Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 70. (Budapest 1978)

Jánossy, D.: Larger mammals from the lowermost Pleistocene fauna, Osztramos, Loc. 7. (Hungary)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 70. Budapest 1978. Larger Mammals from the Lowermost Pleistocene Fauna, Osztramos, Loc. 7 (Hungary) by. D. JÁNOSSY, Budapest Abstract — Well-preserved large mammal remains in the Osztramos, Loc. 7 occurring together with microstratigraphically defined microvertebrate-fauna give an opportunity for the first time in Hungary and in whole of Europe, to synchronize the stratigraphical significance of both faunal elements. Thereby a more precise characterization of the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary terrestrial faunae was made possible, along with the establishment of a new stratigraphical unit: the RákóHorizon. With 2 photoplates. During the last few decades the investigation of the Pleistocene microvertebrate faunae has prospered as never before. The evolutionary changes, combined with the dominancephases of small vertebrates often present in statistical quantities, made possible to establish a very detailed microstratigraphical sequence. However, these fine sequences gradually become independent and break away from classical "largemammal stratigraphy". This fact is due to the nature of different fossil-bearing localities: some of them (fissures, rock-shelters, etc.) yield nearly exclusively small vertebrates, others (archeological sites, etc.) almost merly large mammals. Although, it would be absolutely indispensable to link the micro- and macrovertebrate stratigraphy especially in those cases, in which international convention is based on the classical large mammal succession, like the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary. Independently of this, we can imagine a clearer picture of the fauna of a corresponding time span by the knowing the possible largest sclae of the former world of life. For this very reason I was delighted to find besides the extremely rich microvertebrates some very significant remains of larger mammals, outlined in the previous papers on the fauna of Osztramos, Loc. 7 (Northern Hungary, JÁNOSSY 1974), which may justly be called as a typical transitional vertebrate fauna between the Pliocene and Pleistocene in Europe. I give here the whole list of fossil systematical units determined on the basis of the material collected during the years of 1970 to 1977, in the fissure of Osztramos 7: Celt is sp. (seeds) Gastropoda indet. Diplopoda indet. A mira indet. Ophidia indet. Lacertilia indet. O phi saur us sp. Testudinata indet. Tetrao cf. eonjugens JÁNOSSY Francolinus capeki LAMBRECHT Francolinus minor JÁNOSSY Bubo sp. Surnia robusta JÁNOSSY Athene veta JÁNOSSY Turdoides sp. Passeriformes indet. Talpa sp. Desmana cf. nehringi KORMOS Erinaceus aff. samsonowiczi SULIMSKI Beremendia fissidens PETÉNYI Petenyia hungariea KORMOS Petenyiella cf. gracilis (PETÉNYI) Episoriculus gibberodon (PETÉNYI) Sorex cf. subminutus SULIMSKI Chiroptera indet. Estramomys simplex JÁNOSSY Sciurus sp. Pliopetaurista dehneli SULIMSKI Pliopetes hangarieus KRETZOI G lis minor KOWALSKI Museardinus sp. Dryomimus eliomyoides KRETZOI Glirulus (Amphidyromys

)pusillus (HELLER) Sminthozapus janossyi SULIMSKI Prospalax prisais NEHRING Apode mus sp. I—II Cricetinus sp. I—II Baranomys loezyi KORMOS Germanomys cf. weileri HELLER Mimomys cf. stehlini KORMOS Mimomys sp. div. Cseria gracilis KRETZOI Lemmus sp. Hystrix major GERVAIS „Hypolagus beremendensis PETÉNYI" Cants aff. aniens is FORSYTH MAJOR Vulpes s.l. sp. Ursus minimus DEVÈZE et BOUILLET