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Ursus thibetanus Baryshnikov Zakharov 2013
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A comparison of fossil teeth of Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) from the Middle Pleistocene layers of Kudaro 1 Cave and Kudaro 3 Cave with those from other Caucasian and West European localities showed a marked morphological similarity, allowing the studied material to be referred to the subspecies U. t. mediterraneus. This fossil subspecies is distinguished from the recent subspecies U. thibetanus by its larger tooth size. The morphology of the metapodial bones from the Kudaro Caves suggests that during the Middle Pleistocene in the Caucasus the Asian black bear led an arboreal mode of life.
Arvicolid-based regional biostratigraphic zones were recently proposed for the Quaternary of southern East Europe (PEVZNER et al. 2001, VANGENGEIM et al. 2001). This work has led to a detailed biostratigraphic zonal scale for the Late Pliocene continental deposits of southern East Europe (TESAKOV 2004). The taxonomic analysis of vole assemblages from the Northern Black Sea Region, from the Sea of Azov Region, from Northern Caucasus, from the Volga Region, as well as from the south Urals granted six (MNR 1-6) concurrent range zones (CRZ) of arvicolids of four evolutionary lineages: Borsodia - Prolagurus, Mimomys hajnackensis - M. pliocaenicus, Mimomys hintoni - M. pusillus, and Pitymimomys inceptor - P. pilymyoides. The Early Pliocene record of the region includes five arvicolid range zones (RZ) based on the succession of forms in the Promimomys and Pliomys groups. The successive zones of Pliomys destinatus, Pliomys kowalskii, Promimomys moldavicus, Promimomys ex gr. antiquus, Promimomys insuliferus are recognized. In terms of biostratigraphy, zones of our usage correspond to chronozones of International Stratigraphic Guide (MURPHY & SALVADOR 1999) and to their time equivalents. Evolutionary stages within each lineage were established mainly on the progressive increase of hypsodonty using RABEDER'S (1981) quantitative indices (HH-index). We explain how we defined the boundaries and age of each zone; we also describe their type and reference localities as well as their faunal content. Boundary ages were given by combined paleomagnetic and biostratigraphic data, as well as by molluscan faunas in localities confined to marine deposits. © E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele u. Obermiller), 2007.
The biostratigraphical subdivision of the Quaternary in central Europe has followed various approaches, and its terminology is correspondingly large. At first, stages in the development of mammal fauna were named after the sites of typical finds and arranged chronologically (e.g. KRETZOI 1962, 1969, JANOSSY 1969). Repeated efforts to correlate them with glacial and interglacials were difficult, however, because most fauna came from unglaciated regions, and no correlations based on well-defined superpositions were possible. The faunal succession had already shown that the number of interglacials in the classic system was not enough to explain the different warm-stage faunas. Deep-sea boreholes soon showed that the number of oscillations was much higher than PENCK & BRÜCKNER (1909) had assumed. The biostratigraphical subdivision of the Late Tertiary was refined by defining the boundaries of the individual stages by first and last appearances of characteristic species of mammals (FAD = First Appearance Date, LAD = Last Appearance Date).
A revision of the currently available mandibular and dental material of bears from the Late Villányian locality Villány 3 (Hun-gary) is provided. The presence of 2 bear species, Ursus cf. gr. etruscus and Ursus ex. gr. minimus-thibetanus, is proved in this locality. In its morphometric features, the latter is not supposed to be an autochthonous descendent of U. minimus but represents an independent migration event from Asia. Based on the critical revision/review of published material/data referred to black bears, the only positive record of their representatives in the Pleistocene of Europe is now available in the Late Villányian and since the Early Toringian. RÉSUMÉ PRÉSENCE D'URSUS EX GR. MINIMUS-THIBETANUS DANS LE VILLÁNYIEN SUPÉRIEUR ET POSITION PARMI LES OURS NOIRS DU PLIOCÈNE ET DU QUATERNAIRE EN EUROPE Une révision des mandibules et des dents d'ours du site Villányien supérieur de Villány 3 (Hongrie) actuellement disponibles est présentée. La présence de deux espèces d'ours, Ursus cf. gr. etruscus et Ursus ex. gr. minimus-thibetanus, est attestée dans cette localité. Par ses caractères morphométriques, on suppose que le second n'est pas un descendant autochtone d'U. minimus mais qu'il correspond à une migration depuis l'Asie. Sur les bases d'une révision critique et du bilan du matériel publié sur les ours noirs, le premier enregistrement de leur présence au Pléistocène en Europe se trouve actuellement au Villányien supérieur et ils s'y rencontrent ensuite à partir du Toringien inférieur.
During the last ZO years great progress has been achieved in our understanding of both earth history and vertebrate evolution. The result is that climatic/tectonic events in earth history can now be placed in a more precise and global time frame, that permit their evaluation as abiotic causal factors which might trigger extinction and dispersal events in vertebrate history. Great strides have also been made in genetics and cell biology, providing new insight into phylogenetic relationships among many vertebrates. These new data, along with data on chronologie resolution of earth history, provide tests of previous interpretations regarding ancestral-descendant relationships based solely on the fossil record. It is fitting and proper that a volume on European Neogene mammal chronology is produced at this time, to ensure that new interpretations of vertebrate evolution and chronology are based on the most accurate and current data. Vertebrate paleon tologists believe that the fossil record is the only secure data for measuring the actual course and tempo of vertebrate evolution. Knowledge of the fossil record must keep pace with advances in other areas of science so that inferences on vertebrate evolu tion are accurate and meaningful.
