Plini Montoya

Evidence for an African-Iberian mammal dispersal during the pre-evaporitic Messinian

The accurate timing of biogeographic dispersal can be determined by examining the age of fossiliferous strata on either side of a physical barrier. Here we show that African mammals migrated to Iberia and European mammals migrated to North Africa at the same time before isolation of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian. The fossil site of Venta del Moro (Spain) exhibits western Europe’s most complete vertebrate fauna for the latest Miocene. Its uniquely cosmopolitan assemblage is evidence of faunal dispersals from Africa and Asia to Europe during the latest Miocene glaciation. A preliminary paleomagnetic study suggested an age of 5.8 Ma for this site, but our expanded magnetostratigraphy dates the site at 6.23 Ma. In addition, we recalibrated the paleomagnetic age of the Librilla site (Spain) and the North Africa site of Afoud-1 (Morocco) using the Astronomical Tuned Neogene Time Scale. Our results show a two-way African-Iberian mammal dispersal just before 6.2 Ma. These new ages indicate that an ephemeral land corridor existed between the two continents 250 k.y. before the onset of the Messinian Salinity Crisis, reflecting a tentative initial isolation of the Mediterranean Sea. This corridor developed after tectonics closed the Betic Seaway at 6.3 Ma and during the intensification of the latest Miocene glaciation at 6.26 Ma, when water circulation in the Mediterranean became very restricted.

Fossil remains of Macaca sylvanus florentina (Cocchi, 1872) (Primates, Cercopithecidae) from the Early Pleistocene of Quibas (Murcia, Spain)

The macaque material from the Early Pleistocene site of Quibas (Albanilla, Murcia, Spain), including dentognathic remains, isolated teeth and some postcranial bone fragments, is described. Both metrically and morphologically, this sample must be attributed to Macaca sylvanus (the Barbary macaque). This species is currently distributed through North Africa and Gibraltar, but was much more widely distributed during the Plio-Pleistocene, being represented by several European fossil subspecies. Metrical comparisons of dental size and proportions between extant M. s. sylvanus and fossil Macaca sylvanus florentina from the type locality and other Italian sites are undertaken, in order to classify the remains from Quibas at the subspecies level. The results show that the Quibas sample not only fits the range of variation of M. s. florentina from the type locality, but also differs from the extant Barbary macaque condition in several regards. This permits us to formally attribute the material from Quibas to M. s. florentina. The material described in this paper therefore significantly improves the knowledge of this fossil taxon, particularly regarding the upper dentition, and further confirms the taxonomic distinctiveness of this extinct taxon at the subspecies rank. Taken as a whole, M. s. florentina largely overlaps in dental dimensions with M. s. sylvanus, but differs from the latter by displaying (on average): (1) absolutely longer upper molars (especially M(1) and M(3)); (2) relatively wider upper molars (especially M(1) and M(2)); (3) longer M(3) as compared with the M(2); (4) absolutely longer M(1) and M(3); and (5) relatively narrower M(3).

Sierra del Colmenar 1A, a new late Messinian (Late Miocene) locality in the Bajo Segura Basin (SE Spain): biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental implications

Abstract In this paper, we have studied a new micromammal site from the Sierra del Colmenar section (Elche, SE Spain), named Sierra del Colmenar 1A (SCO-1A), representing the uppermost levels of Messinian age of the Bajo Segura Basin. The sedimentary context of this locality corresponds to a costal lagoon with marine influence. The fossil site has yielded remains of Apodemus aff. gorafensis, Paraethomys meini, Apocricetus alberti, Occitanomys alcalai, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys cf. truci, Muscardinus sp., Parasorex ibericus, Prolagus michauxi and Soricidae indet. Based on this assemblage, we propose a Late Miocene age (MN13) for the locality SCO-1A, matching the previously inferred age for the stratigraphic unit in which the fossil site is situated. According to its faunal composition, we infer warm and humid climate conditions in the moment of formation of this locality, agreeing with the environmental conditions of the Messinian age in a parallic sedimentary context.

Muridae from the late Miocene site of Venta del Moro (Eastern Spain)

Abstract Murids are usually the dominant faunas of the late Miocene and early Pliocene micromammal assemblages. The present work deals with the murid faunas of the well-known late Miocene locality of Venta del Moro, comprising over 2700 molars ascribed to the taxa Apodemus gorafensis, Occitanomys alcalai, Paraethomys meini and Stephanomys dubari. This list differs from those of previous studies by the presence of A. gorafensis instead of A. gudrunae. The presence of A. gudrunae in younger localities than Venta del Moro implies that both species, considered ancestor and descendant, coexisted for some time. In addition, the analysis of such an extensive collection has allowed us to check the variability of the studied species in great detail, such as the development of the longitudinal connections of O. alcalai, to a greater extent than previously described. Finally, we discuss the biometrical changes of the lineages of Paraethomys in Southern Europe from MN13 to MN15, and hypothesize about the mechanisms behind these variations in size.

