Szabó János szerk.: Fragmenta Mineralogica Et Palaentologica 20. 2002. (Budapest, 2002)

FRAGMENTA PALAEONTOLOGICA HUNGARICA 20, BUDAPEST, 2002 Eocene sea cows (Sirenia, Mammalia) from Hungary by László KORDOS Abstract - Although the territory of Hungary is rich in Eocene sea cow remains, there are only few among the sporadic finds that hold significant systematic value. Because several new taxa have been described from the area in the past and new discoveries shed light on some important phylogenetic lineages, the author has attempted a revision of the most important sirenian remains of Hungary. Four taxa can be distinguished in the Eocene of Hungary: Sirenavus hungaricus KRETZOI (including Paralitherium tarkanyense KORDOS), Anisosiren pannonica KORDOS, Sirenia indet. I (earlier: Protosiren), and Sirenia indet. II (earlier: Eotheroides or "large form"). The present paper includes a list of all Eocene Sirenia finds from Hungary housed in State collections and in private hand. Key words - Mammalia, Sirenia, Eocene, Hungary. KORDOS, L. (2002): Eocene sea cows (Sirenia, Mammalia) from Hungary — Fragmenta Palaeontologica Hungarica, 20: 43-48. Introduction A large number of Eocene sea cow localities are known from the present territory of Hungary (Table 1). Three new genera and species, Sirenavus hungaricus KRETZOI, 1941; Paralitherium tarkanyense KORDOS, 1977 and Anisosiren pannonica KORDOS, 1979 have been described on the basis of poorly preserved material, while some well known taxa, e.g. Protosiren and Eotheroides were recognized (KORDOS 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983). Inuring the past twenty years some of the old material became available for further preparations and thus, important anatomical details became uncovered. The new fundamental discoveries in Egypt, Pakistan and Jamaica opened a wider and new horizon in our understanding of the phylogeny and systematics of the Sirenia (DOMNLNG

1994,2001; DOMNLNG& CLARK 1993; DOMNING & GLNGERICH 1994; GLNGERICH et al. 1994, 1995; SAVAGE et al., 1994). These factors have necessitated a critical revison of the previous results of research on the Eocene Sirenia in Hungary. Ahhrevations: MAFI = Magyar Állami Földtani Intézet (Geological Institute of Hungary); MTM = Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum, Föld- és Oslénytár (Hungárián Natural riistory Museum, Geological and Palaeontological Department) Systematics Sirenavus hungaricus KRETZOI, 1941 The type specimen of Sirenavus hungaricus KRETZOI, 1941 is a cranium (lacking premaxilla and teeth) articulated with the posterior parts of the left and right mandibles (including the fragment of Mb) as well as some ribs from the Middle Eocene of Felsőgalla, Hungary. KRETZOI (1941) did not have the chance to study the squamosal, jugal, zygomatic and mandibular parts of the specimen because they were largely covered by the embedding limestone. Further preparation of the type specimen in 1978 allowed observation of the fragmentary mandibles (KORDOS 1981). The ribs were lost between the two phases of examination. Sirenavus hungaricus was the first nominal species and genus of sea cows from the Eocene of the Carpathian Basin. Following its scientific description, the vast majority of the remains of medium-sized Eocene sirenians were classified into the genus Sirenavus (MOTTL 1944; BALOGH & RÓNAI 1965; KORDOS 1983,1985,1992). KORDOS (1977) described Paralitherium tarkanyense as a new genus and species from the Late Eocene deposits of Felsőtárkány, N Hungary. At that time the mandibles of the type srxximen of Sirenavus hungaricus had not yet been prepared and thus, the two srjecimens could not be compared Close to the site of the type locality of Paralitherium (western part of the Kis-Eged Fiill at town Eger, North Hungary), a lower third molar (MAFI V. 15359) was found by F. Legányi in Late Eocene deposits in 1935 (KORDOS 1985). The associated blocks of M3 contained vertebrae and ribs, and after preparation of the blocks an innomminate bone in articulation with the femur was uncovered Based on the great morphological similarity of the newly found M3 to the type specimen of Sirenavus, KORDOS (1985) allocated it to the genus Sirenavus. In the light of the new information on the old material the following srjecimens are hereby included in the genus Sirenavus on the basis of shared morphological characters: (1) type of Sirenavus hungaricus, Middle-Eocene, Felsogalla [Tatabánya],