget ravine, in the Alcoy Basin (Spain): AF-1’06, AF-1’07, AF-1A and AF-2. Based on the study of the faunal remains from these localities, we infer a latest Turolian-earliest Ruscinian age for AF-1’06 and AF-1A, and an earliest Ruscinian age for AF-1’07 and AF-2. The species assemblage of the locality AF-1’06, the only one which have yielded a sufficient number of remains to perform a palaecological analysis, shows warm and dry conditions near the Mio-Pliocene boundary in the Alcoy Basin. These data show a reduction of dry and warm indicators from older to younger localities in the Alcoy Basin, sugg…

The fossil rodent faunas of the localities Alcoy 2C and 2D (Alcoy Basin, Spain). Implications for dating the classical locality of Alcoy-Mina

In the Gormaig area (Alcoy basin, SE Spain) a number of fossil mammal localities are known, of which only the classic site of Alcoy-Mina, known since the mid-19th century, has yielded remains of macrofauna. In the vicinity of this site are the localities of Alcoy-2C (AL2C) and Alcoy-2D (AL2D), probably representing the levels of Alcoy-Mina. The faunal assemblage allows dating the AL2C and AL2D localities as Early Pliocene (end of the Early Ruscinian or early-late Ruscinian boundary, MN14-MN15). Several taxa (Pliopetaurista and Glis) are thought to have affinities for humid and close biotopes. En el área del Gormaig (cuenca de Alcoy, SE España), se conocen toda una serie de yacimientos de ma…

Hypsodont Myomiminae (Gliridae, Rodentia) from five new localities in the Lower Miocene Tudela Formation (Bardenas Reales, Ebro Basin, Spain) and their bearing on the age of the Agenian-Ramblian boundary

The hypsodont Myomiminae Daams, 1981 (Gliridae) from the lower part of the Tudela Formation (Ebro Basin) are described. Five localities (CH1, CA2, CA3, CA4 and CC1) of this formation contain remains of the hypsodont genus Armantomy de Bruijn, 1966 and CC1 has also yielded Praearmantomys de Bruijn, 1966. Despite the poor material, we can identify the taxa A. cf. bijmai, A. daamsi (de Visser in Álvarez-Sierra, Daams, Lacomba, López Martínez, Van Der Meulen, Sesé & De Visser, 1991), A. cf. parsani, A. cf. jasperi and cf. P.crusafonti, which are characteristic of the Agenian and Ramblian continental stages. These data allow identification of the Agenian-Ramblian boundary in the Tudela Formation…

Early Pliocene continental vertebrate fauna at Puerto de la Cadena (SE Spain) and its bearing on the marine-continental correlation of the Late Neogene of Eastern Betics

In this paper, we synthesize sedimentological, magnetostratigraphic and paleontological data from the continental vertebrate site of Puerto de la Cadena (Murcia, SE Spain), in order to clarify its age. The study site is located on the northern edge of the Carrascoy mountain range, in the upper part of the Cigarrón Unit. The end-Messinian discontinuity has been detected at the base of this unit, which indicates it has an early Pliocene age. Abundant remains of small and large vertebrates, including rodents, lagomorphs, primates, carnivorans, perissodactyls, artiodactyls, proboscideans, testudines, squamats, and crocodiles, have been found in this area. Some of these elements are of African o…

A new species of glirid rodent Vasseuromys from the Aragonian (Miocene) of the Ebro Basin (North−Eastern Spain)

We describe a new species of Vasseuromys from the locality of Pico del Fraile 2 (PF2) in the Ebro Basin of northeastern Spain, which has yielded a fauna comprising several rodents and insectivores (Eumyarion cf. weinfurteri, Mega−cricetodon cf. primitivus, Democricetodon aff. hispanicus, Spermophilinus cf. besana, Microdyromys cf. legidensis, Galerix sp., and Lagomorpha indet.) indicative of Aragonian zones C or D. Vasseuromys cristinae sp. nov. differs from other Vasseuromys species in the constant presence of four extra ridges on the lower molars, one of them being connected to the posterolophid in the posterior valley, as well as three extra ridges on the upper molars, with none of them …

