Paleontological mammal or mammal footprints sites in the natural regional park of Luberon

Cette étude met en évidence la richesse du Parc naturel régional du Luberon pour la paléontologie des mammifères tant par le nombre de gisements, que par leur diversité. On dénombre actuellement trente-cinq gisements, deux éocènes, vingt-deux oligocènes dont huit à empreintes de pas et onze miocènes. Trente et un taxons y ont été définis dont dix-huit pour le seul gisement de La Débruge.This study highlights the richness of the Regional Park of Luberon for mammal paleontology both by their number and by their diversity. There are thirty-five sites, two Eocene, twenty-two Oligocene including eight footprints sites and eleven Miocene. Thirty-one taxa have been determinated in these sites among which eighteen for the only La Débruge’s deposit

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

Les vertébrés du Miocène supérieur de Soblay (Ain, France)

The Upper Miocene vertebrates of Soblay (Ain, France). The site of Soblay, located near the town of Saint-Martin-du-Mont (Ain), is an old brown coal quarry, which was exploited intermittently during a period of one century up to 1949. At that time, the discovery of large mammal parts was made, which date to the Upper Vallesian, corresponding to the MN 10 zone. This study allows also an update of the faunal list and enriches this list with seven new taxa. It consists of 72 vertebrates taxa including 67 mammals. All large mammal parts are studied and measured. The presence of two species of hipparions and two species of tragoceres is established. Three tortoises, a crocodilian and an anura are reported for the first time. The crocodilian Diplocynodon believed to be extinct in MN 6 in Western Europe is present until the MN10 zone. A paleoenvironmental study using the diagramm’s method of T. H. Fleming and P. Andrews modified by C. Guérin & M. Faure (2002) and a primary palynologic study complete this research work. It is shown that Soblay was a forest around a water place and near a more open area with a warm and wet climate.Le site de Soblay, situé sur la commune de Saint-Martin-du-Mont (Ain), est une ancienne carrière de lignite qui a été exploitée par intermittence pendant un siècle jusqu’en 1949. Le gisement est placé dans le Vallésien, plus précisément dans la zone MN 10. La présente étude permet d’actualiser la liste faunique et de l’enrichir de sept nouveaux taxons. Elle comporte 72 taxons de vertébrés dont 67 de mammifères. Toutes les pièces de grands mammifères sont étudiées et mesurées. La présence de deux espèces d’hipparions ainsi que de deux espèces de tragocères est établie. Trois tortues, un crocodilien et un anoure sont signalés pour la première fois. L’extension temporelle du crocodilien Diplocynodon que l’on croyait éteint en MN 6 en Europe occidentale est prolongée jusqu’en MN 10. Une étude paléoenvironnementale, utilisant la méthode des diagrammes de T. H. Fleming et P. Andrews modifiée par C. Guérin & M. Faure (2002) ainsi qu’une étude palynologique préliminaire complètent ce travail. Elles montrent que le site était probablement une forêt entourant un plan d’eau à proximité d’un milieu plus ouvert sous un climat chaud et humide.Ménouret Bernard, Mein Pierre. Les vertébrés du Miocène supérieur de Soblay (Ain, France). In: Documents des Laboratoires de Géologie, Lyon, n°165, 2008. Les vertébrés du Miocène supérieur de Soblay (Ain, France) pp. 3-97

Fossil amphibians and reptiles from Plakias, Crete: A glimpse into the earliest late Miocene herpetofaunas of southeastern Europe

Fossil amphibians and reptiles from the earliest late Miocene (early Tortonian, MN 9) of Plakias (Crete, Greece) are described in this paper. Most of the material is fragmentary, precluding precise taxonomic assignment. Nevertheless, the herpetofauna of Plakias is here shown to be diverse, comprising at least six different taxa: an alytid anuran, a crocodilian, two turtles (a pan-trionychid and a geoemydid) and two squamates (an amphisbaenian and a colubroid snake). The crocodilian material represents the first such fossils described from Greece and furthermore, one of the latest occurrences of this group in Europe. The pan-trionychid and the geoemydid represent the oldest occurrences of these groups in Greece and further add to their scarce Miocene record from this country. The first description of a fossil amphisbaenian from Greece is also provided. The new specimens from Plakias add to our knowledge of the Miocene herpetofaunas of southeastern Europe.Fil: Georgalis, Georgios L.. University of Fribourg/Freiburg; Suiza. Università di Torino; ItaliaFil: Villa, Andrea. Università di Torino; ItaliaFil: Vlachos, Evangelos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; GreciaFil: Delfino, Massimo. Università di Torino; Italia. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; Españ