Pleistocene vertebrate faunas of the Süttő Travertine Complex (Hungary)

Numerous fossil remains (vertebrates, molluscs and plants) were found in more than twenty sites of the Süttő Travertine Complex during the last 150 years. The majority of these remains were recovered from fissures of the travertine, but also from the travertine and an overlying loess-paleosol sequence. The aims of this study were to review the fossil content, to determine the stratigraphical positions of the various vertebrate faunas of Süttő and provide paleoecological interpretation of the periods on the basis of their faunas and floras. In addition, this paper describes new faunas and floras from the sites Süttő 16–20 and provides 14C dates for Süttő 16. On the basis of the new uranium series isotope and optical dating (OSL), the age of the travertine complex is Middle Pleistocene (235±21–314±45 ka, MIS 7–9), while the age of the loess-paleosol sequence in superposition of the travertine is Middle-Late Pleistocene (MIS 2–MIS 6). In contrast, the fossils of the travertine indicated an older, Pliocene–Early Pleistocene age. A fissure (Süttő 17) and a red clay layer (Süttő 19) contained mammal faunas of Early–Middle Pleistocene age. These results indicated the existence of older travertine in certain quarries (Hegyháti quarry, Cukor quarry). Sedimentological and OSL data of well-dated layers of the loess-paleosol sequence (Süttő/LPS) at Süttő allowed a correlation with the layers of Süttő 6. The paleosol layer in the upper part of the sequence of Süttő 6, was correlated with a pedocomplex of the overlying loess-paleosol sequence, which was dated to MIS 5c (upper, dark soil) and MIS 5e (lower, reddish brown soil). The paleoecological analysis of the mammal and mollusc faunas supported the former interpretation of Novothny et al., inferring warm, dry climate during the sedimentation of the upper layers, and more humid climate for the lower layers). However, the fauna of the lower soil layer indicated cold climate, so an age of MIS 5d is suggested. Dating of the fissure faunas is based on similarity studies. For some faunas, this method cannot be used, because of the low number of species. On the basis of the species compositions and former interpretations, these faunas originated mainly from sediments that were deposited under cold climatic conditions. Other fissure faunas were dated by AMS 14C (Süttő 16), or by correlation with soil layers of Süttő 6. According to these results, most of the fissure faunas can be correlated with different phases of MIS 5. However, there are a younger (MIS 2) and an older (Early–Middle Pleistocene) fissure fauna.status: publishe

Forschungen in der Bivakhöhle, Ungarn

Die Bivak-Höhle ist eine kleine Höhlung nordwestlich von Budapest, am Westhang des Pilis-Berges gelegen. Sie wurde von D. Jánossy und L. Vértes im Herbst 1953 ausgegraben. Die pleistozäne Schichtenserie der Höhle ist von oben nach unten wie folgt: 1. gelbe Schicht, 2. orangefarbene Schicht (nur stellenweise vorhanden), 3. gelblichgraue, 4. graue, 5. rötlichbraune Schicht. Die Höhle lieferte eine reichhaltige und den Schichten nach gut trennbare Fauna und wenig, doch interessantes archäologisches Material (Taf. I). Nach Frau S. Kretzoi-Varrók's Untersuchungen ist in den zwei unteren Schichten der Höhlenbär dominant. Von der gelblichgrauen Schicht an verschwindet dieses Tier rasch, und die Leitrolle wird von Lepus timidus sowie von typischen Tieren der arktischen Tundra und Steppe übernommen. Den auf diese Beobachtungen aufgebauten klimatischen Prozeß bekräftigen M. Herrmann's mikromineralogische Untersuchungen, laut welchen in den beiden unteren Schichten Limonit und Magnetit, in den oberen auf Lößursprung deutende Schwermineralien dominieren. L. Vértes hat am Material der Schichten petrographische Untersuchungen unternommen (Abb. 4), welche im Einklang mit den vorangehenden Resultaten beweisen, daß nach der Pleistozäneinteilung von Milankovitch-Bacsák die 5. Schicht am Ende des Würm I abgelagert wurde. Die graue Schicht repräsentiert den eisfreien Abschnitt des Würm I/II-Interstadials, die gelblichgraue entspricht jenem Tundra-Abschnitt, welcher das Würrn II einleitet. Die Sedimentation ist hier anscheinend abgebrochen. Die orangefarbene und die gelbe Schicht gehören den Stadialen "Wurm II und III an, welche, den Sediment-Untersuchungen der ungarischen Höhlen nach, nicht voneinander zu trennen sind. Die Entstehung ihrer oberen Grenze reicht in das Postglazial hinein. Die absoluten Jahreszahlen der Entstehung der Schichten gibt der Autor nach der Milankovitch-Theorie an. Das archäologische Material ist in zwei Niveaus zu gliedern. Die Werkzeuge des unteren Niveaus stammen aus den grauen und gelblichgrauen Schichten und sind durch eine typische Frühszeletien-Lorbeerblattspitze, gemeinsam mit Knochenwerkzeugen des Aurignacien I, repräsentiert. Es ist anzunehmen, daß diese zwei Kulturen im westlich der Donau gelegenen Teil Ungarns sich miteinander vermischt haben. Jene Kulturen, die die Bestandteile zu dieser Mischkultur liefern, erscheinen hier später als in Ostungarn. Aus den oberen, gelben Schichten kam nur wenig und atypisches Material zum Vorschein. Auf Grund der ungenügenden Daten kann bloß vermutet werden, daß sie zur Ost-Gravettien-Gruppe gehören.researc

