Pieter Missiaen | Ghent University (original) (raw)

Papers by Pieter Missiaen

摘要:近期的研究极大地丰富了亚洲古新世和早始新世哺乳动物群信息,因此有必要对现存亚洲生物年代学和生物地理学框架做出调整。在定量和定性分析的基础上,将生物年代界线与主要的动物群更替事件对应起... more 摘要:近期的研究极大地丰富了亚洲古新世和早始新世哺乳动物群信息,因此有必要对现存亚洲生物年代学和生物地理学框架做出调整。在定量和定性分析的基础上,将生物年代界线与主要的动物群更替事件对应起来,改进了古新世和早始新世亚洲陆相哺乳动物分期年代对比及生物地理学的认识。以往知之甚少的上湖期以原始啮形类和钝脚类为主,其后的浓山期则呈现出亚洲哺乳动物的地方性分异。随着新的基干啮形类以及真正的啮型类的出现,啮形类开始辐射。上湖期-浓山期的界线与北美 Torrejonian鄄Tiffanian 界线相当,并且动物群更替很可能是由全球变冷阶段的开始引发的。格沙头期哺乳动物进一步分化,亚洲土著类群急剧减少,以多瘤齿兽类、夜鼩类( nyctitheriids) 、克莫土兽类( cimolestids) 和食果猴为代表的北美迁入物种开始出现。而在北美,亚洲哺乳动物( 包括北柱兽类和原恐角兽类) 的第一次入侵发生于 Tiffanian鄄5a 期初期,第二次入侵发生于 Clarkforkian 初期,包含了啮齿类、裂齿类及冠齿兽类。因此格沙头期的开始可与北美 Tiffanian鄄5a 的开始相对比。伯姆巴期的开始以偶蹄类、奇蹄类和真灵长类的首次出现为标志,与古新世-始新世界线相当。这些类群在亚洲的出现与它们在北美和欧洲出现于始新世之初的情况类似。与格沙头期初期的动物群扩散不同, 伯姆巴期的动物群扩散似乎持续了更长时间,并且也有可能直接发生在亚洲和欧洲之间。

Comptes Rendus Palevol, Jan 1, 2011

European terrestrial vertebrate sites of the Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene deposits are predominan... more European terrestrial vertebrate sites of the Upper Paleocene-Lower Eocene deposits are predominantly known from the central and eastern parts of the Paris Basin. However, several outcrops covering this interval are scattered along the Upper Normandy coast, in the western part of the Paris Basin. Here we report the discovery of a new terrestrial vertebrate site in the Mortemer Formation, at the top of the cliffs of Sotteville-sur-Mer in Upper Normandy, France. The vertebrate level is situated about 1.5 m above the onset of the Paleocene-Eocene Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE) based on dispersed organic carbon and is therefore Earliest Eocene in age. The vertebrate fauna is composed of fish, amphibians, lizards and mammals, including the earliest peradectid marsupials and paromomyid plesiadapiform of Europe. A diverse and rich charophyte flora is well represented throughout the lower part of the outcrop and allows the conclusion that the CIE falls in the Peckichara disermas biozone.

Among the archaic 'ungulates,' pleuraspidotheriids are well documented by skulls and postcranial ... more Among the archaic 'ungulates,' pleuraspidotheriids are well documented by skulls and postcranial elements of Pleuraspidotherium from Berru and Cernay-lès-Reims (late Paleocene, Paris Basin, France). Nevertheless, the relationships of pleuraspidotheriids (i.e., Pleuraspidotherium, Orthaspidotherium, and Hilalia) to other 'condylarths' have not been conclusively settled. They have been related to the typically North American Meniscotheriidae, Phenacodontidae, and Mioclaenidae, and even to the modern ungulates Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla. We here provide additional data, especially from the first complete skull of Orthaspidotherium, and highlight a mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived characters that distinguish Pleuraspidotheriidae from all other 'ungulates.' Their basicranial morphology approximates the ancestral morphotype of artiodactyls, but this results from symplesiomorphies. Pleuraspidotheriids exhibit the following synapomorphies: strong processes on the petrosal and enclosure of the facial nerve by the tympanic process and tympanohyal. Although their dentition resembles that of perissodactyls, meniscotheriids, and phenacodontids, the development of a pseudohypocone from the metaconule unambiguously shows that these similarities arose by convergence. Other evolutionary tendencies are the strong reduction of the hypoconulid, molarization of last premolars, development of lingual cingulum on M2, lengthening of the snout, and presence of diastemata. The pleuraspidotheriid tarsal morphology is primitive and not uncommon among 'condylarths' but presents some synapomorphies such as a calcaneum with a transverse cuboid facet and an astragalus with a squatting facet, cotylar fossa, and sustentacular hinge. Our study does not indicate a close relationship of Pleuraspidotheriidae with any of the archaic or modern 'ungulates' mentioned above. Instead, primitive arctocyonids could represent a possible ancestral morphotype for pleuraspidotheriids.

