The latest Miocene small-sized Cervidae from Monticino Quarry (Brisighella, central Italy): paleobiogeographic and biochronological implications

In this paper, we described the unpublished cervid material from the latest Upper Miocene deposits of the Monticino Quarry (Brisighella, central Italy). The material includes a few teeth, some postcranials and a fragment of antler. An isolated fragment of mandible with dp4 is referred to Cervidae indet. (small-size) due to the absence of diagnostic morphological features. Two lower molars characterised by rugose enamel, the absence of <i>Palaeomeryx</i> fold and the presence of mesial cingulid are assigned to <i>Pliocervus</i> sp. A fragment of antler, characterised by ridges and furrows along the beam, which bends towards the lateral side just above the first bifurcation, a brachydont M2 and several small-sized postcranials are instead referred to <i>Procapreolus</i> cf. <i>loczyi</i>. The comparison with other latest Miocene small-sized Cervidae revealed that previous records of <i>Paracervulus</i> in Italy should be regarded as <i>Pliocervus</i> and that some records of <i>Euprox</i> can be instead re-assigned to <i>Procapreolus</i>. Accordingly, the occurrence of both <i>Pliocervus</i> and <i>Procapreolus</i> is indicative of latest Miocene Italian faunas referred to MN13 and suggests biogeographic affinity with Eastern European latest Miocene mammal assemblages.

本研究报道了产自意大利中部布里西盖拉地区蒙蒂奇诺采石场晚中新世最晚期沉积层中未发表的鹿科（Cervidae）化石材料。该批化石包含若干牙齿、部分颅后骨骼以及一段鹿角碎片。一件带有第四乳前臼齿（dp4）的孤立下颌骨碎片，因缺乏诊断性形态特征，被归为鹿科未定属种（小型）（Cervidae indet.）。两件釉质粗糙、无古鹿褶（Palaeomeryx fold）且具近中齿带（mesial cingulid）的下臼齿，被归入上新鹿属未定种（Pliocervus sp.）。另有一段鹿角碎片，其主干分布棱脊与沟槽，在第一分叉处上方向外侧弯曲；辅以一颗低冠第二上臼齿（M2）以及若干小型颅后骨骼，上述材料被归为比较种洛氏原狍（Procapreolus cf. loczyi）。通过与其他晚中新世小型鹿科类群的对比分析，研究发现意大利此前记录的副鹿属（Paracervulus）类群应被重新划归上新鹿属（Pliocervus），而部分始鹿属（Euprox）的化石记录则可重新归属原狍属（Procapreolus）。据此，上新鹿属与原狍属的共存现象，表明意大利晚中新世的该类动物群可归入MN13哺乳动物组合带，并暗示其与东欧晚中新世哺乳动物组合群存在生物地理亲缘关系。