Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 85. (Budapest 1993)
Gasparik, M.: Deinotheres (Proboscidea, Mammalia) of Hungary
ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 85. Budapest, 1993 p. 3-17 Deinotheres (Proboscidea, Mammalia) of Hungary by M. GASPARIK, Budapest GASPARIK, M.: Deinotheres (Proboscidea, Mammalia) of Hungary. -Annls hist-nat Mus. nam. hung. 1993, 85: 3-17. Abstract - The ages of deinothere remains found in Hungary fall into the period between the Early Miocene (Late Eggenburgian) and the Early Pliocene (Pontian). From them, only the tooth remains are well determinable. The teeth can be classified on the basis of their size, the shape and placing of the crown-elements and their stratigraphical position into two genera (Prodeinotherium, Deinotherium) and into four species (P. hungaricum, P. bavaricum, D. giganteum, D. gigantissimum), respectively. With one table and 18 figures. INTRODUCTION The deinotheres are extinct herbivorous proboscidean mammals, which can be characterized with elephant-like skeleton, low skull, lophodont dentition, downwards curved symphysis of the mandible and with downwards-pointing lower tusks. The dental formula is 0-0-3 for the lower and 1-0-3 for the upper deciduous teeth, 0-0-2-3 for the lower and 1-0-2-3 for the upper permanent dentition. D4, D 4 , Mi and M 1 are trilophodont, the remaining molars and premolars are bilophodont (except the P3). Two genera belong to the family Deinotheriidae; Prodeinotherium and Deinotherium. The former (and older) holds the more primitive features; smaller size (Fig. 1), less curved symphysis (Fig. 2) and the slightly bunodont character of the anterior premolars. The earliest Prodeinotherium remains were found in East Africa, their age is lowest Miocene (HARRIS 1973: 292, SAVAGE & HAMILTON 1973: 526). The origin of the family is not yet clarified, it has no direct relation with the other proboscidean families, except the Moeritheriidae and Barytheriidae which are known only from the Eocene of Africa. Their skull-structure is similar to the deinotheres' and from the crown-structure of their cheek teeth the lophodont crown-morphology of the deinotheres' grinding teeth can be deduced (Tobien 1986: 168). The prodeinotheres immigrated into Eurasia during the Early Miocene via the Iberian peninsula and the Arabian peninsula and Asia Minor, respectively (HARRIS 1973: 345, TOBIEN 1986: 168). The more advanced representatives of the family - the deinotheres - appeared during the Middle and Late Miocene, the last Prodeinotherium remains are known from the same age. During the Early Pliocene the deinotheres attained large sizes (Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgary, Rumania), from the Middle Pliocene deinothere remains are unknown from Eurasia. In Africa the last representative (Deinotherium bozasi) became extinct in the Early Pleistocene.
