Primer hallazgo de un vivérrido (Carnivora, Mammalia) en el Mioceno superior de la Fosa de Teruel (España)

• Autores: Jorge Morales Romero, Luis Alcalá Martínez, Plini Montoya Belló
• Localización: Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural. Sección geológica, ISSN 0583-7510, Tomo 96, Nº 3-4, 2001, págs. 101-109
• Idioma: español
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• Dialnet Métricas: 1 Cita
• Resumen
  • español

    En el presente trabajo se describe un fragmento mandíbular del vivérrido Semigenetta ripolli PETTER, 1976 procedente del Vallesiense superior (MN10) de un nuevo afloramiento del área de La Roma (Fosa de Teruel, España), denominado Masía de La Roma 604 (MR 604).

    Parte de su interés viene dado por la escasez de fósiles de la familia Viverridae en el registro fósil de la Península Ibérica. De hecho, ésta es la primera cita de un vivérrido en la Fosa de Teruel, a pesar de la gran riqueza en vertebrados fósiles que presenta dicha cuenca.

    Pero el verdadero interés del hallazgo radica en que representa la Semigenetta más moderna en el registro fósil del género. El ejemplar estudiado muestra caracteres morfológicos muy evolucionados, tales como la posesión de un M??? con protocónido muy alto y metacónido y talónido muy reducidos. Esto es consecuente con el patrón observado a lo largo de la evolución de Semigenetta durante el Mioceno inferior y medio. En cambio, S. Ripolli muestra unas dimensiones similares a las de la especie más primitiva y más pequeña del género, Semigenetta elegans DEHM, 1950 del Mioceno inferior europeo (MN3).

  • English

    A jaw fragment with the P3-M1 series of the ViverridaeSemigenetta ripolli Petter, 1976 from the Spanish Upper Vallesian (MN 10) is described. It has been found in a new locality, called Masía de La Roma 604 (MR 604), in La Roma area (Teruel Basin, Spain), located around the J2-J3 limit of the zonation of Van Dam (1997), with an age of about 9 Ma. Its interest comes partly from the scarcity of representatives of the family Viverridae in the fossil record of the Iberian Peninsula. In fact, this is the first report on a viverrid in the Teruel Basin, in spite of the great richness of fossil vertebrates in this basin. Semigenetta Helbing, 1927 is a relatively frequent genus in European Lower and Middle Miocene sites (from MN3 to MN7/8), with the succession of species Semigenetta elegans DEHM, 1950 - Semigenetta repelini Helbing, 1927 (or S. aff. sansaniensis)- Semigenetta sansaniensis (Lartet, 1851). During this time interval, there is basically a gradual size increase, with some morphological changes of teeth. So, the M undergoes an increase of the protoconid height and a metaconid and talonid reduction.

    However, in the Upper Miocene the genus Semigenetta has only been found in Vallesian Spanish sites. It is represented by two species which diverge from the above outlined pattern. Semigenetta grandis Crusafont& Golpe, 1981, from Castell de Barber (MN9), has a comparatively enormous size, and shows the greatest carnivorism degree within the genus: the most powerful mandible, M with the relatively best developed paraconid-protoconid complex and the smallest talonid, an also robust premolars (like in the Hyaenidae). On the other hand, Semigenetta ripolli Petter, 1976 from Can Llobateres (also Lower Vallesian, MN9), shows a morphology similar to S. sansaniensis, but with a size that fits in the maximum values of S. elegans, from the Lower Miocene of Europe (MN3), which is the smallest and most primitive species in this genus.

    The S. ripolli specimen here described represents the most modern Semigenetta in the fossil record, and shows very evolved morphological features, like a M with a very high protoconid and very reduced metaconid and talonid. All this, excepting its small size, is in accordance with the observed pattern in the evolution ofSemigenetta during the Lower and Middle Miocene.

    The differential diagnosis of Semigenetta ripolli is as follows: Semigenetta with the size of S. elegans, with a characterized by having a very high protoconid, a very reduced talonid and a metaconid smaller than in the rest of species in the genus.

    2>The main goal of this contribution is to underline the determinant role of vegetation in landscape configuration. Key factor of the vegetal component of landscape and its dynamic are briefly introduced to describe the most conspicuous landscape units of the Iberian Peninsula; i.e. Atlantic and Mediterranean forests, bushes, riparian and mountain vegetation, pseudo-steppes. Finally, the most relevant threatens of these landscapes are identified.