Anchitheriinae (Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the early middle Miocene locality Gračanica (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Recent excavations at the Gračanica coal mine (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina) have unearthed numerous skeletal parts of fossil vertebrates, including a noteworthy collection of mammalian remains. Previous palaeoecological investigations of the Dinarides Lake System were established using stratigraphical, palaeofloral, and malacological data. However, large mammal remains have so far not been used to reconstruct the terrestrial palaeoenvironment of this important fossil ecosystem. Here, the palaeodietary preferences of large mammals were investigated, using a multiproxy approach by employing dental microwear and dental mesowear analysis, in order to provide new perspectives on the terrestrial palaeoecology of the Dinarides Lake System. The dental microwear of all available adult mammalian teeth was analysed. Dental mesowear analysis was employed for ungulate and proboscidean taxa, using mesowear scores and mesowear angles, respectively. The analysis reveals the presence of browsing, "dirty browsing", and mixed-feeding herbivorous taxa, with seasonal fruit, or even grass intake. Additionally, the analysis of the carnivores suggests the presence of hyaena-and cheetah-like hypercarnivores, as well as generalists. The palaeodietary traits of the fossil mammals suggest a closed canopy-like environment, which is supported by the fossil plant assemblage. Palaeopalynological data confirm the omnipresence of fleshy fruit-bearing plants, herbaceous taxa, as well as grasses, which justifies the seasonal fruit browsing, the common "dirty browsing", and the occasional grazing behaviour visualized for some of the fossil mammals from Gračanica.

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Palaeodietary traits of large mammals from the middle Miocene of Gračanica (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Xafis

Saarinen

Bastl

et al. 2020

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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The proboscidean fauna (Mammalia) from the middle Miocene lignites of Gračanica near Bugojno (Bosnia–Herzegovina)

Göhlich

2020

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Introduction to the special issue “The drowning swamp of Gračanica (Bosnia-Herzegovina)—a diversity hotspot from the middle Miocene in the Bugojno Basin”

Göhlich

Mandić

2020

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Anchitheriinae (Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the early middle Miocene locality Gračanica (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Cited by 3 publications

References 40 publications

Palaeodietary traits of large mammals from the middle Miocene of Gračanica (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Palaeodietary traits of large mammals from the middle Miocene of Gračanica (Bugojno Basin, Bosnia-Herzegovina)

The proboscidean fauna (Mammalia) from the middle Miocene lignites of Gračanica near Bugojno (Bosnia–Herzegovina)

Introduction to the special issue “The drowning swamp of Gračanica (Bosnia-Herzegovina)—a diversity hotspot from the middle Miocene in the Bugojno Basin”

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