Journal of Human Evolution, Jan 1, 2009

The oldest euprimates known from India come from the Early Eocene Cambay Formation at Vastan Mine... more The oldest euprimates known from India come from the Early Eocene Cambay Formation at Vastan Mine in Gujarat. An Ypresian (early Cuisian) age of ∼53 Ma (based on foraminifera) indicates that these primates were roughly contemporary with, or perhaps predated, the India-Asia collision. Here we present new euprimate fossils from Vastan Mine, including teeth, jaws, and referred postcrania of the adapoids Marcgodinotius indicus and Asiadapis cambayensis. They are placed in the new subfamily Asiadapinae (family Notharctidae), which is most similar to primitive European Cercamoniinae such as Donrussellia and Protoadapis. Asiadapines were small primates in the size range of extant smaller bushbabies. Despite their generally very plesiomorphic morphology, asiadapines also share a few derived dental traits with sivaladapids, suggesting a possible relationship to these endemic Asian adapoids. In addition to the adapoids, a new species of the omomyid Vastanomys is described. Euprimate postcrania described include humeri, radii, femora, calcanei, and tali, most of which show typical notharctid features and are probably attributable to asiadapines. Anatomical features of the limb elements indicate that they represent active arboreal quadrupedal primates. At least one calcaneus is proximally shorter and distally longer than the others, resembling eosimiids in this regard, a relationship that, if confirmed, would also suggest an Asian or southeast Asian faunal connection. Isolated teeth from Vastan Mine recently attributed to a new eosimiid, Anthrasimias gujaratensis, appear to provide that confirmation. However, their attribution to Eosimiidae is equivocal. They are similar to teeth here tentatively referred to Marcgodinotius, hence A. gujaratensis may be a junior synonym of M. indicus. Corroboration of eosimiids at Vastan requires more compelling evidence. Although definitive conclusions are premature, available evidence suggests that the Vastan adapoids, at least, were derived from western European stock that reached India near the Paleocene-Eocene boundary.

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, Jan 1, 2008

The Paleocene-Eocene boundary is of particular importance for the evolution of mammals and the po... more The Paleocene-Eocene boundary is of particular importance for the evolution of mammals and the poorly known Asian mammal faunas from this period have received much attention. The late Paleocene Subeng site in Inner Mongolia (China) has come under study only recently, and here we present the first complete description of its mammal fauna. Two new species are described, the neoplagiaulacid multituberculate Mesodmops tenuis sp. nov. and the praolestine nyctitheriid Bumbanius ningi sp. nov., representing stratigraphic range extensions of the respective genera into the Paleocene. Previ− ously unknown parts of the dentition are described here for the eurymylid Eomylus bayanulanensis, the sarcodontid Hyracolestes ermineus, the cimolestid Tsaganius ambiguus, the carpolestid Subengius mengi, as well as the femur of the mesonychid Dissacus serratus. For most taxa, the new specimens from Subeng provide new phylogenetic and/or biostratigraphic information. We confirm the inclusion of Hyracolestes in the Sarcodontinae and elevate this group to the rank of family, the Sarcodontidae, separate from Micropternodontidae. In the case of Subengius mengi an updated cladistic analysis of carpolestids supports the hypothesis that Subengius is derived from an evolved Elphidotarsius−like ancestor in the early to middle Tiffanian of North America. A total of 17 species is identified, including well−known biostratigraphic markers for the late Paleocene Gashatan Asian Land Mammal Age such as Lambdopsalis bulla, Prionessus sp., Palaeostylops iturus, Pseudictops lophiodon, Tribosphenomys minutus, and Dissacus serratus. We pro− pose that the Gashatan faunas are less endemic than previously thought, and result from a significant exchange with North American faunas from the late Paleocene.

Proceedings of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Jan 1, 2008

We report the oldest known record of Lagomorpha, based on distinctive, small ankle bones (calcane... more We report the oldest known record of Lagomorpha, based on distinctive, small ankle bones (calcaneus and talus) from Early Eocene deposits (Middle Ypresian equivalent, ca 53 Myr ago) of Gujarat, west-central India. The fossils predate the oldest previously known crown lagomorphs by several million years and extend the record of lagomorphs on the Indian subcontinent by 35 Myr. The bones show a mosaic of derived cursorial adaptations found in gracile Leporidae (rabbits and hares) and primitive traits characteristic of extant Ochotonidae (pikas) and more robust leporids. Together with gracile and robust calcanei from the Middle Eocene of Shanghuang, China, also reported here, the Indian fossils suggest that diversification within crown Lagomorpha and possibly divergence of the family Leporidae were already underway in the Early Eocene.

