Πρόσφατες παλαιοντολογικές
αποστολές σε περιοχές με απολιθώματα του Μειοκαίνου στην λεκάνη των Μυτιληνιών,
στο νησί της Σάμου, στην Ελλάδα, έχουν αποκαλύψει πολλά υπολείμματα ρινόκερου,
που αντιπροσωπεύουν δύο είδη κερασφόρων ρινόκερων:
–Ο δίκερως / Diceros
neumayri (Osborn, 1900),
και
–ο δίοπλος του Πικερμίου / Dihoplus pikermiensis
(Toula, 1906) – ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ: Το Πικέρμι στο ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.
ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΑ για τον ΡΙΝΟΚΕΡΩ, ΕΔΩ.
ΠΗΓΗ: Ioannis Giaourtsakis «The Late Miocene Mammal Faunas of the Mytilinii Basin, Samos Island, Greece: New Collection. 9. Rhinocerotidae», Project: Systematic studies on the fossil
rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae, Mammalia) of Greece, January 2009. ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 5.2.2009.
ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΑ για το ΜΕΙΟΚΑΙΝΟ, ΕΔΩ.
 |
| Δίκερως ρινόκερως Μυτιληνιών Σάμου. |
Abstract
The recent paleontological expeditions to the late Miocene fossiliferous
localities of the Mytilinii Basin on Samos Island, Greece, have unearthed
numerous rhinocerotid remains that represent two species of horned
rhinoceroses, “Diceros” neumayri (Osborn, 1900) and Dihoplus pikermiensis
(Toula, 1906). The morphological differences between the two species are
discussed. The absence of the hornless rhinoceros Chilotherium in our sample,
which is known from previous Samos collections, is attributed to the limited
material, particularly from the stratigraphically older localities of
Mytilinii-3 (MYT) and Mytilinii-4 (MLN) of the Potamies ravine. In the
well-sampled localities of the younger Mytilinii-1 (MTL) faunal assemblage of
the Adrianos ravine, a significant interspecific dominance of “Diceros”
neumayri over Dihoplus pikermiensis has been documented. The comparison of the
Samos rhinocerotids with other Turolian localities in Continental Greece and
Western Asia indicates a closer resemblance to the Asian ones, in particular
from Anatolia. The marked differences in the relative distribution of
rhinocerotid taxa among the Turolian localities of the Eastern Mediterranean
and adjacent regions are related to environmentally-controlled provincial
differences and suggest the expansion of more open and arid habitats on Samos
and in Anatolia compared to Continental Greece during this period of time.
