New carnivore material from the Middle Miocene of Turkey. Implications on biochronology and palaeoecology

Abstract

New carnivore remains, as well as some old material from the middle Miocene of Turkey are studied and reviewed in the present article. The middle Miocene mammal faunas of Southeastern Europe and Western Asia are rare and every new finding contributes to their better knowledge. The studied material originates from the Çandir, Paşalar and Inönü localities, which are well known, especially the two first ones because of the presence of hominoid fossil remains. The following species have been recognized in the studied material from each locality (those marked by an asterisk are found for the first time): Çandir: Amphicyon major, "Thalassictis" cf. montadai*, Percrocuta tungurensis*, Percrocuta sp.; Paşalar: Amphicyonidae sp. ., Ischyrictis sp. ., Protictitherium intermedium, Protictitherium cingulatum*, Protictitherium cf. crassum*, Styriofelis lorteti; Inönü: Sansanosmilus cf. palmidens*. The carnivoran faunas of the Çandir and Paşalar localities are similar, with eight shared species. They differ in the presence of ailurids in Çandir and the higher abundance of mustelids in Paşalar. The age of the three localities is discussed; the similarity of the Çandir and Paşalar faunas suggests that they have similar ages. The carnivore guild structure of Çandir and Paşalar and its comparison with modern assemblages from known environments suggest a mixed, open woodland-like environment. © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS.