Dr. Nagy I. Zoltán szerk.: Fragmenta Mineralogica Et Palaentologica 9. 1979. (Budapest, 1979)
Comparison In the temperate climate of the Lower Middle Pleistocene Lower Biharian (GünzMindel Interglacial) divergent, heterogeneous progressive forms of the Southern Elephant (Archidiskodon meridionalis /NESTI 1825/) "macro-species" came into existence developed (OSBORN 1942, DIETRICH 1965, DUBROVO 1964). From the northern marginal areas of the range of the Southern Elephant (Archidiskodon meridionalis /NESTI 1825/ ) the following subspecies are known: Western Europe: Archidiskodon meridionalis cromerensis (DEPÉRET et MAY ET 1923) Middle Europe:' Archidiskodon meridionalis voigtstedtensis DIETRICH 1958, Archidiskodon meridionalis jockgrimensis DIETRICH 19 58 Carpathian Basin: Archidiskodon meridionalis ürömensis n. ssp. Eastern Europe: Archidiskodon meridionalis tamanensis DUBROVO 1964 The dentition of the Elephantidae developed in the Post-Meridionalis Phase can be characterized as a whole by their tendency to become modern: - The dimensions of the teeth became bigger, the number of the ridge-plates is increasing. The dentition with its more densely spaced lamellae and increased grinding surface of the teeth made possible a more intensive utilization of the nutriment. - The dentition became more hypselodont. - The thickness of the lamellae and that of the enamel decreased. The structure and evolution of the dentition of the subspecies of the Carpathian Basin, Archidiskodom meridionalis n. ssp. is lying between the structure and evolution of the Western European subspecies (Archidiskodon meridionalis cromerensis /DEPÉRET et MAYET 1923/) and those of the Eastern European subspecies (Archidiskodon meridionalis tamanens is DUBROVO 1964) (OSBORN 1942, DUBROVO 1964). It shows the greatest similarity to the Middle European subspecies (Archidiskodon meridionalis voigtstedtensis DIETRICH 1958) (DIETRICH 19 65). It is characteristic of the dentition of the specimens in the Western European subspecies that their dimensions are smaller and they have less lamellae than the Middle European subspecies. On the other side the specimens of the Eastern European subspecies have a dentition of bigger dimensions and more lamellae. In European Elephantids of the Post-Meridionalis Phase we can observe a downward tendency in the dimensions of the teeth - and most probably in the body dimensions, too- from the East to the West. The form of the Carpathian Basin is of average height. Now we must face the question whether the systematic classification of the "macrospecies" meridionalis, trogontherii, primigenius of the different Elephantid evolutionary phases is well-founded or not. At the time being we have a relatively good knowledge about the Elephantid populations of the different isolated localities and geographical areas (DIETRICH 1965, DUBROVO 1964, GUENTHER 1969, 1975, 1977, KUBIAK- ZAKRZEWSKA 1974, KUBIAK 1965, MELENTIS 1961, MUSIL 1968, SOERGEL 1912, VÖRÖS manuscript, etc. ), but we know considerably less about their relation to each other. Thus the separation of the Elephantids of the different regions in a subspecific (specific) level is well-founded until in the possession of statistically reliably appreciable teeth-material (considerably less extremity bones are available for us) we could reconstruct the stratigraphical and chronological relations of the "transitional forms" of the well-known classical meridionalis - trogontherii (- primigenius) evolutionary line. In the Post-Meridionalis Phase the terminal forms (subspecies) of the Southern Elephant are found together with the Parelephas trogontherii " primitive" , " meridionaloid" , "typ ical" and "progressive" forms (KRETZOI 1965, KAHLKE 1978). The cause of this is probably that momentarily we have not the required knowledge about the individual variabilities being far beyond the variational span of the specific (subspecific) categories. A more exact knowledge of the undoubtedly existing geographical heterogeneity can be observed among the Pleistocene Elephantid species as well as that of their presumably parallel evolutionary trends during the different periods can make possible by interpolation - reduction - of chronotaxonally and geographically distinct forms.
