A brief review of the occurrences of Pleistocene Hippopotamus ( Mammalia , Hippopotamidae ) in Italy (original) (raw)
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Short remarks on the occurrences of continental Hippopotamus (Mammalia, Hippopotamidae) in Italy
Geologia Croatica, 2015
Several Pleistocene hippopotamid remains have been collected from the Italian Peninsula, but some of them lack any stratigraphic data or details about the fossil localities. The Hippopotamus was present in Italy and Western Europe from the latest Villafranchian (late Early Pleistocene), whereas the oldest records of the genus (Coste San Giacomo and Chiusi basin) need to be confirmed by further evidence. Hippopotamus antiquus is recorded from Italy until MIS 15, whereas H. amphibius is first known from the late Middle Pleistocene (MIS 13 or 11) and survived in Southern Italy until MIS 4/3.
Quaternary
The Middle Pleistocene was characterized by the presence in continental Europe of at least two different species of hippopotamus: Hippopotamus antiquus and H. amphibius. Although suspected, the presence of both hippopotamuses in the same geographical area has not yet been proven. The following manuscript describes findings from Malagrotta (Rome, central Italy), dating back to the time span between 0.45 and 0.38 Ma. These findings offer new insights into the Middle Pleistocene period. The fragmented mandible has a slender and low corpus, the humerus is robust with a deltoid tuberosity placed medially on the diaphysis, the unciform shows a facet for the MCIV wider than the one for the MCV and the calcaneum is clepsydra-shaped. The morphological characteristics of the sample are closer to those of H. antiquus, despite the fact that the morphometric measurements are smaller than those of the samples coming from Valdarno (Italy), Untermaßfeld (Germany) or Colle Curti (Italy). Considering all the information, the material from Malagrotta is here attributed to H. cf. antiquus, indicating the survival of the European hippopotamus until at least 0.38 Ma in central Italy. The coexistence of H. amphibius and H. antiquus in the same geographical area is also discussed.
Several large mammal assemblages have been collected in the Roman basin since the XIX century, but they usually lack any stratigraphic datum or details about the fossiliferous localities. In this work, the stratigraphic provenance of large mammal remains discovered at Monte delle Piche (Rome) is investigated. The systematic revision of these specimens allows the recording of the presence of Hippopotamus sp., Stephanorhinus sp. and Stephanorhinus etruscus. On the basis of micropalaeontological analysis performed on sediment sampled from the studied specimens and considering the stratigraphy of the area, two fossiliferous levels are recognised at Monte delle Piche. The remain of the hippopotamus was collected in fluvial gravels and sand deposits, in which the presence of Cyprideis is also recorded. This deposit is chronologically related to the latest Early-early Middle Pleistocene. Hippopotamus was present in Italy and Western Europe from the latest Villafranchian to MIS 4/3. The mandible of S. etruscus was collected in marine deposits along with abundant foraminifera and ostracods, which correlate with the late Early Pleistocene. Stephanorhinus etruscus occurred in Western Europe at the beginning of the Villafranchian, and it was documented until the end of the Villafranchian in Italy and until the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition in the Iberian Peninsula.
Estudios Geológicos, 2015
Several large mammal assemblages have been collected in the Roman basin since the XIX century, but they usually lack any stratigraphic datum or details about the fossiliferous localities. In this work, the stratigraphic provenance of large mammal remains discovered at Monte delle Piche (Rome) is investigated. The systematic revision of these specimens allows the recording of the presence of Hippopotamus sp., Stephanorhinus sp. and Stephanorhinus etruscus. On the basis of micropalaeontological analysis performed on sediment sampled from the studied specimens and considering the stratigraphy of the area, two fossiliferous levels are recognised at Monte delle Piche. The remain of the hippopotamus was collected in fluvial gravels and sand deposits, in which the presence of Cyprideis is also recorded. This deposit is chronologically related to the latest Early-early Middle Pleistocene. Hippopotamus was present in Italy and Western Europe from the latest Villafranchian to MIS 4/3. The mandible of S. etruscus was collected in marine deposits along with abundant foraminifera and ostracods, which correlate with the late Early Pleistocene. Stephanorhinus etruscus occurred in Western Europe at the beginning of the Villafranchian, and it was documented until the end of the Villafranchian in Italy and until the Early-Middle Pleistocene transition in the Iberian Peninsula.