Naturwissenschaften, Jan 1, 2007

The geographic origin of bats is still unknown, and fossils of earliest bats are rare and poorly ... more The geographic origin of bats is still unknown, and fossils of earliest bats are rare and poorly diversified, with, maybe, the exception of Europe. The earliest bats are recorded from the Early Eocene of North America, Europe, North Africa and Australia where they seem to appear suddenly and simultaneously. Until now, the oldest record in Asia was from the Middle Eocene. In this paper, we report the discovery of the oldest bat fauna of Asia dating from the Early Eocene of the Cambay Formation at Vastan Lignite Mine in Western India. The fossil taxa are described on the basis of well-preserved fragments of dentaries and lower teeth. The fauna is highly diversified and is represented by seven species belonging to seven genera and at least four families. Two genera and five species are new. Three species exhibit very primitive dental characters, whereas four others indicate more advanced states. Unexpectedly, this fauna presents strong affinities with the European faunas from the French Paris Basin and the German Messel locality. This could result from the limited fossil record of bats in Asia, but could also suggest new palaeobiogeographic scenarios involving the relative position of India during the Early Eocene.

Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, Jan 1, 2007

In the understanding of the global faunal turnover during the Paleocene–Eocene transition, an imp... more In the understanding of the global faunal turnover during the Paleocene–Eocene transition, an important role has been attributed to the Asian continent, although the Asian fossil record for this period is still incomplete. Here we present a multidisciplinary study of the Subeng section (Inner Mongolia, P.R. China), integrating sedimentological, stratigraphical and diverse palaeontological data, in order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and to enhance the understanding of the late Paleocene communities that once thrived on the Mongolian Plateau. The Subeng section starts with the Maastrichtian Iren Dabasu Formation directly covered by the late Paleocene Nomogen Formation. This Nomogen Formation is composed of typical lacustrine deposits at the base, covered by fluvio-lacustrine deposits at the top. Both types of deposits provided rich ostracod and charophyte assemblages, closest to those of the Naran Member, Naran Bulak Formation of Mongolia. Palynomorphs from the lake sediments suggest a local flora at Subeng more wooded and closed than reported from elsewhere in this region. The fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the Nomogen Formation have yielded a vertebrate fauna especially rich in mammals. The mammal fauna from Subeng is close to that from Bayan Ulan and typical for the Gashatan Asian Land Mammal Age. The presence of reworked pedogenic carbonate nodules and mud aggregates suggests an at least seasonally dry regional climate. Combined sedimentological and palaeontological data suggest the late Paleocene Nomogen Formation at Subeng was an isolated woodland in a fluvio-lacustrine environment, representing a locally humid environment on the semi-arid Mongolian Plateau. The mammal fauna reflects these differences and shows a number of relatives to mammals from the more humid northeastern Chinese biotic province as well as some North American immigrants.

Naturwissenschaften, Jan 1, 2006

Arctostylopids are common in Late Palaeocene and Early Eocene mammal faunas of Asia, but they are... more Arctostylopids are common in Late Palaeocene and Early Eocene mammal faunas of Asia, but they are rare in North America. From the time of their first discovery, arctostylopids were grouped with the strictly endemic South American Notoungulata based on their strikingly similar dental morphology. This relationship was challenged based on dental morphology of more recently discovered arctostylopids and on supposed tarsal morphology (based on unassociated material) of the Asian arctostylopid Palaeostylops. Therefore, Arctostylopidae were placed in a separate order, Arctostylopida, of enigmatic affinities. Many authors, however, continue to unite Arctostylopidae and Notoungulata based on dental similarities. In the Late Palaeocene Subeng site in Inner Mongolia, we identified the Palaeostylops tarsals based on their size and abundance. This identification is supported by comparison to unpublished Arctostylops tarsals from the North American Clarkforkian, derived from a semi-articulated skeleton also including dental material. Tarsal morphology shows moderate similarity to the gliriform Pseudictops, and strong resemblance to the tarsally conservative gliroid Rhombomylus. Hence, Arctostylopidae may best be grouped with Asian non-gliroid Gliriformes, which we interpret as having dispersed into North America in the Late Palaeocene.

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Jan 1, 2006

T. 2005. A new Paleocene nyctitheriid insectivore from Inner Mongolia (China) and the origin of A... more T. 2005. A new Paleocene nyctitheriid insectivore from Inner Mongolia (China) and the origin of Asian nyctitheriids. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 50 (3): 513-522.

Comptes Rendus Palevol, Jan 1, 2004

Carpolestid plesiadapiforms are well known in several lineages from the North American Palaeocene... more Carpolestid plesiadapiforms are well known in several lineages from the North American Palaeocene, but they are absent from Europe and known, until now, by only two taxa from the Early Eocene of Asia. Here we describe a new genus of Carpolestinae from the Late Palaeocene locality of Subeng in Inner Mongolia (China). In its morphological characteristics,