Catálogo de los anfibios y escamosos plio-pleistocenos de España del Museu de Geologia de Barcelona

The present catalogue represents the first attempt to list the Plio-Pleistocene herpetofaunal material deposited in the Museu de Geologia de Barcelona and providing from 14 Spanish localities (8 from Catalonia, 3 from Castellón, 2 from Granada and 1 from Murcia). It permits to complete the knowledge of the presence of some “exotic” taxons as Oriental Vipers, genus Pseudopus and Agamidae in Iberian Peninsula during the Late Pliocene. Many of these citations may correspond to the ultimate ones. Moreover, the presence in Catalan localities of species of middle-European origin during the Early Pleistocene documents ones of the oldest references to their presence in Spain. Key words: Catalogue, Amphibia, Squamata, Palaeobiogeography.El presente catálogo representa el primer intento de hacer la lista del material herpetofaunico del Plio-Pleistoceno depositado en el Museu de Geologia de Barcelona y procedente de 14 yacimientos españoles (8 de Cataluña, 3 de Castellón, 2 de Granada y 1 de Murcia). Esto permite completar el conocimiento de la presencia de taxones “exóticos” como las víboras orientales, el género Pseudopus y los Agamidae en la península ibérica durante el Plioceno superior. Muchas de éstas corresponden a las últimas citaciones. Por otra parte, la ocurrencia en los yacimientos catalanes de especies de origen medio-Europeo durante el Pleistoceno inferior permite documentar algunas de las más viejas referencias de su presencia en España. Palabras llave: Catálogo, Anfibios, Escamosos, Paleobiogeografía

Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the latest early Pleistocene of Cueva Victoria (Murcia, southeastern Spain, SW Mediterranean): Paleobiogeographic and paleoclimatic implications

The karstic filling of Cueva Victoria in southeastern Spain, dated from the latest early Pleistocene (ca. 1.1 Ma), is famous for providing primate fossil remains (Theropithecus) of typical African origin, in the general controversy on the antiquity of the first hominid settlements in Western Europe and their possible entrance into Europe through the Strait of Gibraltar. Cueva Victoria has also furnished the following fauna of anurans and squamate reptiles: cf. Pelodytes sp. (Pelodytidae), Bufo cf. B. bufo (Bufonidae), Blanus cinereus (Blanidae), Tarentola sp. (Geckonidae), Chalcides cf. Ch. bedriagai (Scincidae), Timon cf. T. lepidus and indeterminate small lacertids (Lacertidae), Natrix maura, Coronella girondica, Rhinechis scalaris and Malpolon cf. M. monspessulanus (Colubridae). This faunal association seems to suggest a mean annual temperature slightly fresher than nowadays (approximately 1°C less than at present in the area), with cooler winters but warmer summers and above all higher mean annual precipitations (+ 400 mm). The landscape may correspond to an open forest environment of a Mediterranean type, with some still water points

Faunes de reptiles et changements climatiques en Europe occidentale autour de la limite Plio-Pléistocène

Les reptiles constituent un groupe de vertébrés non homéothermes et essentiellement ovipares dont le maintien des activités vitales et le succès reproducteur sont directement liés aux conditions climatiques. Cette sensibilité leur confère un rôle important dans la reconnaissance des climats du passé. L’étude des reptiles squamates présents en Europe occidentale du Pliocène moyen au Pléistocène inférieur permet d’inférer des hypothèses sur l’évolution climatique de la région au cours de cette période. - Limite MN15/MN16 (Ruscinien/Villanien) : disparition des familles à caractère tropical (Varanidae, Aniliidae s.l. et Elapidae) liée à une péjoration climatique importante (température moyenne annuelle 20oC with a poor contrasting seasonality) and aridity. During the second half of the Middle Pliocene, the families with basically tropical affinities are no longer represented. This faunal scarcity seems to point out a significant climatic degradation, with a decrease of the temperature (mean annual temperature < 20oC) and the establishment of a climate with contrasted seasons (probably of Mediterranean type). At the same time, the aridity seems to increase. During the Late Pliocene, the drop in temperature becomes more pronounced and some Centro-European species arrive in France. The mean annual temperature do as not seem to exceed 15oC at Montoussé 5, 16oC at Vallirana and 18oC at Casablanca-Almenara 3. The Early Pleistocene seems to begin with cooler climatic conditions. The disappearance of the last Agamidae corresponds to a fall of the mean annual temperature below 15oC. Biogeographical affinities :We made a Principal Components Analysis (PCA) (fig. 5) from the number of determined species for each ­period and from the number of species currently present in the various biogeographical regions of the Western Paleartic. It shows that the Western European squamate fauna has acquired a modern character only since the Late Pliocene (about 2,6 Ma)

Biochronological data for the Early Pleistocene site of Quibas (SE Spain) inferred from rodent assemblage

