FEJFAR, Oldrich & Gerhard STORCH:
Das Nagetier von Valec-Waltsch in Böhmen – ein historischer fossiler Säugetierfund – (Rodentia: Myoxidae)

The complete skeleton of an Early Oligocene myoxid rodent, found around 1690 in Valec in western Bohemia, Czech Republik, is described. The recently prepared lower dentition allows detailed comparisons with related myoxids of the European Tertiary. The specimen was previously investigated and figured by MYLIUS, SCHEUCHZER, CUVIER, H. von MEYER, GOETHE and SCHLOSSER as a fossil »Wassermaus«, squirrel or »Myoxus«. It is one of the oldest records of a mammalian fossil in Europe and can now be referred to Bransatoglis cf. micio (MISONNE, 1957). Skeletal morphology and limb proportions are strikingly similar to living dormice, in particular Myoxus glis, and suggest at least partly arboreal habits.

SIGÉ, Bernard, Herbert THOMAS, Sevket SEN, Emmanuel GHEERBRANT, Jack ROGER & Zaher AL-SULAIMANI:
Les chiroptères de Taqah (Oligocène inférieur, Sultanat d'Oman). Premier inventaire systématique

Being presently documented by about fourty isolated teeth, the bat fauna from Taqah (Early Oligocene, Sultanate of Oman) includes forms which represent the three Old World bat superfamilies. Together with several new genera and/or species (the emballonurid Dhofarella thaleri, the hipposiderid Hipposideros (Brachipposideros) omani, the nycteridid Chibanycteris herberti, and the philisid Philisis sevketi) there are some other bats unidentified at various taxonomic levels. Compared to western-european bats of the same period, the araboafrican Taqah bats display a high degree of originality and modernity, presumably related to a long endemic evolutionary process. Diversity of the ecological conditions offered to bats is suggested by the Taqah assemblage. Likely ancestor for Philisis sphingis from Fayum Quarry I (Jebel Qatrani Fm., Egypt), P. sevketi favours an older age for the Taqah level.

ZIEGLER, Reinhard:
Das Mammut (Mammuthus primigenius BLUMENBACH) von Siegsdorf bei Traunstein (Bayern) und seine Begleitfauna

The Pleistocene mammalian fauna of Siegsdorf, with special reference to the mammoth skeleton is presented. The big size of the skeleton indicates a male mammoth of the early form of Mammuthus primigenius. The fauna dates into the temperate phase of a glacial, more likely Rissian than Wuermian.

de BONIS, Louis & Georges KOUFOS:
Some Hyaenidae from the Late Miocene of Macedonia (Greece) and a Contribution to the phylogeny of the Hunting Hyaenas

The localities Ravin des Zouaves no 5 (RZO) and Dytiko 1 (DTK) in Macedonia (Greece) are dated back to early Turolian and to late Turolian (late Miocene) respectively. Both have yielded several remains of hyaenids. Some of them can be identified as belonging to the classical species Adcrocuta eximia but others belong to the hunting hyaena Chasmaporthetes of which they are one of the oldest occurrences. This genus is considered here as separate from Euryboas since the Pliocene. Lycyaena does not seem a good ancestor for these two genera despite some similarities which probably express some apomorphies but also an evolutionary parallelism.

ZIEGLER, Reinhard:
Die Chiroptera (Mammalia) aus dem Untermiozän von Stubersheim 3 (Baden-Württemberg)

The bats of Stubersheim 3, a site situated north of Ulm are presented. The fauna dates into the lower Miocene, lower Orleanian, NM 3-zone. Eight species are represented: Megaderma cf. franconica, Hipposideros cf. collongensis, Rhinolophus aff. lemanensis, Rhinolophus dehmi, Myotis aff. antiquus, Myotis aff. murinoides, Eptesicus aurelianensis and a Vespertilionid not determinable to the genus level. The fauna of Stubersheim 3 differs from the bat fauna of Wintershof-West essentially by the dominance of Vespertilionids.

