 Reference Base  Les rhinoceros (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) du Miocene term... |
|
Guerin, C., 1980. Les rhinoceros (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) du Miocene terminal au Pleistocene superieur en Europe occidentale; comparaison avec les especes actuelles. Documents du Laboratoire de Geologie de la Faculte des Sciences de Lyon 79: 3-1183, pls. 1-21, figs. 1-115, tables 1-161
|
|
|
|
| |
| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Taxonomy |
| Species: |
Fossil |
 |
|
The present piece of work deals with 24 species and about 1200 sites. It is composed of four parts :
The first part is a study of the five existing species of rhinoceros : Diceros bicornis, Ceratotherium simum, Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, Rhinoceros unicornis, R. sondaicus. The aim is to deal with these species by :
- a short introduction with a summary of their synonymy and a brief historical account.
- a study of comparative anatomy based upon the skull, the mandible, the dentition and the post cranial skeleton.
- an analysis of evolutionary tendencies in space and time, recalling the fundamental phylogenetical ideas.
- an account of the broad outlines of their ecology and ethology.
- a research into their links with human populations.
All these elements, which may be analogically applied to fossil species, are then brought together in a conclusion. The whole of the anatomical characteristics are summarized in the form of a Neodiagnosis for each of the species : neodiagnoses of the same type will be suggested for the fossil species.
The last three parts are successively concerned with the Upper Miocene, the Plio-Villafranchian and the Middle to Upper Pleistocene of western Europe. They are conceived under the same structure :
- the biostratigraphical framework is defined by a succession of mammal zones ; following the already known neogene zones I suggest quaternary zones defined according to the same principles and numbered after. The second part deals with the zones 9 to 13, the third deals with the zones 14 to 19 (the last two zones are new), the fourth deals with the zones 20 to 26 (all the zones are new).
- a review of the species existing in Western Europe during the period under consideration gives for each species a brief historical account and a condensed synonymy. I shall recall, when the opportunity arises, what we know about the few remains of uncertain origins and doubtful determination. The second part is about Aceratherium (Aceratherium) tetradactylum, A. (A.) incisivum, A. (Alicornops) simorrense, Dicerorhinus sansaniensis, D. steinheimensis, D. schleiermacheri, Diceros pachygnathus, Brachypotherium gr. brachypus-goldfussi, cf. Prosantorhinus sp. D. The third part is about Dicerorhinus megarhinus, D. miguelcrusafonti, D. jeanvireti and D. etruscus etruscus (the last two being regrouped under the new subgenus Brandtorhinus) and a small species which I leave in open nomenclature (sp. C). The fourth part is about Dicerorhinus etruscus brachycephalus, Dicerorhinus mercki, D. hemitoechus, Coelodonta antiquitatis and poses the problem of Elasmotherium.
- a study of comparative anatomy deals with the skull, the mandible, the dentition and the post cranial skeleton.
- a list of sites is given in alphabetical order ; each comprises a minimum of bibliographical information and data of the material that I have seen ; many of these sites are new, for various reasons, others are only known to me through literature and therefore I have not been able to check the determinations which have been made upon them.
- a paleoecological study is based on the anatomy of each species and on the fauna and flora associated with it; the preferential biotope is established.
- an analysis of the evolutionary tendencies of the organs follows the account of the spreading of each species in space and time. When the opportunity arises, it leads to the definition of evolutionary stages. Some elements of phylogenesis are indicated.
- a special chapter in the fourth part considers the relationships between rhinoceroses and men of the Paleolithic period, for example hunting, bone industry, cave art and movable drawings.
- the conclusions proposes a neodiagnosis for each species and summarizes the obtained results. In the conclusion of the fourth part the new subspecies Coelodonta antiquitatis praecursor is defined.
- The general conclusion brings to mind the fact that the rhinoceros is a good evolutionary example which makes them an efficient biostratigraphical tool and an important paleoecological indicator.
|
|
|
File available
details
Original text on this topic: