scholarly journals The cricetid rodents from Gratkorn (Austria, Styria): a benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatian sensu stricto (late Middle Miocene) in the Central Paratethys

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme Prieto ◽  
Madelaine Böhme ◽  
Martin Gross

The cricetid rodents from Gratkorn (Austria, Styria): a benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatiansensu stricto(late Middle Miocene) in the Central ParatethysThe recent discovery of a terrestrial vertebrate assemblage in the clay pit St. Stefan at Gratkorn (Austria, Styrian Basin) is of major importance for our understanding of the evolution of late Middle Miocene mammal assemblages in the Paratethys realm. The cricetid rodent assemblage includes four species:Megacricetodon minutusDaxner, 1967,Democricetodonsp. nov. (sensuKälin & Engesser 2001),Eumyarionsp., and "Cricetodon" fandlisp. nov. The latter species belongs to the "Cricetodon" fandli-C. klariankaeHír, 2007 lineage, which allows for a long-distance correlation with other late Middle Miocene/earliest Late Miocene European localities. The biostratigraphic conclusions drawn from the study of the fossils from Gratkorn concurs with the age estimates based on regional geology, paleomagnetic measurements, and the gastropod-based biostratigraphy at the base of the Late Sarmatians. str.(late Serravallian, latest Volhynian), around 12-12.2 Ma (Chron C5An.1n) ago.

1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Szczechura

Abstract. Late Middle Miocene (Upper Badenian) strata of the Fore-Carpathian Depression of Poland yield a shallow-water ostracod fauna which contains the species Triebelina raripila (G. W. Müller, 1894) and Carinocythereis carinata (Roemer, 1838). The palaeobiogeographic distribution of the two main species suggests, that in the late Middle Miocene, Central Paratethys was still connected to the Mediterranean, although still separated from the Eastern Paratethys and from southeastern Eurasia. The continuous occurrence of Triebelina raripila and Carinocythereis carinata in the Mediterranean basins, from the Early Miocene to Recent, indicates that marine conditions existed throughout, thereby allowing them to survive the Late Miocene salinity crisis.


2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejan Radivojević ◽  
Ljupko Rundić ◽  
Slobodan Knežević

Geology of the Čoka structure in northern Banat (Central Paratethys, Serbia)The Čoka structure is a fault-bounded anticline in northern Banat, in the southern part of the Neogene Pannonian Basin. The structure and its vicinity were explored by 24 wells. In addition to well logs, paleontological, sedimentological and petrological analyses of cores and 27 seismic sections with different parameters of acquisition and processing were used for geological investigation of the area. The E-SE dipping pre-Neogene basement consists of Lower Triassic clastics and, in the NW part of the study area, Paleozoic greenschists. Thin Middle Miocene (Badenian) sediments unconformably overlie the basement and pinch out towards the elevated NW part of the study area. They are also missing in some wells on the apex of the Čoka structure, probably due to erosion. Badenian sediments were deposited in a shallow marine environment. The late Middle Miocene (Sarmatian) strata are missing and the Badenian is directly overlain by Upper Miocene (Pannonian) sediments. The latter also pinch out towards the NW but in contrast to Badenian sediments, they are present in all boreholes on the Čoka structure. Pannonian deposition took place in a caspibrackish environment of Lake Pannon, with predominance of marls and fine-grained clastics. Pannonian sediments are conformably overlain by latest Miocene (Pontian) and Pleistocene lacustrine, alluvial and terrestrial sediments.


Fossil Record ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Kazár

Abstract. Mediocris commenticius n. gen., n. sp. is herein described as a kentriodontid dolphin from the Sarmatian (late Middle Miocene) of south Hungary, territory of the ancient Central Paratethys Sea. The type specimen is an incomplete skeleton including a distorted skull and mandibles with teeth, ear bones, elements of both flippers, and numerous vertebrae. Mediocris commenticius has a nasal bone morphology that differs from all delphinoid taxa, but is most similar to members of the Pithanodelphininae Barnes, 1985. The nasals are triangular, not inflated, have a faint anterolateral notch, and diverge posteriorly. On the basis of the nasal bone morphology, the new species shows affinities to Pithanodelphis, and is less derived than Atocetus and Sarmatodelphis. Due to the incompleteness of the cranial vertex of the type and only known skull, however, the species is only tentatively referred to the subfamily Pithanodelphininae. Mediocris commenticius n. gen., n. sp. wird als Kentriodontide aus dem Sarmatium (spätes Mittelmiozän) von Südungarn beschrieben, aus dem Gebiet des ehemaligen zentral-paratethyschen Meeres. Der Holotypus ist ein unvollständiges Skelett; erhalten sind der zusammengepresste Schädel, Unterkiefer mit Zähnen, Gehörknochen, Knochenelemente beider Brustflossen sowie zahlreiche Wirbel. Die Morphologie der Nasale der neuen Art unterscheidet sich von allen beschriebenen Taxa der Kentriodontidae, weist aber auf Verwandtschaft mit den Pithanodelphinen hin. Die Nasalia sind dreieckig, nicht extrem vergrößert, sie haben eine schwach ausgebildete anterolaterale Kerbe und sie divergieren in caudaler Richtung. Anhand der Morphologie der Nasale steht M. commenticius der Art Pithanodelphis cornutus nahe und ist weniger stark spezialisiert als Atocetus und Sarmatodelphis. Wegen der unvollständigen Erhaltung des cranialen Vertex ist Mediocris commenticius allerdings nur mit Vorbehalt in die Unterfamilie Pithanodelphininae einzuordnen. doi:10.1002/mmng.200410004


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Doubrawa ◽  
Martin Gross ◽  
Mathias Harzhauser

AbstractThis paper describes the section and fossil content of a former gravel pit in the Eastern Styrian Basin (SE Austria), which exposes sediments of a fluvial system, ranging from within channel to overbank environments. A predominately terrestrial gastropod fauna of 15 species so far, was recovered from a palaeosol formed in a moist and vegetated, floodplain or abandoned channel. Up-section, a shallow freshwater pond/lake developed within the floodplain, settled by fishes, molluscs and ostracods. By integrating regional geological and biostratigraphical data derived from the terrestrial gastropod fauna as well as from the other recovered biota, these strata are of late middle Miocene (late Sarmatian s.str.) age. Hence, this fossil site provides a rare insight into the terrestrial habitats in the hinterland of the Sarmatian Sea and their biota, which are otherwise barely known in Central Europe.


Facies ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Harzhauser ◽  
Thorsten Kowalke

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