A new species of Plesiodimylus (Dimylidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from the Early Miocene of Spain

Abstract We report a new dimylid species, Plesiodimylus ilercavonicus sp. nov., from the Early Miocene locality of Mas d’Antolino B-5 (Ribesalbes-Alcora, Castelló, Spain). This new species of Plesiodimylus is an amblyodont form of the genus and exhibits some primitive characters. The phylogenetic and palaeoenvironmental implications of this southern occurrence of Plesiodimylus in Lower Miocene sediments are discussed. http://zoobank.org/lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E78DB979-6552-4BE2-BEC9-FA2EA05B7B39

Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Venta del Moro (Cabriel Basin, Spain): biostratigraphical, phylogenetic and palaeoecological inferences

Abstract Fossil squirrels are relatively abundant in Aragonian and Ramblian assemblages, but very scarce in the Late Turolian and Ruscinian of the Iberian Peninsula. Until now, the locality of Venta del Moro has yielded over 4500 micromammal dental remains, but just nine of them are sciurids. In this assemblage, we have identified the taxa Pliopetaurista pliocaenica, Heteroxerus cf. mariatheresae and Atlantoxerus cf. margaritae. This is the first co-occurrence of the genera Pliopetaurista, Heteroxerus and Atlantoxerus in the same locality, being also one of the oldest records of P. pliocaenica, the oldest record of a form that could be related to A. margaritae, and the youngest record of the genus Heteroxerus. In addition, we hypothesize about the phylogeny of Pliopetaurista in the light of recent discoveries. Finally, the presence of the genera Heteroxerus and Atlantoxerus suggests an open environment and relatively dry environmental conditions, while Pliopetaurista is purportedly a flying squirrel, dweller of forested habitats and wet climates. Based on this, we infer an open environment of grassland type, bordered by forested habitats, agreeing with the conditions supposed for Venta del Moro according to its macromammal and floral assemblages.

Early Miocene mammal assemblages from the Campisano ravine in the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (E Spain)

We present 45 new paleontological sites with fossil mammals, their faunal lists and the syntethic stratigraphic column from the Campisano ravine in the Araia/Mas de Antolino outcrop (Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin; Valencian Community, E Spain). The synthetic stratigraphic column of this basin is divided into five units, named A to E in Anadón (X Congr Nac Sedimentol 1:9–12, 1983), and for the first time, we report a detailed stratigraphic column of Unit C, in which the studied sites are included. This ravine is divided into the following sections: Mas dels Coixos, Mas de Torner, Araia Cantera Sud, Barranc de Campisano, Foieta la Sarra, Mas d’Antolino B and Corral de Brisca. Based on the study of more than 3000 faunal remains from these localities, we infer a lower Aragonian age (MN4, Early Miocene). Particularly, the described sections can be correlated to the local biozone C, in the upper part of the MN4 of the Calatayud-Montalbán Basin (Spain), the type area of the Aragonian age.ResumenEn este trabajo presentamos 45 nuevos yacimientos paleontológicos con restos de mamíferos fósiles, así como sus respectivas listas faunísticas y la columna estratigráfica sintética del barranco de Campisano del afloramiento de Araia/Mas de Antolino (Cuenca de Ribesalbes-Alcora; Comunidad Valenciana, E de España). La columna estratigráfica sintética de esta cuenca se divide en cinco unidades, nombradas de la A a la E por Anadón (1983), por primera vez, reportamos una columna estratigráfica detallada de la Unidad C, en la cual se incluyen los yacimientos aquí estudiados. El barranco en estudio se divide en las siguiente secciones: Mas dels Coixos, Mas de Torner, Araia Cantera Sud, Barranc de Campisano, Foieta la Sarra, Mas d’Antolino B y Corral de Brisca. Basado en el estudio de más de 3000 restos faunísticos de estos yacimientos, inferimos una edad Aragoniense inferior (MN4, Mioceno Inferior). Particularmente, las secciones descritas pueden correlacionarse con la biozona local C de la Cuenca de Calatayud-Montalbán (España), área tipo de la edad Aragoniense, situada en la parte superior de la MN4