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June 2022
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Small sauropod tracks in the Hettangian of Southern France – A case of ichnite fossilization in an intertidal zone
Pierre Demathieu, Alain Izart, André Charrière and Monique Vianey-Liaud
Keywords: Intertidal zone; Lower Jurassic; Sauropods; Southern France; Tracks

doi: 10.18563/pv.45.2.e1
 
  Abstract

    This paper presents the description and the interpretation of recently discovered traces on a Lower Hettangian dolomitic outcrop in the Bédarieux area, Southern France. One trace set immediately attracted the attention by its resemblance to a small sauropod pes-manus couple but no trackway was visible. As the other traces have a variety of shapes with no obvious significance, it took a thorough examination of the 3D and sedimentological data to come to the conclusion that most traces likely were sauropod tracks made under diverse conditions. Sedimentological and ichnological data indicate that the tracks have been made in the intertidal zone of a carbonated tidal flat shortly before an emersion period. It appears that that the variety of trace shapes is due to a variety of water depths: the sauropods were punting when the water level was high. The lack of trackways seems due to the combination of an underprint situation, buoyancy effects and the small size of the track-bearing slab. Several hypotheses can be considered for explaining the very small size of the tracks, such as insular dwarfism or the immaturity of the trackmakers. 


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Long-term fidelity of megaoolithid dinosaurs to a large breeding-ground in the Upper Cretaceous of Aix-en-Provence (southern France).
Géraldine Garcia, Yves Dutour, Isabellle Cojan, Xavier Valentin and Gilles Cheylan
Keywords: Large nesting ground; megaloolithid eggs; Southern France; Upper Cretaceous
 
  Abstract

    We present here the preliminary results from a new nesting site "Sextius-Mirabeau", discovered close to the historical centre of Aix-en-Provence in Upper Cretaceous deposits. This extensive megaloolithid nesting ground, the first large scale excavation (3225 m²) in France, yielded more than 530 eggs, some organized in clusters. Their study reveals the reproductive strategy of the megaloolithid egglayer group which indicates nesting fidelity and gregarious behaviour.  


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Published in Vol. 32, Fasc. 2-4 (2003)

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First evidence of an early Miocene marine teleostean fish fauna (otoliths) from la Paillade.(Montpellier,France)
Bettina Reichenbacher and Henri Cappetta
Keywords: Aquitanian; Biostratigraphy; La Paillade; marine deposits; Miocene; otoliths; Palaeoecology; Palaeogeography; Southern France; Teleostei
 
  Abstract

    A fossil fish fauna, based on 5533 otoliths, from the La Paillade locality at Montpellier is described and figured. The otolith-bearing marls correlate to mammal zone MN l (Aguilar, 1982), and thus represent the earliest Miocene. The fish fauna consists of 30 taxa belonging to 20 families. Two species are new: Dussumieria sittigi and Liza gaudanti. The predominant faunal element is the Lesueurigobius vicínalis-species complex, composing 73% of all investigated otoliths. The palaeoecological analysis reveals a marine to euryhaline fish fauna living under tropical to subtropical conditions in the transition zone littoral - sublittoral. Water depth probably was more than 10 m. The scarcity of pelagic físhes suggests that the habitat was either a sheltered bay and/or far away from the open sea. Furthermore, some genera represented in the La Paillade fish fauna presently live exclusively in the Indopacific realm. Their presence strongly supports a broad connection between the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Paratethys Seas during the Early Miocene (Aquitanian). From a palaeobiogeographical point of view, faunal relationships were found between the La Paillade fish fauna and both the Paratethys fish fauna and the fish fauna from the deposits in the Upper Rhinegraben and the Mayence and Hanau Basins (Germany).



