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Extreme Body Size Variation in Pleistocene Dwarf Elephants from the Siculo-Maltese Palaeoarchipelago: Disentangling the Causes in Time and Space

by Matthew Edward Scarborough

Quaternary 2022, 5(1), 17; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5010017 - 11 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5328

Abstract

The phenomenon of insular dwarfism in proboscideans is particularly well represented on the Siculo-Maltese Palaeoarchipelago, an island group on which a species complex of palaeoloxodont elephants evolved during the Middle-Late Pleistocene. This likely included three species from Malta, four from Sicily (and possibly [...] Read more.

The phenomenon of insular dwarfism in proboscideans is particularly well represented on the Siculo-Maltese Palaeoarchipelago, an island group on which a species complex of palaeoloxodont elephants evolved during the Middle-Late Pleistocene. This likely included three species from Malta, four from Sicily (and possibly its palaeo-islands), and one from Favignana Island, ranging in size from the 1 m-tall Palaeoloxodon falconeri to continental-sized 4m-tall P. antiquus. However, our understanding of the causes for extreme differences in body size among insular samples in such a small geographic region is still limited. Here, I document the full range in size of elephants from the palaeoarchipelago, and discuss the reasons for size differences on the three islands in time and space in relation to predation, competition, resource limitation, accelerated life history, and duration of isolation. Differences in size between larger and smaller Sicilian elephants from Luparello Fissure, as well as possibly also in P. ex gr. P. mnaidriensis from Puntali Cave, San Teodoro Cave, and Favignana Island, may relate to the duration of isolation, or alternatively environmental stressors associated with the Last Glacial Maximum in the case of the Favignana elephant. Additionally, small but significant differences in size observable in Middle Pleistocene P. ex gr. P. falconeri from different localities on Sicily, as well as in Maltese P. ‘melitensis’ may also relate to duration of isolation, highlighting the need for better geochronological data in order to better distinguish macro-ecological causes driving body size change from more subtle effects relating to duration of isolation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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35 pages, 4857 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Taxonomy, Systematics and Evolution of Giant Deer Megaloceros Giganteus (Blumenbach, 1799) (Cervidae, Mammalia) from the Pleistocene of Eurasia

by Roman Croitor

Quaternary 2021, 4(4), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4040036 - 15 Nov 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 10252

Abstract

The article presents a preliminary morphological description of the holotype of Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach, 1799) that serves for the description of the species. The article proposes a taxonomical and morphological revision of the nominotypical subspecies M. giganteus giganteus and morphological comparison with [...] Read more.

The article presents a preliminary morphological description of the holotype of Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach, 1799) that serves for the description of the species. The article proposes a taxonomical and morphological revision of the nominotypical subspecies M. giganteus giganteus and morphological comparison with other subspecies of M. giganteus. The cluster analysis of diagnostic craniodental and antler characters revealed the systematic position and phylogenetic relationships of M. giganteus with other cervid groups. The genus Praedama is regarded as a closely related phylogenetic branch that linked to the direct cursorial forerunner of Megaloceros that evolved in the middle latitudes of Western Siberia and northern Kazakhstan. The genus Dama has a distant relationship with Megaloceros and represents an earlier phylogenetic branch that evolved in the Ponto-Mediterranean area. The article discusses the secondary adaptations of M. giganteus forms to forest and woodland habitats in Europe and general paleobiogeographic features of the Megaloceros lineage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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16 pages, 35324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Preliminary Analysis of Cave Lion Cubs Panthera spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) from the Permafrost of Siberia

by Gennady G. Boeskorov, Valery V. Plotnikov, Albert V. Protopopov, Gennady F. Baryshnikov, Philippe Fosse, Love Dalén, David W. G. Stanton, Innokenty S. Pavlov, Naoki Suzuki and Alexey N. Tikhonov

Quaternary 2021, 4(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4030024 - 4 Aug 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 63230

Abstract

A preliminary description is presented of the well-preserved frozen mummies of two cubs of the extinct cave lion Panthera spelaea (finds of 2017–2018, Semyuelyakh River, Yakutia, eastern Siberia, Russia). The fossil lion cubs were found in close proximity, but they do not belong [...] Read more.

