The first French tragulid skull (Mammalia, Ruminantia, Tragulidae) and associated tragulid remains from the Middle Miocene of Contres (Loir-et-Cher, France)

Mennecart, Bastien; Roessner, Gertrud E.; Guzman, Jonathan A.; Perthuis, Aude de and Costeur, Loic (2018): The first French tragulid skull (Mammalia, Ruminantia, Tragulidae) and associated tragulid remains from the Middle Miocene of Contres (Loir-et-Cher, France). In: Comptes Rendus Palevol, Vol. 17, No. 3: pp. 189-200

Abstract

The Faluns Auger quarry (Contres, France) is famous for its Langhian mammal fauna (MN5) and tragulid remains have been identified as Dorcatherium sp. New excavations provided a fragmented skull of a tragulid, dental remains, and a metapodium which we describe here. Based on morphological and morphometrical characters, these specimens are attributed to Dorcatherium crassum. CT-scans provide insight in the petrosal bone and bony labyrinth. We prove intra-population variability of the p4 and intra-specific variability of the bony labyrinth. Nevertheless, we can demonstrate that the bony labyrinth is useful for systematics. Thus, we confirm the presence of D. crassum in the Pontlevoy-Thenay and Savigne-sur-Lathan Faluns Basins as reported already prior to our study. Yet, we cannot confirm evidence for Dorcatherium naui. D. naui specimens reported from these basins may belong to another species. D. naui should be absent from the Faluns before MN7, such as in the rest of Europe.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Geosciences > Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Research Centers: GeoBio-Center
• Subjects: 500 Science > 500 Science; 500 Science > 550 Earth sciences and geology
• ISSN: 1631-0683
• Language: English