As one of the oldest known Eurasian fossil vertebrate localities, Samos late Miocene fauna attrac... more As one of the oldest known Eurasian fossil vertebrate localities, Samos late Miocene fauna attracted the interest of specialists by its richness and overall importance. Nevertheless, crucial taxonomical questions and chronological problems obscured its value. The detailed study of the local stratigraphy, the collection of new fossil material and its study, the revision of the old collections and the updated magneto-chronology of the fossiliferous deposits permited to re-discuss most of the problems in a special volume edited in 2009 by Koufos and Nagel and to provide a clearer and more precise idea about the Samos fauna and its age. A synopsis of this work is given here. The systematic study of the new collection (1200 identified specimens) allows the determination of 42 species from three fossil horizons, ranging from the upper part of early Turolian (MN11) to the end of middle Turolian (MN12). Taxonomic novelties are the presence of the carnivore genus Protictitherium found for the first time in Samos, the establishment of the new name Skoufotragus for Pachytragus Schlosser with the new species Skoufotragus zemalisorum, and the amended morphology of Pseudomeriones and Urmiatherium. Additionally six Hipparion and four Gazella species were recognized and a better morphometric distinction between Samotherium boissieri and Samotherium major was performed. This study also improved the correlation of the old fossiliferous sites with the new ones and with the local stratigraphy of the Mytilinii Basin, while precise ages have been obtained for the mammal localities. The new data together with the old collections indicate the presence in Samos of four chronologically successive mammal assemblages reflecting a ‘‘four stages-of-evolution’’ scheme. The Turolian palaeoenvironment of Samos is determined as an open bushland with thick grassy-floor of C3 graminoids with possible increase of the open and dry character from the beginning to the end of Middle Turolian. The Samos mammal faunas are palaeobiogeographically closer to the Asian ones than to those from the Greek mainland.
Recent excavations in the Mytilinii basin of Samos Island, Greece, unearthed a rich mammal fossil... more Recent excavations in the Mytilinii basin of Samos Island, Greece, unearthed a rich mammal fossil collection. Among the new Samos material, there are some proboscidean remains which are described in the present article. The Samos proboscidean assemblage ...
Two skulls, two mandibles and some postcranials ofMesopithecus from the locality “Vathylakkos 2” ... more Two skulls, two mandibles and some postcranials ofMesopithecus from the locality “Vathylakkos 2” of Axios Valley (Macedonia, Greece) enlarge our knowledge about the genus and its differentiation. The new material together with an old skull from the same locality is compared with the Pikermi, “Ravin des Zouaves 5” (Axios Valley), and Maramena (Serres basin) samples. It is concluded that the VathylakkosMesopithecus resemblesM. pentelicus from Pikermi, as wellM. delsoni from “Ravin des Zouaves 5” and it is referred asMesopithecus sp. aff.M. pentelicus. The biochronological age of “Vathylakkos 2” has been considered as MN 12, while recent magnetostratigraphic data indicate an age of about 7.5 Ma. This age confirms the position of the VathylakkosMesopithecus between Pikermi and “Ravin des Zouaves 5”. Some dental indices compared with those of the RecentCercopithecus suggest that the Vathylakkos sample is monospecific. Zwei Schädel, zwei Mandibeln und verschiedenes postkraniales Material vonMesopithecus aus der Fundstelle „Vathylakkos 2“ aus dem Axios-Tal (Mazedonien, Griechenland) erweitern die Kenntnis der Gattung und ihrer Evolution. Zusammen mit einem schon bekannten Schädel von dieser Fundstelle wird das neue Material mit den Funden aus Pikermi, „Ravin des Zouaves 5“ (Axios-Tal) und Maramena (Becken von Serres) verglichen. Das Material vonMesopithecus aus Vathylakkos ähneltM. pentelicus aus Pikermi, aber auchM. delsoni aus „Ravin des Zouaves 5“ und wird zuMesopithecus sp. aff.M. pentelicus gestellt. Das biostratigraphische Alter von „Vathylakkos 2“ wird als MN 12 angesehen, und neue magnetostratigraphische Daten ergeben ein Alter von etwa 7,5 Ma. Dieses Alter bestätigt die Stellung desMesopithecus von Vathylakkos zwischen dem von Pikermi und dem von „Ravin des Zouaves 5“. Der Vergleich einiger Dentalindizes vonMesopithecus undCercopithecus machen es wahrscheinlich, dass die Funde aus Vathylakkos nur eine Art repräsentieren.
