The last European varanid: demise and extinction of monitor lizards (Squamata, Varanidae) from Europe

Remains of a varanid lizard from the middle Pleistocene of the Tourkobounia 5 locality near Athens, Greece are described. The new material comprises cranial elements only (one maxilla, one dentary, and one tooth) and is attributed to Varanus, the genus to which all European Neogene varanid occurrences have been assigned. Previously, the youngest undisputed varanid from Europe had been recovered from upper Pliocene sediments. The new Greek fossils therefore constitute the youngest records of this clade from the continent. Despite being fragmentary, this new material enhances our understanding of the cranial anatomy of the last European monitor lizards and is clearly not referable to the extant Varanus griseus or Varanus niloticus, the only species that could be taken into consideration on a present-day geographic basis. However, these fossils could represent a survivor of the monitor lizards of Asian origin that inhabited Europe during the Neogene

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

<i>Acinonyx pardinensis</i> (Croizet et Jobert) remains from the Middle Villafranchian locality of Varshets (Bulgaria) and the Plio-Pleistocene history of the cheetahs in Eurasia

The article decribes and discusses remains of late Pliocene (middle Villafranchian) cheetah, <i>Acinonyx pardinensis</i> (Croizet et Jobert) from Varshets, N.-W. Bulgaria. It is accepted that three chronoforms <i>A. pardinensis pardinensis, A. p. pleistocaenicus</i> and <i>A. p. intermedius</i> succeed in Europe from the Early Villafranchian (Etouaires, approx. 2.6 Ma) till the Middle Pleistocene. Remains are scarce and at this level of knowledge we could accept the recently proposed subspecific status of all these forms but their taxonomical relations could be rather more complicate. The remains from Varshets correspond to the earliest form <i>A. pardinensis pardinensis</i> which inhabited Eurasia during the late Early and the Middle Villafranchian and the beginning of the Pleistocene. Other European remains of <i>A. p. pardinensis</i> are known only from Spain, France, Italy and the Azov region of Southern Russia. It seems that then the species occupied only the southern part of the European continent (the Mediterranean-Balkan-Northern peri-Pontic area), and from there it probably spread till Central Asia (Tajikistan). Such a distribution supports the concept of the faunal entity of South Europe in Villafranchian time as well as the theory for the Central Asian influence of this fauna mainly trough the Balkans by two ways: via Bosphorus and via the peri-Pontic area. According to the paleontological data the fossil <i>Acinonyx</i> does not reach Central Europe (Austria and Germany) before the Epivillafranchian, possibly after new waves of dispersal of another, Early Pleistocene form of Central Asia. The relationship of the Middle Villafranchian <i>A. pardinensis</i> with the rather contemporaneous forms from China (Hezheng) <i>“Sivapanthera” linxiaensis</i> and <i>A. kurteni</i> and from Siwaliks is not clear, but the Chinese forms must represent taxa different from A. pardinensis. <i>Acinonyx</i> s. str. is characterized by strongly domed and enlarged frontal area, shortened skull and downwards inclined neurocranium. The new data argue the supposition of its Eurasian origin at the end of the Ruscinian/ beginning of the Villafranchian.<br><br>Se describen y discuten restos de guepardo, Acinonyxpardinensis (Criozet&Jobert) del Plioceno final (Villafranquiense medio) de Varshets, NW de Bulgaria. Se acepta la existencia de tres cronoformas <i>A. pardinensispardinensis, A. p. pleistocaenicus</i> y <i>A.p. intermedius</i> que se suceden en Europa desde el comienzo del Villafranquiese (Etouaires, ca. 2,6 Ma) hasta el Pleistoceno medio. Aunque los restos fósiles son escasos podemos aceptar la reciente propuesta de un estatus subespecífico para todas estas formas, pero sus relaciones taxonómicas son bastante complejas. Los fósiles de Varshets corresponden a la primera forma <i>A. pardinensis pardinensis</i> que habitó Eurasia durante el Villafranquiense inferior y medio hasta el comienzo del Pleistoceno. Otros restos europeos de <i>A. pardinensis pardinensis</i> son conocidos sólo en España, Francia, Italia y la región de Azov en el sur de Rusia. Parece que la especie sólo ocupó la parte sur del continente europeo (áreas Mediterránea-Balcanes-Norte del Ponto), y desde allí probablemente se expandió al Asia central (Tajikistán). Tal distribución apoya el concepto de entidad faunística del sur de Europa durante el Villafranquiense, tanto como la teoría de una influencia centro asiática en esta fauna, principalmente a través de los Balcanes por dos rutas, el Bósforo o el área Peripóntica. De acuerdo a los datos paleontológicos los <i>Acinonyx</i> fósiles no alcanzaron Europa central (Alemania y Austria) antes del Epivillafranquiense, posiblemente después de una nueva dispersión de otras formas del Pleistoceno inferior del Asia central. La relación de <i>A. pardinensis</i> del Villafranquiense medio con las formas casi contemporáneas de China (Hezheng) <i>“Sivapanthera” linxiaensis</i> y <i>A. kurteni</i> y con las de los Siwaliks no es clara, pero las formas chinas pueden representar diferentes taxones de <i>A. pardinensis. Acinonyx sensu stricto</i> está caracterizado por el área frontal ensanchada con acusada forma de domo, cráneo acortado y neurocráneo inclinado hacia abajo. Los nuevos datos argumentan la suposiciónde su origen Eurasiático hacia el final del Rusciniense o comienzos del Villafranquiense

Late Miocene Sciuridae (Mammalia, Rodentia) from Anatolia, Turkey

Isolated cheek teeth of Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from nine late Miocene localities in central Anatolia (Turkey) are described. The teeth represent at least 12 different species, five of which belong to the ground squirrel genus Tamias, two to the ground squirrel genus Spermophilinus, one to the flying squirrel genus Hylopetes, and two to the flying squirrel genus Pliopetaurista. One species, Tamias anatoliensis (type locality Altıntaş 1), is new. An unknown genus and species of giant tree or ground squirrel is represented by one tooth. Two teeth probably form the oldest record in western Eurasia of the tree squirrel genus Sciurus. Seven of the localities that yielded Sciuridae are lacustrine deposits, two are karst fissure fills. Their estimated ages range from MN 9 to MN 13. The majority of late Miocene Sciuridae from Anatolia show affinities with European sciurids of the same period