Evangelia Tsoukala

The Tapiridae, Rhinocerotidae and Suidae (Mammalia) of the Early Villafranchian site of Milia (Grevena, Macedonia, Greece)

ABSTRACT The fossiliferous site of Milia (Grevena, N. Greece) is best known for the excavation of the longest tusks of Mammut borsoni (Hays, 1834) in the world (4.39 m and 5.02 m). In association with this species occur the Tapir Tapirus arvernensis arvernensis Croizet & Jobert, 1828, the Rhinocerotidae Dicerorhinus jeanvireti Guérin, 1972 and the Suidae Sus avernensis arvernensis Croizet & Jobert, 1828. The first species is represented by two fossils corresponding to one adult and one juvenile individual, the second species is represented by 197 identified remains among which 68 are measurable specimens corresponding to eight adult and one juvenile individuals, and the third species by nine specimens. The dimensions are compared with those of European Ruscinian and Villafranchian species from the same families: Tapirus arvernensis Croizet & Jobert, 1828 and T. jeanpiveteaui Boeuf, 1991 for the tapir, Dicerorhinus megarhinus (de Christof 1834), D. miguelcrusafonti Guérin & Santafe, 1978, D. jeanvireti Guérin, 1972 and D. etruscus etruscus (Falconer, 1859) for the rhinoceros, Potamochoerus provincialis (Gervais, 1859), Sus arvernensis Croizet & Jobert, 1828 and S. strozzii Forsyth Major, 1881 for the boar. The association of Tapirus arvernensis arvernensis, Dicerorhinus jeanvireti and Sus arvernensis arvernensis allows us to date the site to biozone MNQ 16 (Earliest Villafranchian). The degree of evolution of the Milia D. jeanvireti population allows us to assign to it an age somewhat younger than that of Vialette. The faunal association is a clear indication of a forested landscape in a warm and relatively wet climate.

Remains of a Pliocene Mammut borsoni (Hays, 1834) (Proboscidea, Mammalia), from Milia (Grevena, W. Macedonia, Greece)

Abstract A partial skeleton of the mastodont Mammut borsoni (Hays, 1834) (Proboscidea), was excavated from Pliocene deposits at Milia — Grevena, W. Macedonia, in 1996–1999. The skeleton includes substantial portions of the skull — maxillary area — with left and right molar series (M 2 + M 3 ); with the longest upper tusks ever found in Greece (4.39 m); the most complete mandible with left and right molar series (M 2 + M 3 ) and two lower incisor tusks, as well as post-cranial skeleton. It represents a very large adult of about 40 years in age. The high age of the finding is partly corroborated by ESR dating studies of tooth enamel, indicating an age probably beyond the upper dating range of this technique (approx. 800 000 years). The evolutionary position of this specimen among mammutids is also discussed.

Cheirogaster bacharidisi, sp. nov., a new species of a giant tortoise from the Pliocene of Thessaloniki (Macedonia, Greece)

ABSTRACT In this paper, we describe a new species of a giant tortoise, Cheirogaster bacharidisi, sp. nov., from the Pliocene (Gonia Formation) of western Chalkidiki Peninsula, near Thessaloniki, Greece. The specimens constitute the most complete giant tortoise found to date in Greece, and provide materials for direct comparison with other described European forms. We assign it to the genus Cheirogaster, as opposed to Centrochelys, based upon the convex dorsal surface of the epiplastron. Direct comparison with material from Europe shows that it differs from other giant tortoises attributed to Cheirogaster mainly in cranial and plastral morphology. Exceptional postcranial preservation allows the description of many skeletal elements, previously unknown or poorly described for Cheirogaster, as well as for a reappraisal of the previously published specimens from Greece.

Study of fossil bones by synchrotron radiation micro-spectroscopic techniques and scanning electron microscopy

Earlymost Villafranchian fossil bones of an artiodactyl and a perissodactyl from the Milia excavation site in Grevena, Greece, were studied in order to evaluate diagenetic effects. Optical microscopy revealed the different bone types (fibro-lamellar and Haversian, respectively) of the two fragments and their good preservation state. The spatial distribution of bone apatite and soil-originating elements was studied using micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) mapping and scanning electron microscopy. The approximate value of the Ca/P ratio was 2.2, as determined from scanning electron microscopy measurements. Bacterial boring was detected close to the periosteal region and Fe bearing oxides were found to fill bone cavities, e.g. Haversian canals and osteocyte lacunae. In the perissodactyl bone considerable amounts of Mn were detected close to cracks (the Mn/Fe weight ratio takes values up to 3.5). Goethite and pyrite were detected in both samples by means of metallographic microscopy. The local Ca/P ratio determined with µ-XRF varied significantly in metal-poor spots indicating spatial inhomogeneities in the ionic substitutions. XRF line scans that span the bone cross sections revealed that Fe and Mn contaminate the bones from both the periosteum and medullar cavity and aggregate around local maxima. The formation of goethite, irrespective of the local Fe concentration, was verified by the Fe K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectra. Finally, Sr K-edge extended XAFS (EXAFS) revealed that Sr substitutes for Ca in bone apatite without obvious preference to the Ca1 or Ca2 unit-cell site occupation.