... Theodora Vlachou Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author a... more ... Theodora Vlachou Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author and George D. Koufos. ... 1. Geological map of the Nikiti region indicating the fossiliferous localities Nikiti 1 (NKT) and Nikiti 2 (NIK) and the local stratigraphic column [Kostopoulos ...
... Fig. 2. – Palaeogeographic map of Mediterranean region with the main mammalian migration path... more ... Fig. 2. – Palaeogeographic map of Mediterranean region with the main mammalian migration pathways and arrivals in East-ern Mediterranean. ... Page 4. George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos and Theodora D. Vlachou 184 ...
As one of the oldest known Eurasian fossil vertebrate localities, Samos late Miocene fauna attrac... more As one of the oldest known Eurasian fossil vertebrate localities, Samos late Miocene fauna attracted the interest of specialists by its richness and overall importance. Nevertheless, crucial taxonomical questions and chronological problems obscured its value. The detailed study of the local stratigraphy, the collection of new fossil material and its study, the revision of the old collections and the updated magneto-chronology of the fossiliferous deposits permited to re-discuss most of the problems in a special volume edited in 2009 by Koufos and Nagel and to provide a clearer and more precise idea about the Samos fauna and its age. A synopsis of this work is given here. The systematic study of the new collection (1200 identified specimens) allows the determination of 42 species from three fossil horizons, ranging from the upper part of early Turolian (MN11) to the end of middle Turolian (MN12). Taxonomic novelties are the presence of the carnivore genus Protictitherium found for the first time in Samos, the establishment of the new name Skoufotragus for Pachytragus Schlosser with the new species Skoufotragus zemalisorum, and the amended morphology of Pseudomeriones and Urmiatherium. Additionally six Hipparion and four Gazella species were recognized and a better morphometric distinction between Samotherium boissieri and Samotherium major was performed. This study also improved the correlation of the old fossiliferous sites with the new ones and with the local stratigraphy of the Mytilinii Basin, while precise ages have been obtained for the mammal localities. The new data together with the old collections indicate the presence in Samos of four chronologically successive mammal assemblages reflecting a ‘‘four stages-of-evolution’’ scheme. The Turolian palaeoenvironment of Samos is determined as an open bushland with thick grassy-floor of C3 graminoids with possible increase of the open and dry character from the beginning to the end of Middle Turolian. The Samos mammal faunas are palaeobiogeographically closer to the Asian ones than to those from the Greek mainland.
Recent excavations in the Mytilinii basin of Samos Island, Greece, unearthed a rich mammal fossil... more Recent excavations in the Mytilinii basin of Samos Island, Greece, unearthed a rich mammal fossil collection. Among the new Samos material, there are some proboscidean remains which are described in the present article. The Samos proboscidean assemblage ...
Two skulls, two mandibles and some postcranials ofMesopithecus from the locality “Vathylakkos 2” ... more Two skulls, two mandibles and some postcranials ofMesopithecus from the locality “Vathylakkos 2” of Axios Valley (Macedonia, Greece) enlarge our knowledge about the genus and its differentiation. The new material together with an old skull from the same locality is compared with the Pikermi, “Ravin des Zouaves 5” (Axios Valley), and Maramena (Serres basin) samples. It is concluded that the VathylakkosMesopithecus resemblesM. pentelicus from Pikermi, as wellM. delsoni from “Ravin des Zouaves 5” and it is referred asMesopithecus sp. aff.M. pentelicus. The biochronological age of “Vathylakkos 2” has been considered as MN 12, while recent magnetostratigraphic data indicate an age of about 7.5 Ma. This age confirms the position of the VathylakkosMesopithecus between Pikermi and “Ravin des Zouaves 5”. Some dental indices compared with those of the RecentCercopithecus suggest that the Vathylakkos sample is monospecific. Zwei Schädel, zwei Mandibeln und verschiedenes postkraniales Material vonMesopithecus aus der Fundstelle „Vathylakkos 2“ aus dem Axios-Tal (Mazedonien, Griechenland) erweitern die Kenntnis der Gattung und ihrer Evolution. Zusammen mit einem schon bekannten Schädel von dieser Fundstelle wird das neue Material mit den Funden aus Pikermi, „Ravin des Zouaves 5“ (Axios-Tal) und Maramena (Becken von Serres) verglichen. Das Material vonMesopithecus aus Vathylakkos ähneltM. pentelicus aus Pikermi, aber auchM. delsoni aus „Ravin des Zouaves 5“ und wird zuMesopithecus sp. aff.M. pentelicus gestellt. Das biostratigraphische Alter von „Vathylakkos 2“ wird als MN 12 angesehen, und neue magnetostratigraphische Daten ergeben ein Alter von etwa 7,5 Ma. Dieses Alter bestätigt die Stellung desMesopithecus von Vathylakkos zwischen dem von Pikermi und dem von „Ravin des Zouaves 5“. Der Vergleich einiger Dentalindizes vonMesopithecus undCercopithecus machen es wahrscheinlich, dass die Funde aus Vathylakkos nur eine Art repräsentieren.
