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In this paper, we described the unpublished cervid material from the latest Upper Miocene deposits of the Monticino Quarry (Brisighella, central Italy).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.

本论文记述了产自意大利中部布里西盖拉地区蒙蒂奇诺采石场最新中新世地层中尚未发表的鹿科化石材料。该材料包含若干牙齿、部分轴后骨骼以及一段鹿角碎片。
一件带有乳第四下前臼齿（dp4）的孤立下颌骨碎片，因缺乏诊断性形态特征，被归入小型未定属种鹿科（Cervidae indet.）。
两件具有粗糙珐琅质、无古鹿属（Palaeomeryx）褶皱且带有近中齿带的下臼齿，被归入上新鹿属（Pliocervus）未定种。
一段鹿角碎片，其主干带有棱纹与沟槽，在第一分叉处上方向外侧弯曲；另有一件低冠型上第二臼齿（M2）以及若干小型轴后骨骼，上述材料均被归入原狍属（Procapreolus）cf. 洛氏原狍（loczyi）。
通过与其他最新中新世小型鹿科类群的对比研究发现，此前意大利境内关于副鹿属（Paracervulus）的化石记录应被重新归为上新鹿属（Pliocervus），而部分始鹿属（Euprox）的化石记录则可重新划归原狍属（Procapreolus）。
据此，上新鹿属（Pliocervus）与原狍属（Procapreolus）的同时出现，指示了意大利境内可归入MN13哺乳动物带的最新中新世动物群，并暗示其与东欧最新中新世哺乳动物组合具有生物地理亲缘关系。