Deinotherium giganteum Kaup(Proboscidea) from Kassandra peninsula (Chalkidiki, Macedonia, Greece)

In the present paper remains of a Deinotherium giganteum Kaup from Agia Paraskevi area (Kassandra, Chalkidiki)is studied. Three upper cheek teeth (P3, P4 and M1), very well preserved, are described and discussed. It is the first mammalian occurence noted up to now in this peninsula and its identification contributes to the knowledge of the geology of the area, as the sand deposits where the proboscid remains have been found are dated more accurately. The distribution of this animal over Greece is also discusised.

The first record of a soft-shelled turtle (Testudines: Pan-Trionychidae) from southern Balkans (Pliocene, Gefira, N. Greece) and new information from bone histology

Soft-shelled turtles (Pan-Trionychidae) are not included in the present-day chelonian fauna of Greece and have been unknown in the Greek fossil record up to now. Here, we report the first fossil occurrence of a soft-shelled turtle from Greece, originating from the Pliocene Gefira Member (Angelochori Formation), in the lower Axios valley. The corresponding specimens were discovered with several mammalian remains, most of them attributable to the mastodon of Auvergne, Anancus arvernensis. The chelonian material includes five carapacial fragments that belong to the same individual and can be attributed to Pan-Trionychidae based on the typical sculpturing on the dorsal side of the carapace. Most of these bony plates were histologically sampled and thereby provide evidence for the “plywood” structure, another characteristic of pan-trionychids. They represent the first extended sampling of trionychid plates that belong to the same individual, allowing the documentation of the variation of the relevant trionychid morphologies in the carapace. These findings expand the paleobiogeographic range of this taxon to the southern Balkans and Greece and allow a better estimation of the chelonian paleo-fauna of the area. They are also important for the temporal distribution of this clade in the Paleoarctic, as they join specimens from Italy as being the last trionychids in Europe.

A SKULL OF ANCYLOTHERIUM (CHALICOTHERIIDAE, MAMMALIA) FROM THE LATE MIOCENE OF THERMOPIGI (SERRES, N. GREECE) AND THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE GENUS

Abstract The locality of Thermopigi in northern Greece has yielded a well-preserved skull of Ancylotherium pentelicum, among a rich collection of late Miocene mammals. It is the most complete Ancylotherium skull ever reported, and lack of crushing makes it especially valuable. Its most remarkable feature is the inflation of the frontal bone, which is strongly reminiscent of the dome of the North American Tylocephalonyx Coombs, 1979, although the degree of inflation is weaker than in that genus. An analysis of some characters found in the Miocene Schizotheriinae leads to the conclusion that Ancylotherium is more likely to be closely related to other Eurasian and African members of this subfamily than to Tylocephalonyx, and that the domes evolved in parallel.

The pleistocene large mammalsfrom the agios georgios cave, kilkis (macedonia, n. greece)

Abstract In the present paper, the new Pleistocene site of the Agios Georgios cave (Kilkis, 50 km north of Thessaloniki) isstudied. The large mammal fauna of carnivores, artiodactyles and perissodactyles is preliminarily described and discussed. This material of more than 200 bones, bone fragments, a skull, antlers, mandibles and teeth, represents animals which lived in the area during the Upper Pleistocene. The following species are identified: Crocuta crocuta spelaea ( Goldfuss ), Vulpes vulpes (L.), Mustela putorious robusta Newton , Bos primigenius Bojanus , Cervus elaphus L., Equus hydruntinus Regalia , Equus caballus cf. germanicus . The hyaenas inhabited the cave, as established by the presence of many remains of juveniles and of their food. The presence of Mustela putorious robusta is recognized for the first time in Greece. The paleoenvironment was probably an arborescent grass-land and the prevailing paleoclimate was rather warm.

Hipparion phlegrae, sp. nov. (Mammalia, Perissodactyla): a new species from the Turolian locality of Kryopigi (Kassandra, Chalkidiki, Greece)

ABSTRACT A new hipparion species, Hipparion phlegrae, sp. nov., is described on the basis of both morphological characters and metrical data as a member of Hipparion s.s. It is compared with H. dietrichi, H. prostylum, and similar forms of the Greco-Iranian province. The age of the Kryopigi fauna is discussed as Turolian on the basis of the hipparion assemblage, whereas the coexistence of a small Cremohipparion referred here as C. matthewi/nikosi indicates that H. phlegrae, sp. nov., is probably a derived species in respect to H. prostylum. The decreased size of the H. phlegrae and the short and wide muzzle are discussed for Hipparion s.s. during the Turolian period. Phylogenetic relationships of the new species and related taxa are reconstructed and also considered.

Characterization of fossil remains using XRF, XPS and XAFS spectroscopies

Synchrotron radiation micro-X-Ray Fluorescence (μ-XRF), X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) spectroscopies are applied for the study of paleontological findings. More specifically the costal plate of a gigantic terrestrial turtle Titanochelon bacharidisi and a fossilized coprolite of the cave spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea are studied. Ca L 2,3-edge NEXAFS and Ca 2p XPS are applied for the identification and quantification of apatite and Ca containing minerals. XRF mapping and XAFS are employed for the study of the spatial distribution and speciation of the minerals related to the deposition environment.