... Theodora Vlachou Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author a... more ... Theodora Vlachou Corresponding Author Contact Information , E-mail The Corresponding Author and George D. Koufos. ... 1. Geological map of the Nikiti region indicating the fossiliferous localities Nikiti 1 (NKT) and Nikiti 2 (NIK) and the local stratigraphic column [Kostopoulos ...
... Fig. 2. – Palaeogeographic map of Mediterranean region with the main mammalian migration path... more ... Fig. 2. – Palaeogeographic map of Mediterranean region with the main mammalian migration pathways and arrivals in East-ern Mediterranean. ... Page 4. George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos and Theodora D. Vlachou 184 ...
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overall importance. Nevertheless, crucial taxonomical questions and chronological problems obscured its value. The detailed study of the local
stratigraphy, the collection of new fossil material and its study, the revision of the old collections and the updated magneto-chronology of the
fossiliferous deposits permited to re-discuss most of the problems in a special volume edited in 2009 by Koufos and Nagel and to provide a clearer
and more precise idea about the Samos fauna and its age. A synopsis of this work is given here. The systematic study of the new collection (1200
identified specimens) allows the determination of 42 species from three fossil horizons, ranging from the upper part of early Turolian (MN11) to the
end of middle Turolian (MN12). Taxonomic novelties are the presence of the carnivore genus Protictitherium found for the first time in Samos, the
establishment of the new name Skoufotragus for Pachytragus Schlosser with the new species Skoufotragus zemalisorum, and the amended
morphology of Pseudomeriones and Urmiatherium. Additionally six Hipparion and four Gazella species were recognized and a better
morphometric distinction between Samotherium boissieri and Samotherium major was performed. This study also improved the correlation
of the old fossiliferous sites with the new ones and with the local stratigraphy of the Mytilinii Basin, while precise ages have been obtained for the
mammal localities. The new data together with the old collections indicate the presence in Samos of four chronologically successive mammal
assemblages reflecting a ‘‘four stages-of-evolution’’ scheme. The Turolian palaeoenvironment of Samos is determined as an open bushland with
thick grassy-floor of C3 graminoids with possible increase of the open and dry character from the beginning to the end of Middle Turolian. The
Samos mammal faunas are palaeobiogeographically closer to the Asian ones than to those from the Greek mainland.
overall importance. Nevertheless, crucial taxonomical questions and chronological problems obscured its value. The detailed study of the local
stratigraphy, the collection of new fossil material and its study, the revision of the old collections and the updated magneto-chronology of the
fossiliferous deposits permited to re-discuss most of the problems in a special volume edited in 2009 by Koufos and Nagel and to provide a clearer
and more precise idea about the Samos fauna and its age. A synopsis of this work is given here. The systematic study of the new collection (1200
identified specimens) allows the determination of 42 species from three fossil horizons, ranging from the upper part of early Turolian (MN11) to the
end of middle Turolian (MN12). Taxonomic novelties are the presence of the carnivore genus Protictitherium found for the first time in Samos, the
establishment of the new name Skoufotragus for Pachytragus Schlosser with the new species Skoufotragus zemalisorum, and the amended
morphology of Pseudomeriones and Urmiatherium. Additionally six Hipparion and four Gazella species were recognized and a better
morphometric distinction between Samotherium boissieri and Samotherium major was performed. This study also improved the correlation
of the old fossiliferous sites with the new ones and with the local stratigraphy of the Mytilinii Basin, while precise ages have been obtained for the
mammal localities. The new data together with the old collections indicate the presence in Samos of four chronologically successive mammal
assemblages reflecting a ‘‘four stages-of-evolution’’ scheme. The Turolian palaeoenvironment of Samos is determined as an open bushland with
thick grassy-floor of C3 graminoids with possible increase of the open and dry character from the beginning to the end of Middle Turolian. The
Samos mammal faunas are palaeobiogeographically closer to the Asian ones than to those from the Greek mainland.