VIANEY-LIAUD, Monique:
La radiation des Gliridae (Rodentia) à l'Eocène supérieur en Europe Occidentale, et sa descendance Oligocène

This study deals with the Gliridae from 49 localities ranging from Late Eocene (MP17) up to the Late Oligocene (MP30). Thanks to the abundant material obtained at the richest sites (Hoogbutsel, Itardies, Montalban Sud, Pech Desse), a detailed analysis of the dental patterns exhibited by these rodents could be carried out. The knowledge of the variability of these dental patterns has led to modify the definition of the taxa Glamys, Gliravus and Bransatoglis and new generical assesments have been proposed for some species. Also, three new species and two new genera have been created (Gliravus garouillensis, Bransatoglis misonnei, Tenuiglis exiguus and Miniglis). That clarification in systematics has led to establish relationships among the different genera. However, as a result of a generally poor record of glirids in the localities, many questions remain. In particular, the definition of their evolutionary modes is highly hypothetical. Some lineages such as Glamys priscus (MP17-?MP25) seem to have a long range without any important morphological changes. May be as a result of their better record, other lineages such as Bransatoglis planus show a little but real evolution in morphology and size. The most important changes (mainly in size ) seem to be related to geographical isolations followed or not by migrations and/or climatic changes (Glamyspriscus fordi and devoogdi; Gliravus bravoi; Bransatoglis sjeni and concavidens).

The sizes and dental pattern diversity, as well that of infra-orbitary structures as early as the Late Eocene indicate that the first glirid radiation occured before that period. The «myomorphy» of the Gliridae is derived from a protrogomorph infra-orbital organization: for that reason and on account of their other particular features, the question of the systematical position of the African graphiurids within the Gliridae is formulated.

The Oligocene species of the genera Microdyramys, Glirudinus and Peridyromys, abundant in some of the localities studied here, will be considered later elsewhere.

AGUSTÍ, J., X. BARBERÀ, L. CABRERA, J. M. PARÉS & M. LLENAS:
Magnetobiostratigraphy of the Oligocene-Miocene transition in the Ebro Basin (Eastern Spain): State of the Art

The SE Ebro basin arises as one of the most favourable areas in Europe where the late Oligocene-early Miocene boundary can be traced in non-marine sequences, because of the existence of quite vertically and laterally continuous and correlatable outcrops and the presence of several fossil mammal localities. New rodent fossil material gathered from recently revisited latest Oligocene – earliest Miocene localities have refined significantly the available biostratigraphical data, with the definition of four new biozones: Eucricetodon dubius Zone, Eucricetodon robustus Zone, Rhodanomys transiens Zone and Vasseuromys autolensis Zone. This result is combined with the recent development of magnetostratigraphic studies in the area. More than 250 specimens were stepwise thermally or magnetically demagnetized following standard procedures. The VGP data show more than ten reversal events, that define a sequence of nine polarity intervals. Two plausible proposals of correlation based on the distinctive sequence and pattern polarity reversal are here considered. According to Option I, Chrons 8, 7A, 7 and 6C have been identified. According to Option II, only Chrons 7n and 6C are present in the section. Option I seems more reasonable in terms of correlation of polarity events and appearences of criptochrons. In both cases, the Oligocene-Miocene boundary is placed within the Rhodanomys transiens Zone.

ELLWANGER, Dietrich M., Oldrich FEJFAR & Wighart v. KOENIGSWALD:
Die biostratigraphische Aussage der Arvicolidenfauna vom Uhlenberg bei Dinkelscherben und ihre morpho- und lithostratigraphischen Konsequenzen

The Uhlenberg site is a key for the regional geology and the stratigraphy of the Iller-Lech Platte. Fragments of arvicolid molars were collected from sediments below the thin coal seam. The analysis of the enamel ultrastructure (schmelzmuster) allowed to recognized the following taxa Mimomys cf. pliocaenicus, Mimomys reidi-pitymyoides, Pliomys episcopalis, Borsodia sp., and Lagurodon cf. arankae). Even if the determination is not always at the species level the fauna can be placed stratigraphically with sufficient accuracy into the Lagurodon-Vlllanyia zone within the uppermost Pliocene (MN 17). In addition Beremendia fissidens, Pliomys episcopalis and Apodemus sp. are recorded. The horizon containing the arvicolids is younger than the gravels of the Zusamplatte. This defines the minimal age of the alpine Donau-period.