In this paper, the rodent fauna from the Early Pleistocene of Gruta1 (Quibas karstic complex, Murcia, SE Spain) is described. The assemblage includes one arvicoline (Allophaiomys sp.), two murines (Apodemus ex gr. mystacinus-epimelas, Castillomys rivas) and one glirid (Eliomys quercinus). The rodent assemblage indicates an age very close to the age of Fuente Nueva 3 and Barranco León 5 in the Guadix-Baza Basin, and Sima del Elefante in the Atapuerca karstic complex, between ca. 1.2-1.4

Fossil amphibians and reptiles from Tegelen (Province of Limburg) and the early Pleistocene palaeoclimate of The Netherlands

Altres ajuts: Generalitat de Catalunya/CERCA Programme.Few Quaternary herpetofaunas have been recovered from The Netherlands. Among these, the one coming from the early Pleistocene site of the Russel-Tiglia-Egypte pit near Tegelen is of particular interest, because it is the type locality of the recently described, last western European palaeobatrachid anuran, Palaeobatrachus eurydices. The large number of fossil remains of amphibians and reptiles found in the pit are representative of a very diverse fauna, including at least 17 taxa: Triturus gr. T. cristatus, Lissotriton sp., Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bombina sp., Pelophylax sp., Rana sp., Hyla gr. H. arborea, Pelodytes sp., Mauremys sp., Lacerta sp., Lacertidae indet., Anguis gr. A. fragilis, cf. Pseudopus sp., "colubrines" indet., Natrix natrix and Vipera sp. Emys orbicularis, previously reported from a different Tegelen pit, is not present in this assemblage. Palaeoclimatic conditions reconstructed based on the herpetofaunistic association indicate a humid subtropical climate (Cfa according to the Köppen-Geiger classification of climates) for Tegelen during the TC5 section of the Tiglian, with low, but fairly regular rainfalls during the year. Mean annual temperature was 13.4 ± 0.3 °C and mean annual precipitation was 542 ± 50 mm. Moreover, three dry months were present during summer and early autumn, resulting in a much drier climate than the one present at Tegelen today. Nevertheless, the occurrence of the water-dwelling P. eurydices suggests the persistence of suitable permanent water bodies during the whole year, and the survival of this taxon in this part of Europe might have been allowed by the generally humid climate

Biostratigraphy, palaeogeography and palaeoenvironmental significance of Sorex runtonensis Hinton, 1911 (Mammalia, Soricidae): First record from the Iberian Peninsula

Sorex runtonensis (Mammalia, Soricidae) is a well-known Pleistocene taxon with a broad distribution in Europe. However, no record of the species had been reported from the Iberian Peninsula up to now. Here we present nearly two hundred specimens of S. runtonensis recovered from the Lower Red Unit (levels TE7–14) of Sima del Elefante (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain), dated to ~ 1.1–1.5 Ma. Rigorous morphometrical and morphological analyses allowed the assignation of the items from Sima del Elefante confidently to this taxon, distinguishing them from the several other Pleistocene species of similar size that inhabited Europe. Sorex runtonensis survived all through the Pleistocene (and maybe more), but the remains from Sima del Elefante exhibit some traits that appear to be particular to the Early Pleistocene, which agrees with the pre-Jaramillo chronology inferred for the lower levels of the site. Western Palearctic S. runtonensis has been regarded as a proxy of patchy and relatively arid, open past biotopes due to its similarity to recent Eastern Palearctic S. tundrensis. In light of this fact, and given the high relative quantities of this taxon at the site, previous palaeoenvironmental reconstructions proposed for the lowermost unit of Sima del Elefante should be revised to present a more ecologically diverse scenario than previously thought

Heinrich Event 4 characterized by terrestrial proxies in southwestern Europe

Heinrich Event 4 (H4) is well documented in the North Atlantic Ocean as a cooling event that occurred between 39 000 and 40 000 yr BP. Deep-sea cores around the Iberian Peninsula coastline have been analysed to characterize the H4 event, but there are no data on the terrestrial response to this event. Here we present for the first time an analysis of terrestrial proxies for characterizing the H4 event, using the small-vertebrate assemblage (comprising small mammals, squamates and amphibians) from Terrassa Riera dels Canyars, an archaeo-palaeontological deposit located on the seaboard of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. This assemblage shows that the H4 event is characterized in northeastern Iberia by harsher and drier terrestrial conditions than today. Our results were compared with other proxies such as pollen, charcoal, phytolith, avifauna and large-mammal data available for this site, as well as with the general H4 event fluctuations and with other sites where H4 and the previous and subsequent Heinrich events (H5 and H3) have been detected in the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions of the Iberian Peninsula. We conclude that the terrestrial proxies follow the same patterns as the climatic and environmental conditions detected by the deep-sea cores at the Iberian margins

