The skull of Stephanorhinus hemitoechus, paleobiogeography, biochronology, Middle Pleistocene, Campagna Romana, Sabatini Volcanic District

Abstract

A fragmentary rhinoceros skull from the "Campagna Romana" was analysed. The results of morphometrical and morphological analysis identify the skull as Stephanorhinus hemitoechus. The petrography and geochemistry of the volcanoclastic sediments containing the rhinoceros skull indicate that its geographic provenance is the northern area of Rome (between the Tiber River and the southern area of the Sabatini Volcanic District). The textural and geochemical features of white pumice indicate that the volcanoclastic sediments were deposited at ca 500 ka during the MIS13. A revision of the earliest records of S. hemitoechus in Europe reveals that the skull from Campagna Romana is the earliest record of the species. The time and spatial collocation of this occurrence postdate the diffusion of S. hemitoechus in the Mediterranean Basin, most likely due to the favourable climate. Successively, the species becomes common in the rest of western and northern Europe and reached its maximal geographic extension during MIS5.•

The Latest Occurrence of Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis (Rhinocerotidae) in Europe: The Skeletons from the Cova del Rinoceront Site (Castelldefels, Barcelona)

“…The oldest European records of S. hundsheimensis correspond to MIS 16-15 in Italy ( [2,5,43]) and to MIS 15-13 in central and northern Europe [2,5,23,29,69,70], while the most recent correspond to sites in Georgia and Armenia [31,[71][72][73].…”

“…The posterior inclination of the ascending ramus is also present in both species [29,30]. However, the mandible described by Cigala Fulgosi [41] as S. hemitoechus and reinterpreted as S. hundsheimensis [43] has a somewhat vertical ascending ramus. In general, the remains from CR are similar to those of S. hundsheimensis from Mosbach [44], Voigtstedt [45], Isernia [46], and Cesi [47].…”