Gratkorn: A benchmark locality for the continental Sarmatian s.str. of the Central Paratethys

Abstract

This paper presents one of the richest and most complete vertebrate faunas of the late Middle Miocene (*12 Ma) of Central Europe. Up to now, sixty-two vertebrate taxa, comprising all major groups (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals), have been recorded. Based on sedimentological and palaeobiological evidences, this Fossillagersta¨tte is assumed to originate from a floodplain paleosol formed on top of a braided river sequence. The fauna points to a highly structured, somewhat vegetated landscape with a wide array of habitats (e.g., fluvial channels, sporadically moist floodplains, short-lived ponds, savannah-like open areas and screes). It was preserved due to a rapid drowning and the switch to a freshwater lake environment. Palaeoclimatological data, derived from pedogenic features as well as from biota, indicate an overall semi-arid, subtropical climate with distinct seasonality (mean annual precipitation 486 ± 252 mm, mean annual temperature *15°C). This underlines the late Middle/early Late Miocene dry-spell in Central Europe. From taphonomical point of view, the irregularly distributed but roughly associated larger vertebrate remains refer to an in situ accumulation of the bone bed. Splintered bones, gnawing marks as well as rhizoconcretions and root corrosion structures record some pre-and post-burial modification of the taphocoenose. However, the findings of pellet remains argue for a very fast burial and thus to a low degree of time-averaging. For this reason, the fossil fauna reflects the original vertebrate community rather well and is a cornerstone for the understanding of late Middle Miocene terrestrial ecosystems in this region. Certainly, Gratkorn will be one of the key faunas for a high-resolution continental biostratigraphy and the comprehension of Europe's faunal interchanges near the Middle/Late Miocene transition.

The Antiquity of the Rhine River: Stratigraphic Coverage of the Dinotheriensande (Eppelsheim Formation) of the Mainz Basin (Germany)

“…This stratigraphic up-date is based on recent advances in Central European chronostratigraphy and mammal biostratigraphy (e.g. : [40] , [41] , [42] , [43] , [44] , [45] , [46] , [47] , [48] . In total we explored 66 cervid-bearing localities mainly from the North Alpine Foreland Basin and the Central Paratethyan Vienna and Styrian Basins (excluding localities from the Dinotheriensande ), spanning 9 million years from 18.5 to 9.5 Ma.…”

Fossil turtles of Slovakia: New material and a review of the previous record

“…Turtle findings from MN 7-8 zones are absent in Slovakia but present in the Central and Eastern Europe countries of Austria, Hungary, Młynarski, 1983;Gemel and Rauscher, 2000;Delfino and Göhlich, 2009;Gross et al, 2010;Hungary: Młynarski, 1966;Bernor et al, 2004;Moldavia: Khosatzky and Redkozubov, 1989;Redkozubov, 1991Redkozubov, , 1994Poland: Młynarski, 1964Romania: Vremir, 2004;Russia: Chkhikvadze, 1983;Danilov et al, 2010;Tesakov et al, 2010;Syromyatnikova et al, 2011;Ukraine: Chkhikvadze, 1983, 1989Kordikova, 1994. Abbreviations: A., Agrionemys;Ch., Chelydropsis;Cl., Clemmydopsis;E., Emys;G., Geoemyda;Ma., Mauremys;Me., Melanochelys;Pr., Protestudo;Pt., Ptychogaster;Ps., Psephophorus;Sak., Sakya;Sar., Sarmatemys;Te., onychids (table 1).…”

The Middle Miocene insectivores from Sámsonháza 3 (Hungary, Nógrád County): Biostratigraphical and palaeoenvironmental notes near to the Middle Miocene Cooling

“…Desmanodon is the only talpid to survive in the inlands of Spain during the early Middle Miocene, and is therefore considered not to indicate very humid conditions (Van den Hoek Ostende 1997), and maybe avoiding lake environments (Van den Hoek Ostende & Fejfar 2006, Prieto 2010. The genus could have been adapted to vegetated alluvial plain with a moist soil cover, similar to the condition found in the Austria locality Gratkorn (Sarmatian sensu stricto, Gross et al 2007Gross et al , 2011Harzhauser et al 2008;Prieto et al 2010). The only dimylid in the sample belongs to the most wide spread genus of the family, indicating that Plesiodimylus had a higher ecological tolerance than the other, more water-dependant members.…”