As mais antigas marmotas da Europa: Estudo métrico dos fósseis de Marmota do Plistocénico Inferior e Medio das jazidas de Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Espanha)

ABSTRACT: The oldest European remains of marmots (Genus Marmota) are 0.8 my old and come from the site of Gran Dolina, Atapuerca. Dental measurements from the specimens recovered at Gran Dolina are compared with other Early Pleistocene fossil marmots from Croatia; as well as a set of Middle and Late Pleistocene marmots from France and Italy and Middle Pleistocene fossils from other sites at Sierra de Atapuerca. These fossils are also compared with four species of modern marmots, including? an extensive sample of Marmota marmota. Plotting the length of each dental piece of Gran Dolina versus its width, less than 25% of the Early Pleistocene specimens fall into the variability of Marmota marmota, meanwhile the Middle Pleistocene fossils fall within (or extremely close) to its variability. These Early Pleistocene marmots cannot be metrically assigned to the extant alpine marmot.RESUMO: Os vestígios europeus mais antigos de marmotas (género Marmota) têm 0.8 milhões de anos e provêm da Gran Dolina, Atapuerca. As medições realizadas em peças dentárias de marmotas fósseis encontrados em Gran Dolina são comparadas com exemplares de marmotas provenientes do Pleistocénico inferior da Croácia e do Pleistocénico Médio e Superior de França e Itália, bem como com exemplares encontrados em outras localidades do Pleistocénico médio da Serra de Atapuerca. Estes fósseis também são comparados com quatro espécies de marmotas modernas, incluindo uma extensa amostra de Marmota marmota. Ao plotar o comprimento de cada peça dentária de Gran Dolina face a sua largura, menos do 25% dos exemplares do Pleistocénico Inferior caem dentro da variabilidade existente em Marmota marmota. Os exemplares do Pleistocénico Médio estão dentro (ou extremamente próximos) da variabilidade de Marmota marmota. Os exemplares de marmotas do Pleistocénico Inferior de Gran Dolina não podem ser metricamente atribuídos à marmota alpina.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Small mammals from the middle pleistocene layers of the sima del elefante (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, northwestern Spain)

The Sima del Elefante site, located in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain), is an important Pleistocene archaeopalaeontological locality that has been excavated every year since 1996. At least two main infill phases have been identified: a first (TELRU) early Pleistocene phase that has provided a rich faunal assemblage, various stone tools and the earliest human remains from western Europe; and a second phase (TEURU) attributed to the Middle Pleistocene. In this paper, for the first time we present a description of the TEURU small-mammal assemblage and its subsequent biochronological, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic implications. The small-mammal assemblage is highly diverse and comprises at least 17 species: 3 insectivores (cf. Erinaceus sp., Crocidura sp. and Sorex sp.); 4 chiropters (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus gr. euryale-mehelyi, Myotis gr. Myotisoxygnathus and Miniopteurs schreibersii); 9 rodents (Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Microtus agrestis, Iberomys brecciensis, Terricola cf. atapuerquensis, Arvicola sp., Apodemus sylvaticus, Eliomys quercinus and Allocricetus bursae) and 1 lagomorph (Oryctolagus sp.). Such an association suggests a late Middle Pleistocene age (ca. 250-350 ka), a patchy landscape dominated by humid meadows and woodland areas, and mild climatic conditions. These results are compared with other proxies, such as the herpetofauna, malacofauna, large-mammals and charcoals, providing a new scenario for the climatic and environmental conditions that prevailed during the latest Middle Pleistocene in the Sierra de Atapuerca

Neanderthal Fossils, Mobile Toolkit and a Hyena Den: The Archaeological Assemblage of Lateral Gallery 1 in Cova Del Gegant (NE Iberian Peninsula)

Lateral Gallery 1 (GL1) in Cova del Gegant is a Middle Palaeolithic assemblage yielding diagnostic Neanderthal remains, together with Mousterian tools and faunal remains. It is a good archive for evaluating the environmental conditions of the coastal areas during MIS 4 and MIS 3 in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula, and also the Neanderthals' behaviour and mobility. Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of all of the data available from GL1, such as lithics, human remains, fauna and chronostratigraphic details. The biotic ecofacts studied point to the development of a coastal plain in front of the cave and indicate that local conditions likely favoured a large variety of ecosystems characterised by open environments and woodland-edge taxa, and favoured repeated visits by humans during the Middle Palaeolithic. The evidence suggests that the gallery was mainly used by carnivores, such as hyenas, and also by Neanderthals as a brief stopping place, in view of the presence of transported and abandoned ergonomic lithic artifacts and/or the placement of bodies (or parts of bodies). The regional context suggests high human mobility and emphasises the variability of Neanderthal behaviour