The mandible and dentition of Borealestes serendipitus (Docodonta) from the Middle Jurassic of Skye, Scotland

The Middle Jurassic docodont Borealestes serendipitus was the first Mesozoic mammal found in Scotland over 40 years ago. Its affinities and morphology have remained poorly understood. Although multiple dentary fragments and isolated teeth have been recovered from Scotland and England, they have not yet been described in sufficient detail. We report new, more complete specimens collected during recent field work on Skye, Scotland, combined with previously collected material. This includes upper and lower dentition and an almost complete right dentary. We present an updated description and diagnosis of the genus Borealestes, based on high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and synchrotron scans. We identify seven key features that distinguish Borealestes from other docodonts, including a pronounced a–c crest, absence of the a–g crest on cusp a, an anterior fovea at the buccolingual midpoint of the upper molar, and the convergence of the Meckel’s groove with the ventral margin of the mandible. We also present a revised diagnosis for the second species, B. mussettae. Our phylogenetic analysis supports a clade formed by Borealestes, Haldanodon, Docofossor, and Docodon. Ontogenetic variation in the mandibular morphology of Borealestes is similar to that seen in Docodon and Haldanodon, with the delayed emergence of the ultimate lower molar, the shift of the last molar to the front of the coronoid process, and a posterior shift of the Meckel’s sulcus in successively older individuals. This supports a distinctive growth pattern in the clade including Borealestes and Docodon, one that may be present in Docodonta as a whole

Kretzoiarctos gen. nov., the Oldest Member of the Giant Panda Clade

The phylogenetic position of the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Carnivora: Ursidae: Ailuropodinae), has been one of the most hotly debated topics by mammalian biologists and paleontologists during the last century. Based on molecular data, it is currently recognized as a true ursid, sister-taxon of the remaining extant bears, from which it would have diverged by the Early Miocene. However, from a paleobiogeographic and chronological perspective, the origin of the giant panda lineage has remained elusive due to the scarcity of the available Miocene fossil record. Until recently, the genus Ailurarctos from the Late Miocene of China (ca. 8–7 mya) was recognized as the oldest undoubted member of the Ailuropodinae, suggesting that the panda lineage might have originated from an Ursavus ancestor. The role of the purported ailuropodine Agriarctos, from the Miocene of Europe, in the origins of this clade has been generally dismissed due to the paucity of the available material. Here, we describe a new ailuropodine genus, Kretzoiarctos gen. nov., based on remains from two Middle Miocene (ca. 12–11 Ma) Spanish localities. A cladistic analysis of fossil and extant members of the Ursoidea confirms the inclusion of the new genus into the Ailuropodinae. Moreover, Kretzoiarctos precedes in time the previously-known, Late Miocene members of the giant panda clade from Eurasia (Agriarctos and Ailurarctos). The former can be therefore considered the oldest recorded member of the giant panda lineage, which has significant implications for understanding the origins of this clade from a paleobiogeographic viewpoint