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
The first dispersal of Hippopotamidae out of Africa is recorded around 6 Ma, but this event is documented only in a few European localities. Among them, the uppermost Miocene deposits of Gravitelli in Sicily yielded particularly abundant hippopotamid remains. These specimens, published at the beginning of the 20th century, went lost during the 1908 earthquake that destroyed the city of Messina. The specimens from Gravitelli were ascribed to a new species, Hippopotamus siculus; their generic attribution was not questioned during the first half of the past century and they have not been revised in recent decades. The remains of the Gravitelli hippopotamid were mainly represented by isolated teeth and a few postcranial remains. Morphological and dimensional characters of the specimens, such as long lower premolars, lowcrowned molars, a lower canine with longitudinal ridges and a groove on the lateral surface and the overall dimensions suggest that the Sicilian hippopotamid was characterized by plesiomorphic features. The morphology of the specimens collected from Gravitelli is similar to that of Hexaprotodon? crusafonti, Archaeopotamus harvardi, Hexaprotodon siva lensis and Hexaprotodon garyam. Hexaprotodon? siculus is also morphometrically similar to Hexaprotodon sivalensis, but the lower premolars in the former are longer and wider than in the latter. Accordingly, we provisionally refer the Gravitelli hippopotamid to the genus Hexaprotodon. Hexaprotodon? siculus is dimensionally different from the Spanish latest Miocene hippopotamid, herein referred to as Archaeopotamus crusafonti, and the two species are considered as valid taxa. The paleobiogeography of the latest Miocene hippopotamids from the Mediterranean Basin is discussed.
The first dispersal of Hippopotamidae out of Africa is recorded around 6 Ma, but this event is documented only in a few European localities. Among them, the uppermost Miocene deposits of Gravitelli in Sicily yielded particularly abundant hippopotamid remains. These specimens, published at the beginning of the 20th century, went lost during the 1908 earthquake that destroyed the city of Messina. The specimens from Gravitelli were ascribed to a new species, Hippopotamus siculus; their generic attribution was not questioned during the first half of the past century and they have not been revised in recent decades. The remains of the Gravitelli hippopotamid were mainly represented by isolated teeth and a few postcranial remains. Morphological and dimensional characters of the specimens, such as long lower premolars, lowcrowned molars, a lower canine with longitudinal ridges and a groove on the lateral surface and the overall dimensions suggest that the Sicilian hippopotamid was characterized by plesiomorphic features. The morphology of the specimens collected from Gravitelli is similar to that of Hexaprotodon? crusafonti, Archaeopotamus harvardi, Hexaprotodon siva lensis and Hexaprotodon garyam. Hexaprotodon? siculus is also morphometrically similar to Hexaprotodon sivalensis, but the lower premolars in the former are longer and wider than in the latter. Accordingly, we provisionally refer the Gravitelli hippopotamid to the genus Hexaprotodon. Hexaprotodon? siculus is dimensionally different from the Spanish latest Miocene hippopotamid, herein referred to as Archaeopotamus crusafonti, and the two species are considered as valid taxa. The paleobiogeography of the latest Miocene hippopotamids from the Mediterranean Basin is discussed.