Amphibians and reptiles as palaeonvironmental proxies during the Late Pleistocene (MIS3): The case of Stratigraphic Unit V of El Salt, Alcoi, Spain

The locality of El Salt (Alcoi, Spain) is a key site for understanding the extirpation of Neanderthals in the eastern part of Iberia. In this paper, we analyse an assemblage of amphibians and reptiles from Stratigraphic Unit V (45.2 ± 3.4 ka to 44.7 ± 3.4 ka), which corresponds to one of the last regional records of Neanderthals, to improve knowledge of the palaeoecology and palaeoclimate of this event. The assemblage comprises three anurans (Pelodytes sp., Alytes obstetricans, and Epidalea calamita), two lizards (Lacertidae indet. and Chalcides bedriagai), and five snakes (Colubridae indet., Coronella sp., Coronella sp./Zamenis sp., Natrix maura, and Vipera latastei). Palaeoclimatic recons…

Sierra del Colmenar 1A, a new late Messinian (Late Miocene) locality in the Bajo Segura Basin (SE Spain): biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental implications

In this paper, we have studied a new micromammal site from the Sierra del Colmenar section (Elche, SE Spain), named Sierra del Colmenar 1A (SCO-1A), representing the uppermost levels of Messinian age of the Bajo Segura Basin. The sedimentary context of this locality corresponds to a costal lagoon with marine influence. The fossil site has yielded remains of Apodemus aff. gorafensis, Paraethomys meini, Apocricetus alberti, Occitanomys alcalai, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys cf. truci, Muscardinus sp., Parasorex ibericus, Prolagus michauxi and Soricidae indet. Based on this assemblage, we propose a Late Miocene age (MN13) for the locality SCO-1A, matching the previously inferred age for the stratigr…

New rodent faunas from Middle Miocene and Mio- Pliocene in the Cabriel Basin (Valencia, Spain)

Five new localities with micromammal remains have been located in the Cabriel Basin. These localities are situated in the eastern area of the Cabriel Basin, in the Juan Vich ravine, where the oldest deposits of this basin crop out. The localities JV2, JV3 and JV6 are of Middle Miocene age, JVTLI1 of Middle Miocene or Late Miocene age and JVTS1 of Late Miocene or Early Pliocene age. The beginning of the sedimentary history of the basin was attributed to Late Turolian (Late Miocene). The new sedimentary record from the Juan Vich ravine and the mammalian findings extend the stratigraphic and paleontological knowledge of the Basin.

First Early Pliocene micromammal faunas from Venta del Moro (Cabriel Basin, Spain) : new data on the Messinian dispersal of Debruijnimys

The localities of La Bullana 3 and LA Bullana 2B (Valencia, E Spain) have yielded remains of Apodemusgorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet. and Asoriculus cf. gibberodon the former, and Apodemusgorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet., Asoriculus cf. gibberodon, Castillomysgracilis, Occitanomysbrailloni, Occitanomys sp., Paraethomys meini, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys intermedius, Debruijnimys cf. julii and Atlantoxerussp. the latter. Based on the study of these micromammal assemblages, we propose an Early Pliocene age (MN14) for both sites. The pres-ence a gerbilid related to De…

Small vertebrates from a Holocene gravelly deposit at El Salt (Alcoi, Alicante)

The small-vertebrates’ assemblage recovered comes from Units I to IV from El Salt site (Alcoi, Spain). The sample is composed by nearly 310 remains, and includes one toad (Epidalea calamita), two lizards (Lacertidae indet. and Chalcides cf. bedriagai), two snakes (Coronella cf. girondica and cf. Coronella sp.), two insectivores (Crocidura sp. and Sorex sp.), one lagomorph (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and seven rodent taxa (Arvicola sapidus, Microtus sp., M. arvalis, M. cabrerae, M. duodecimcostatus, Apodemus sylvaticus, and Eliomys quercinus). All the species described in the present work are consistent with a Late Pleistocene-Holocene chronology. The presence of M. cabrerae (absent in the Middl…

Geological context and micromammal fauna characterisation from the karstic infilling of La Pedrera (Albaida, Valencia, E Spain)

