Europe's last anthracothere (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from Ribolla (MN 12) Italy. (2nd January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pickford, Martin
• Is Part Of: Historical biology. Volume 34:Number 1(2022)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2022-01-02
• Subjects: Anthracotheriidae -- biogeography -- biochronology -- palaeoecology -- University of Florence; Paleobiology -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; Paleontology -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Paleontology -- Periodicals; Evolution -- Periodicals; 560.5
• DOI: 10.1080/08912963.2021.1900169
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0891-2963

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Anthracotheres are generally considered to have gone extinct in Europe at the end of the early Miocene (summit MN 4 to base MN 5, Burdigalian) whereas they persisted in Africa until the latest Miocene and in India into the Pleistocene. However, in 1910, Stehlin described an anthracothere upper molar in a fragment of the maxilla, reported to be from Monte Massi (Casteani) Italy (late Miocene -Turolian): Anthracotherium (?) meneghinii but its affinities have remained elusive ever since its description, partly due to the fact that the specimen is poorly preserved and the only tooth is deeply worn. The fossil has been described as being somewhat larger than Microbunodon . Herein, an additional fossil anthracothere fossil is described from the lignites of Ribolla, Italy. It comprises a left mandible fragment with well-preserved m/3 and the roots of m/2. It represents a hitherto unknown genus and species of anthracothere, probably related to Microbunodon, and proves the presence of this family of mammals in Europe at the end of the Miocene (Turolian, MN 12).