A preliminary description is presented of the well-preserved frozen mummies of two cubs of the extinct cave lion Panthera spelaea (finds of 2017–2018, Semyuelyakh River, Yakutia, eastern Siberia, Russia). The fossil lion cubs were found in close proximity, but they do not belong to the same litter, since their radiocarbon ages differ: the female (named ‘Sparta’) was dated to 27,962 ± 109 uncal years BP, and the male (named ‘Boris’) was dated to 43,448 ± 389 uncal years BP. The lion cubs have similar individual ages, 1–2 months. The general tone of the colour of the fur coat of Sparta is greyish to light brown, whereas, in Boris, the fur is generally lighter, greyish yellowish. It is, therefore, possible that light colouration prevailed with age in cave lions and was adaptive for northern snow-covered landscapes. The article discusses the results of computed tomography of cubs of the cave lion, the possible reasons for their death, and the peculiarities of their existence in the Siberian Arctic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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24 pages, 10404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reconsidering the Equids from the Early Pleistocene Fauna of Apollonia 1 (Mygdonia Basin, Greece)

by Anastasia G. Gkeme, George D. Koufos and Dimitris S. Kostopoulos

Quaternary 2021, 4(2), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4020012 - 9 Apr 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4008

Abstract

The remains of equids are abundant in the Early Pleistocene faunas of Greece. “Apollonia-1” is one of the richest localities from the latest Villafranchian, providing eight skulls, mandibular remains and plenty of postcranial material during several field campaigns. This study focuses mainly on [...] Read more.

The remains of equids are abundant in the Early Pleistocene faunas of Greece. “Apollonia-1” is one of the richest localities from the latest Villafranchian, providing eight skulls, mandibular remains and plenty of postcranial material during several field campaigns. This study focuses mainly on the skulls, mandibular remains and metapodials from the old and new collection described in detail. The specimens are compared with equids from several Greek and European fossiliferous localities dating from the late Villafranchian to the middle Galerian. The systematic position of Equus apolloniensis is also discussed. Based on its basicranial proportions, E. apolloniensis is considered a true Equus. A second species has also been identified recently, here referred to as Equus sp.; it is poorly represented, and it is even larger and more robust than E. apolloniensis based on a single metacarpal and third phalanges. The presence of two equid species in Apollonia 1 validates its Epivillafranchian (=latest Villafranchian) age. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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21 pages, 3448 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prey Size Decline as a Unifying Ecological Selecting Agent in Pleistocene Human Evolution

by Miki Ben-Dor and Ran Barkai

Quaternary 2021, 4(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4010007 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 32100

Abstract

We hypothesize that megafauna extinctions throughout the Pleistocene, that led to a progressive decline in large prey availability, were a primary selecting agent in key evolutionary and cultural changes in human prehistory. The Pleistocene human past is characterized by a series of transformations [...] Read more.

We hypothesize that megafauna extinctions throughout the Pleistocene, that led to a progressive decline in large prey availability, were a primary selecting agent in key evolutionary and cultural changes in human prehistory. The Pleistocene human past is characterized by a series of transformations that include the evolution of new physiological traits and the adoption, assimilation, and replacement of cultural and behavioral patterns. Some changes, such as brain expansion, use of fire, developments in stone-tool technologies, or the scale of resource intensification, were uncharacteristically progressive. We previously hypothesized that humans specialized in acquiring large prey because of their higher foraging efficiency, high biomass density, higher fat content, and the use of less complex tools for their acquisition. Here, we argue that the need to mitigate the additional energetic cost of acquiring progressively smaller prey may have been an ecological selecting agent in fundamental adaptive modes demonstrated in the Paleolithic archaeological record. We describe several potential associations between prey size decline and specific evolutionary and cultural changes that might have been driven by the need to adapt to increased energetic demands while hunting and processing smaller and smaller game. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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18 pages, 4867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dating of the Lower Pleistocene Vertebrate Site of Tsiotra Vryssi (Mygdonia Basin, Greece): Biochronology, Magnetostratigraphy, and Cosmogenic Radionuclides

by George E. Konidaris, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos, Matteo Maron, Mirjam Schaller, Todd A. Ehlers, Elina Aidona, Mattia Marini, Vangelis Tourloukis, Giovanni Muttoni, George D. Koufos and Katerina Harvati

Quaternary 2021, 4(1), 1; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4010001 - 8 Jan 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5339 | Correction

Abstract

Background and scope: The late Villafranchian large mammal age (~2.0–1.2 Ma) of the Early Pleistocene is a crucial interval of time for mammal/hominin migrations and faunal turnovers in western Eurasia. However, an accurate chronological framework for the Balkans and adjacent territories is still [...] Read more.