La Pedrera is a new palaeontological site located south of the province of Valencia, between the Betic and Iberian Ranges, in a cavity filled with sediments inside a tufa formation. Roughly 260 fossil remains, corresponding to 14 taxa, have been recovered and studied from Unit III. Six rodents (Microtus sp., M. sp. gr. M. (Terricola) duodecimcostatus-lusitanicus, Microtus sp. gr. M. brecciensis-cabrerae, Arvicola sapidus, Eliomys quercinus, and Apodemus sp. gr. sylvaticusfl avicollis), one lagomorph (Oryctolagus cf. cuniculus), three insectivores (Soricinae indet., Crocidura sp., and Talpa cf. europaea) and four bats (Myotis blythii, Rhinolophus cf. ferrumequinum, Myotis bechsteinii, and Rh…

Fossil micromammals of the early Pliocene locality of Almenara MB: biostratigraphical and palaeoecological implications

In this work, we have studied the fossil rodent, insectivore and chiropteran faunas, of a new locality from the AlmenaraCasablanca karstic complex, named ACB MB (Castellón, east Spain). We consider an early Ruscinian age for this site, close to the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, and infer warm and relatively humid conditions from the analysis of the micromammal assemblage. We remark the presence of two species of Eliomys in ACB MB, rare in localities of this age, and the lack of any gerbil remains, fossil markers of faunal interchanges between Africa and Europe in the context of the Messinian Salinity Crisis, recorded in the nearby late Miocene site of ACB M

A relict tropical forest bat assemblage from the early Miocene of the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Castelló, Spain)

ABSTRACTWe present the bat assemblage from the early Miocene (MN4, 16.9–15.95 MY) basin of Ribesalbes-Alcora, which has yielded the remains of ten chiropteran taxa. Bat assemblages are rarely recovered in the fluvio-lacustrine fossil record. A bat species described in this work,Cuvierimops penalverisp. nov., is a new form of a typically Oligocene free-tailed bat. In addition, the other molossidsHydromops helveticus,Rhizomops cf.brasiliensis,Chaerephonsp.,Tadaridasp., and the vespertilionidsMyotis cf.intermediusandMiostrellusaff.petersbuchensis, as well as undetermined fossils ascribed to the generaSubmyotodon,Plecotus, andRhinolophusare described. This is the first record of the genusRhizom…

Un assemblage inhabituel d’insectivores au Miocène inférieur du Sud-Ouest de l’Europe : les talpidés et les dimylidés du bassin de Ribesalbes–Alcora (Espagne)

The Miocene record of talpids and dimylids in south-western Europe is very scarce. In the present work, we study for the first time the talpids and complete the description of the dimylids, already started with a new species of the genus Plesiodimylus from the Ribesalbes–Alcora Basin (MN4, lower Aragonian, early Miocene) by Crespo et al. (2018). The talpids recovered inRibesalbes–Alcora comprise themost common Desmanodon daamsi and Desmanella fejfari, for which the last known occurrence is recorded here. The dimylids comprise the species Plesiodimylus ilercavonicus, which expands the biostratigraphic record of the genus and species and has been found in a new site. On the other hand, we dis…

Palaeoecological implications of Neanderthal occupation at Unit Xb of El Salt (Alcoi, eastern Spain) during MIS 3 using small mammals proxy

Nearly 250 small mammal remains from Unit Xb of El Salt Middle Palaeolithic site have been studied in order to reconstruct the palaeoecological conditions during a phase of Neanderthal occupation in this locality at 52.3 ± 4.6 ka. A total of 7rodents (Microtus arvalis, M. agrestis, M. (Terricola) duodecimcostatus, Microtus (Iberomys) cabrerae, Arvicola sapidus, Eliomys quercinus and Apodemus sylvaticus), 4 insectivores (Erinaceus cf. europaeus, Crocidura sp., Sorex sp. and Talpidae indet.) and 1 lagomorph (Oryctolagus cf. cuniculus) have been identified. Applying the Mutual Ecogeographic Range and Habitat Weighting methods, Unit Xb may correspond to a relatively cold (−3.3 °C in comparison …

Bats from the classical site of Venta del Moro (Late Miocene, Eastern Spain)

The presence of bat fossils in localities of fluvio-lacustrine origin is quite uncommon, and usually these remains are poorly preserved or not studied in detail. In the present work we study the ba...