The early Middle Pleistocene large mammal faunas of Italy: An overview
Quaternary International, 2006
During the last decade new finds have increased our knowledge of the Middle Pleistocene mammal faunas of the Italian peninsula. We provide an updated framework, mainly based on the large mammals, highlighting some peculiarities of the Italian faunas. The early Middle Pleistocene faunas had been placed in a detailed scheme. These faunas are partially referred to the middle and late Galerian, and the validity of the different faunal units (FUs) is discussed. The main open questions arising from the recent discoveries are briefly pointed out. r
The classification of the fossil mammalian remains from the "Canale delle Acque Alte" collection is here revised. The stratigraphical provenance of the fossil material has now been reconstructed based on paleontological and sedimentological evidence derived from analyzes of the faunal assemblage and the sediment residue that specimens still preserve within bone cavities. Many species such as Hippopotamus amphibius, Dama dama dama, Megaloceros giganteus, Ursus spelaeus, Vulpes vulpes, Bos taurus longifrons and Capra hircus are recognized for the first time within the material sampled from this locality. The data obtained allowed assessment of the relative abundance of taxa based on calculation of the minimum number of individuals present. Hypotheses regarding the environmental conditions under which the fauna lived are also proposed based on the results and the ecology of the species identified. The fauna is attributed to a time interval between the end of the MIS 5a and MIS 3, while the specimens within the topmost level are Holocene in age. RIASSUNTO -[Mammiferi del tardo Pleistocene-Olocene del "Canale delle Acque Alte (Canale Mussolini)" (Agro Pontino, Lazio)] -Vengono presentati i risultati dello studio paleontologico della collezione storica del Canale delle Acque Alte conservata presso il Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio dell'Università di Pisa. Il lavoro ha consentito una revisione sistematica dei resti fossili e la ricostruzione della provenienza stratigrafica dei reperti, sia mediante considerazioni paleontologiche, sia attraverso l'analisi dei sedimenti ancora reperibili all'interno delle cavità delle ossa. Numerose le specie riconosciute, fra le quali alcune mai citate in precedenza in questo sito, come Hippopotamus amphibius, Dama dama dama, Megaloceros giganteus, Ursus spelaeus, Vulpes vulpes, oltre a forme domestiche come Bos taurus longifrons e Capra hircus. La fauna è dominata da Bos primigenius seguito da Cervus elaphus ed Equus ferus, ma significativa è anche la presenza di Equus hydruntinus, Mammuthus primigenius e Stephanorhinus hemitoechus. La collezione include anche alcuni esemplari di molluschi gasteropodi e bivalvi e tre frammenti di legno fossile. I dati raccolti hanno permesso di calcolare il numero di individui per una valutazione delle abbondanze relative dei taxa. Vengono inoltre avanzate ipotesi sull'ambiente e sulle condizioni climatiche in cui viveva l'associazione, basate sui risultati ottenuti e sulle caratteristiche ecologiche delle specie determinate. Si ipotizza che la fauna sia riferibile ad un intervallo cronologico compreso tra la fine dello stadio isotopico 5a e lo stadio 3,e che gli esemplari del livello più alto siano invece olocenici. S. Farina -Late Pleistocene-Holocene mammals from Canale delle Acque Alte Pl. 5
Pleistocene mammal faunas from the Leffe Basin (Bergamo, Northern Italy): revision and new data
COURIER- …, 2007
In this study, the mammal remains collected from the second half of the 19 th century until the late 1950's in the brown coal mine of Leffe (Bergamo, Northern Italy) are re-evaluated. We studied both the material preserved in the collections and the remains now lost but nonetheless well described in the literature. Along with Mammuthus meridionalis and Stephanorhinus ex gr. etruscus, several species not previously recorded from Leffe have been found in the collections (Pachycrocuta brevirostris, Hippopotamus cf. antiquus, Cerv alces cf. carnutorum, and Megaloceros ex gr. verticornispliotarandoides). Furthermore, Mimomys savini, ?Capreolus s.l. sp. and ?Megaloceros cf. obscurus are recorded thanks to the descriptions and measurements given in the literature of specimens now lost. Also, the previous specific identifications of Leptobos etruscus and of a Dama-like cervid have been modified into Leptobos vallisarni and Axis eurygonos, respectively.