Background and scope: The late Villafranchian large mammal age (~2.0–1.2 Ma) of the Early Pleistocene is a crucial interval of time for mammal/hominin migrations and faunal turnovers in western Eurasia. However, an accurate chronological framework for the Balkans and adjacent territories is still missing, preventing pan-European biogeographic correlations and schemes. In this article, we report the first detailed chronological scheme for the late Villafranchian of southeastern Europe through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary dating approach (biochronology, magnetostratigraphy, and cosmogenic radionuclides) of the recently discovered Lower Pleistocene vertebrate site Tsiotra Vryssi (TSR) in the Mygdonia Basin, Greece. Results: The minimum burial ages (1.88 ± 0.16 Ma, 2.10 ± 0.18 Ma, and 1.98 ± 0.18 Ma) provided by the method of cosmogenic radionuclides indicate that the normal magnetic polarity identified below the fossiliferous layer correlates to the Olduvai subchron (1.95–1.78 Ma; C2n). Therefore, an age younger than 1.78 Ma is indicated for the fossiliferous layer, which was deposited during reverse polarity chron C1r. These results are in agreement with the biochronological data, which further point to an upper age limit at ~1.5 Ma. Overall, an age between 1.78 and ~1.5 Ma (i.e., within the first part of the late Villafranchian) is proposed for the TSR fauna. Conclusions: Our results not only provide age constraints for the local mammal faunal succession, thus allowing for a better understanding of faunal changes within the same sedimentary basin, but also contribute to improving correlations on a broader scale, leading to more accurate biogeographic, palaeoecological, and taphonomic interpretations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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16 pages, 4628 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetostratigraphy and Chronology of the Lower Pleistocene Primate Bearing Dafnero Fossil Site, N. Greece

by Mouloud Benammi, Elina Aidona, Gildas Merceron, George D. Koufos and Dimitris S. Kostopoulos

Quaternary 2020, 3(3), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat3030022 - 26 Jul 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4167

Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to the stratigraphic and geochronological evaluation of the primate bearing Dafnero fossil site of Northern Greece by means of lithostratigraphic, paleomagnetic and paleontological analyses. The 60 m thick fossiliferous deposits of fluviatile origin are recognized as representing a [...] Read more.

This paper aims to contribute to the stratigraphic and geochronological evaluation of the primate bearing Dafnero fossil site of Northern Greece by means of lithostratigraphic, paleomagnetic and paleontological analyses. The 60 m thick fossiliferous deposits of fluviatile origin are recognized as representing a typical braided-river sequence unconformably overlying molassic sediments. Rock magnetic investigations indicate the presence of both medium and low coercivity minerals. Paleomagnetic sampling of the Dafnero sediments yielded a stable magnetic remanence, and the characteristic remanent magnetization directions pass reversal test with dual polarity. Based on calibration from mammal fossils, the normal polarity magnetozone N1 located in the upper third of the studied section could correlate with chron C2n (the Olduvai subchron), suggesting that the fossil horizon is within C2r with an extrapolated age of 2.4–2.3 Ma and rather closer to the upper age limit. The results allow the re-calibration of several middle Villafranchian assemblages of S. Balkans and the correlation of the corresponding mammal fauna with the environmental shifts of Praetiglian, as it is recorded in climatostratigraphic data from the Black Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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16 pages, 2112 KiB

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Pleistocene Mammals from Pampean Region (Argentina). Biostratigraphic, Biogeographic, and Environmental Implications

by José Luis Prado, María Teresa Alberdi and Jonathan Bellinzoni

Quaternary 2021, 4(2), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat4020015 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4430

Abstract

The Pampean Region contains sedimentary sequences with abundant mammal fossil records, which constitute the chronological outline of the Plio–Pleistocene of South America. These classic localities have been used for more than a century to correlate with other South American regions. Throughout this time, [...] Read more.

The Pampean Region contains sedimentary sequences with abundant mammal fossil records, which constitute the chronological outline of the Plio–Pleistocene of South America. These classic localities have been used for more than a century to correlate with other South American regions. Throughout this time, a series of misinterpretations have appeared. To understand the stratigraphic significance of these localities and the geochronological situation of each unit referring to the Pleistocene, a critical historical study of the antecedents was carried out, evaluating the state of each unit. The biostratigraphic studies of the Pampean Region’s mammalian faunas improved the understanding of biogeographic changes taking into account the environmental fluctuations of the Pleistocene. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Quaternary Studies: The Contribution of Mammalian Fossil Record II)

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