Systematical and biochronological review of Plio-Pleistocene Alceini (Cervidae; Mammalia) from Eurasia

Abstract

Systematics, taxonomy and phylogeny of Eurasian fossil moose are discussed in order to analyse their distribution in space and time. The largest European collections were studied. We recognise the genus Cervalces, including the chronospecies C. gallicus, C. carnutorum and C. latifrons, as well as the genus Alces, with the species A. alces. Cervalces differs from Alces in the facial area, in the length of the antlers and in the orientation of the palmation. Taking into account as more bibliography as possible, we suggest that the Siberian remains, due to their distance from the type localities, have size ranges and beam proportions a little different from the coeval European ones, so they are regarded as different geographic populations. Cervalces latifrons postremus systematics and chronology have been reconsidered. It results that it was present only in Siberia during the penultimate glaciation and was of the same body size as typical C. latifrons. It is likely that A. alces is not the direct descendant of the last European Cervalces, but its origin is still an open question. The present analysis provides a clearer picture of the geographical and chronological distribution of Cervalces and Alces. r

Faunas from Atapuerca at the Early–Middle Pleistocene limit: The ungulates from level TD8 in the context of climatic change

“…The former is last recorded from a unit below the main site at Voigtstedt and at St. Prest, and the latter is first recorded from Happisburgh and Dorn Dürkheim. For discussions on this event see Breda & Marchetti (2005), Ravazzi et al (2005), as well as . Here the entry of A. latifrons is taken at the moment when very large forms replace much smaller ones (Van der .…”

On the history of Early—Middle Pleistocene mammal faunas of the Central Balkans

“…Within 1.8-1.2 Ma, the evolutionary events included gradual replacement of Middle Villafranchian species by Late Villafranchian forms. Apparently, at the begin ning of the Late Villafranchian, Libralces gallicus (Azzaroli, 1953; =Cervalces gallicus, 2.55-1.8 Ma, OIS 100-65: Breda and Marchetti, 2005) was replaced by Cervalces carnutorum.…”

“…In the Danube River Basin, in the Early Villafranchian of Hungary (Csar nota 2), the most ancient European moose has been found (Breda and Marchetti, 2005). In the Danube Basin, moose occurred at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene (beginning of the Middle Villafranchian, Pretiglian); they are known from Slovakia (Strekov Nová and Vieska) and Romania (Prundu) (Breda and Marchetti, 2005).…”

“…In the Danube River Basin, in the Early Villafranchian of Hungary (Csar nota 2), the most ancient European moose has been found (Breda and Marchetti, 2005). In the Danube Basin, moose occurred at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene (beginning of the Middle Villafranchian, Pretiglian); they are known from Slovakia (Strekov Nová and Vieska) and Romania (Prundu) (Breda and Marchetti, 2005). In the Middle Villafranchian, the range of a small thermophilic moose, Libralces galli cus, extended from France (Senese) to Tajikistan (Kuruksai) and, at the beginning of the Late Villafran chian, covered England (basal Cromer Forest bed Formation, CF bf, Pre Pastonian and Pastonian lev els : Lister, 1996).…”

“…In the Late Villafranchian, the roe deer genus Capreolus probably did not move westerly beyond the Balkans. Before the records in Trlica, the most ancient Capreolus of the western Palearctic was known from Untermassfeld (~1 Ma) and the most ancient Praemegaceros, from Fintina lui Mitilan, Pietraffita, and the Pre Pastonian and Pastonian levels in England (Lister, 1996;Gliozzi et al, 1997;Kahlke, 2001;Breda and Marchetti, 2005;Van den Hoeck Ostende and de Vos, 2006;etc.). In southern Siberia, moose and the roe deer genus Capre olus are known from the Early Villafranchian (MN16) and the deer Praemegaceros and early members of the Cervus elaphus deer group (C. cf.…”