Abstract

Fluviatile deposits of the Krutaya Gorka regional formation host a new locality of Early Pliocene continental biota from southern Western Siberia. The Novaya Livenka site provides important data on palynology, paleocarpology, molluscs, fishes, and small mammals, mostly coming from a single fossiliferous bed. This study is the first successful insight into regional Early Pliocene palynology reliably controlled by the stage of mammalian evolution. The micromammal association is dominated by remains of pika Ochotona sp. and the primitive brachyodont vole Promimomys. Important biochronological and paleoecological elements of the fauna also include a shrew Parasoriculus, a hazel dormouse Muscardinus, a small beaver Trogontherium and other forms. The vole P. cf. davakosi characterizes a regional phyletic stage of Arvicolinae between a more brachyodont P. antiquus of earlier Ruscinian and forms of the vole radiation event of the late Ruscinian. Synthetic biotic data enable a reconstruction of a smaller water body with a slow current fringed by patches of broad-leaved and conifer forest, and meadow and steppe-like open landscapes under a humid and warm temperate climate. Biochronologic signals of mammals and palynology imply the Early Pliocene age of the biota and its correlation with late early Ruscinian ELMA (MN 14) and mid-Zanclean between ca. 4.5 and 4.3 Ma.

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Abstract

Small fossil vertebrates from several Pliocene and Pleistocene localities in Central Anatolia (Turkey) are reviewed. Data on small mammals represent assemblages from the early Pliocene (MN 14: Nasrettinhoca 1, 2 and Hamamkarahisar A, B), and late Pliocene (MN 16: Hoyhoytepe 1, 2, 3 and Mercan 1); Early Pleistocene (MN 17: Mercan 2), and Middle Pleistocene (MQ 1/MQ 2: Yenişarbademli). The biochronology related characters of arvicolines Promimomys, Mimomys, Microtus, Lagurus and Clethrionomys are briefly discussed. Data on the systematics of fossil amphibians and reptiles is also described from these localities. The early Pliocene (MN 14) assemblages significantly add to knowledge on the herpetofaunal composition of this stratigraphic level, which until now was poorly characterized in Turkey. Remains of Pelobatidae, Bufonidae, Ranidae, Amphisbaenia and Natricinae are reported for the first time from the MN 14 biozone of Turkey. Palaeobatrachus from Mercan 1 extends the temporal range of this group in the Eastern Mediterranean into the late Pliocene. The described remains of amphibians and reptiles from Turkey span a considerable stratigraphic range from the early Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene (time interval of about 5 Ma) and partly fill a gap in the palaeoherpetofaunal record of the Eastern Mediterranean.

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