Improving the accuracy of small vertebrate-based palaeoclimatic reconstructions derived from the Mutual Ecogeographic Range. A case study using geographic information systems and UDA-ODA discrimination methodology

Abstract Understanding past climate and the mechanisms of climate change remain major challenges in scientific research. The Mutual Ecogeographic Range (MER) method for climatic reconstruction uses the current geographical distribution of fossil assemblages to infer palaeoclimatic conditions. Current species distributions used in the MER method are usually obtained from biogeographic atlases that record the absence/presence of species in a 10 × 10 km grid. A 10 × 10 km area is quite broad and the method only records presence/absence, without considering the real area occupied by any given species. Thus, the method overlooks the fact that environmental heterogeneity is strongly related to to…

Palaeoecological context for the extinction of the Neanderthals: A small mammal study of Stratigraphic Unit V of the El Salt site, Alcoi, eastern Spain

El Salt is emerging as a reference site for the study of the extinction of Neanderthal populations in the Eastern Iberian Peninsula during MIS 3. The small vertebrate assemblage analysed in this work is framed within this general objective and comes from Stratigraphic Unit V, the most recent unit with human presence. Nearly 1300 small mammal remains have been studied in order to reconstruct the palaeoecological conditions of this debated period. A total of seven rodents (Microtus arvalis, Microtus duodecimcostatus, Microtus cabrerae, Sciurus vulgaris, Arvicola sapidus, Eliomys quercinus and Apodemus sylvaticus), three insectivores (Talpa occidentalis, Crocidura sp., Sorex sp.) and one lagom…

The Messinian stromatolites of the Sierra del Colmenar (Western Mediterranean): facies characterization and sedimentological interpretation

A representative outcrop of the Messinian stromatolites belonging to the Terminal Carbonate Complex unit, from the northern sector of the Bajo Segura basin (Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo section, Sierra del Colmenar, SE Spain) has been studied. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the architecture, external morphology, and internal morphology in order to reconstruct the environmental and palaeoecological conditions for their growth. The stromatolites macrostructure consists of a continuously doming type morphology (build up and sheets areas).These developed close to the coast and acted as a palaeogeographic barrier, reducing physical stress, channeling the erosive effect of water and …

A new species ofPlesiodimylus(Dimylidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from the Early Miocene of Spain

AbstractWe report a new dimylid species, Plesiodimylus ilercavonicus sp. nov., from the Early Miocene locality of Mas d’Antolino B-5 (Ribesalbes-Alcora, Castello, Spain). This new species of Plesiodimylus is an amblyodont form of the genus and exhibits some primitive characters. The phylogenetic and palaeoenvironmental implications of this southern occurrence of Plesiodimylus in Lower Miocene sediments are discussed.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EB5435A4-EECE-4B88-B5AC-4B77E2E13029

Asociaciones de Ostrácodos del Mioceno Temprano—Medio de Loma Negra (Bardenas Reales de Navarra, Cuenca del Ebro): Evolución Paleoambiental de un Medio Lacustre

LOWER-MIDDLE MIOCENE OSTRACOD ASSEMBLAGES OF LOMA NEGRA (BARDENAS REALES DE NAVARRA, EBRO BASIN): PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL EVOLUTION OF A LACUSTRINE SYSTEM. The palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Loma Negra section (Bardenas Reales de Navarra, Ebro Basin) during the lower-middle Miocene, is studied for the first time. The paleoen- vironmental interpretation is based on the recovered ostracod assemblages and the sedimentology. The lower part of this section is composed by red, yellow and grey mudstones, and with Paralimnocythere sp. as the most abundant ostracod taxon. The lithological features and the fau- nistic assemblage allows the interpretation of a paleoenvironment with the development o…

A multiproxy record of palaeoenvironmental conditions at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Abric del Pastor (Eastern Iberia)

This paper presents a multiproxy palaeoenvironmental study from Abric del Pastor (Alcoy, Spain), a rock shelter which has yielded evidence for Middle Palaeolithic human occupation. The sedimentary sequence has been analysed for lipid biomarker n-alkane abundances (ACL, CPI), compound specific leaf wax δH and δC, and bulk organic geochemistry (TOC, %N, %S), providing a record of past climate and local vegetation dynamics. Site formation processes have been reconstructed through the application of soil micromorphology. Analyses of anthracological, microvertebrate and macrofaunal assemblages from selected subunits are also presented here. Our data indicates that a variable climate marked by pr…

Old-timers and newcomers: The shrews and heterosoricids from the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (East of Spain)

The zone of Araia d’Alcora in the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Spain, early Miocene, biozone C, MN 4) yielded a relatively rich assemblage of shrews for an Iberian site, composed by Oligosorex thauensis, cf. Soricella discrepans, Paenelimnoecus micromorphus and Heterosorex neumayrianus. The fossils of O. thauensis, the most abundant taxon, significantly increase our knowledge regarding the morphology of the species. It signals the last known occurrence of this shrew and extending its record to a MN4 site. This species is competing with other shrews in the studied sites. Paenelimnoecus micromorphus is recorded for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula. Soricella discrepans is a typical species…

Evidence for an African-Iberian mammal dispersal during the pre-evaporitic Messinian

The accurate timing of biogeographic dispersal can be determined by examining the age of fossiliferous strata on either side of a physical barrier. Here we show that African mammals migrated to Iberia and European mammals migrated to North Africa at the same time before isolation of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian. The fossil site of Venta del Moro (Spain) exhibits western Europe’s most complete vertebrate fauna for the latest Miocene. Its uniquely cosmopolitan assemblage is evidence of faunal dispersals from Africa and Asia to Europe during the latest Miocene glaciation. A preliminary paleomagnetic study suggested an age of 5.8 Ma for this site, but our expanded magnetostratigra…

Vasseuromys rambliensis sp. nov. (Gliridae, Mammalia) from the Ramblian (Lower Miocene) of the Tudela Formation (Ebro basin, Spain)

In this paper, a new species of Vasseuromys, V. rambliensis sp. nov., from the locality Pico del Fraile 1 (PF1, Ebro basin, North-eastern Spain) is described. The association of Ligerimys, Peridyromys murinus and Simplomys simplicidens, and the absence of Eucricetodon and Democricetodon, allows dating of the PF1 locality as Late Ramblian (Early Miocene, MN3, local zone A). Main diagnostic features of V. rambliensis sp. nov. are the presence of four extra ridges in the lower molars, a very reduced anterotropid and a metaloph connected to the posteroloph and not to the protocone. The size and morphology of V. rambliensis sp. nov. are very close to V. bacchius from the upper part of unit MN2, …

Applying the UDA‑ODA discrimination technique to a herpetological association: the case of the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt (Alcoi, Spain)

AbstractEl Salt (Middle Palaeolithic; Alcoi, Spain) is a key site for understanding the disappearance of Neanderthals in the eastern Iberian Peninsula, a process that is observed along its stratigraphic sequence. To improve our understanding of the palaeoclimatic context in which this process took place, we applied the UDA-ODA discrimination technique to the fossil herpetological assemblages from Stratigraphic Units (SU) Xb (52.3 ± 4.6 ka) and V (45.2 ± 3.4/44.7 ± 3.4 ka). This method is based in the application of an ecological criterion, the maximum altitude of each species on each Iberian range, to discern and remove those areas that do not meet their ecological requirements (UDA) from t…

Muridae from the late Miocene site of Venta del Moro (Eastern Spain)

Murids are usually the dominant faunas of the late Miocene and early Pliocene micromammal assemblages. The present work deals with the murid faunas of the well-known late Miocene locality of Venta del Moro, comprising over 2700 molars ascribed to the taxa Apodemus gorafensis, Occitanomys alcalai, Paraethomys meini and Stephanomys dubari. This list differs from those of previous studies by the presence of A. gorafensis instead of A. gudrunae. The presence of A. gudrunae in younger localities than Venta del Moro implies that both species, considered ancestor and descendant, coexisted for some time. In addition, the analysis of such an extensive collection has allowed us to check the variabili…