      


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Published in Vol. 28, Fasc. 1 (1999)

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Le genre Leptolophus (Perissodactyla, Mammalia): morphologie et histologie dentaires, anatomie cranienne, implications fonctionnelles.
Jean-Albert Remy
Keywords: dental histology; Eocene; functional anatomy; Palaeotheriidae; skull anatomy; Southern France; Systematics
 
  Abstract

    A strong lophodonty, an extreme heterodonty, some hypsodonty and regular overlayings of coronal cement are prominent features of the genus Leptolophus (Palaeotheriinae = Palaeotheriidae s.s.). The histological pattern of the teeth unusually joins type II enamel prisms, characteristic of advanced ungulates, together with archaic features, such as an almost complete lack of Hunter-Schreger zonation and a weak expanse of peritubular dentine. The skull is narrow and slender, with an elongated ante-orbital facial region, a moderately notched nasal aperture, a rather elongated post-canine diastem, parallel zygornatic arches and a fairly dorsally located squamoso-mandibular joint.The functional analysis brings to light "ectolophodont" masticatory cycles with two phases, in which maximum power was applied, contrary to equíds, on hindmost teeth; likewise, skull accomodations to increasing height of the teeth are quite different. This study leads to the assumption that Leptolophus may have been light mammals, living in rather open surroundings, browsing on herbaceous plants or leaves cropped close to the ground. Moreover, it appears that it could have been some inadequacy of dental structures to the dietary, which leaded to quick wear of the teeth and to many enamel notches, but had been somewhat balanced by the early increase of hypsodonty, not induced in such a case by a biotop deterioration (as it will happen at the end of the Eocene). This ínadaptation might account for the short duration of the genus Leptolophus, whose the 3 species, L. stehlini, L. nouletí and L. magnus n. sp. are indeed confined in the level MP 16. Its geographical spreading (as far as known, South of western Europe) and the morphological pattern of its dentition suggest that this genus would have been related to early upper Eocene endemic spanish forms.





      


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Published in Vol. 27, Fasc. 1-2 (1998)

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Evolution de la lignée Megacricetodon collongensis-Megacricetotodon roussillonensis (Cricetidae, Rodentia, mammalia) au cours du Midocène inférieur et moyen dans le Sud de la France.
Jean-Pierre Aguilar
Keywords: Cricetids rodents; Evolutionary lineage; Lower and Middle Miocene; Mammalian biochronology; Megacricetodon new species; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    New populations of the genus Megacricetodon have recently been discovered in Southern France.Two new species are defined: M. lemartineli n. sp. and M. fournasi n. sp., their stages of evolution are intermediate between those of M. gersii and M. roussillonensis. Morphological and biometrical analysis indicate the presence of only one lineage: M. collongensis--M. collongensis-gersii--M. gersii--M.lemartineli nov. sp.--M. fournasi nov. sp. and M. roussillonensis. This observation allows to refine the chronology based on rodents, for the Late Early Miocene and the Middle Miocene in the Southern France.
    Comparisons with some iberian species are done. The validity of the French species M. bezianensis and M. bourgeoisi is discussed. 


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Published in Vol. 24, Fasc. 1-2 (1995)

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Nouveaux gisements à rongeurs dans les molasses oligo-miocènes de la région toulousaine
Francis Duranthon
Keywords: Cricetidae; Eomyidae; GIiridae; Miocene; Oligocene; Rodents; Sciuridae; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    The fauna from three new rodent localities (Castelmaurou, Grépiac-carrière et Grépiac-rive gauche) from Oligo-Miocene molasses of the Toulouse area is described. The one from Colomiers is completed. 11 species belonging to 4 families (Cricetidae, Eomyidae, Gliridae, Sciuridae) are present. The Miocene localities of Grépiac-carrière and Colomiers are correlated with Balizac, La Brète, Lambert and Lespignan. Grépiac-rive gauche is just a little older than these sites. Castelmaurou is somewhat younger than La Milloque and belongs to Oligocene. 


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Published in Vol. 22, Fasc. 2-3 (1993)

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Les nouvelles faunes de rongeurs proches de la limite mio-pliocène en Roussillon. Implications biostratigraphiques et biogéographiques
Jean-Pierre Aguilar, Jacques Michaux, Bernadette Bachelet, Marc Calvet and Jean-Pierre Faillat
Keywords: Arvicolidae; Cricetidae; Gliridae; Miocene; Muridae; Pliocene; Rodents; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    Three new fossiliferous localities, two of karstic origin, Castelnou 3 and Font Estramar, respectively Late Upper Miocene and Lower Pliocene, and one of lacustrine origin, Thuir, Lower Pliocene, add data about the transition between Miocene and Pliocene faunas of rodents in southern France. An unexpected association of taxa was present in the late Upper Miocene, including between others, Myocricetodon, Hispanomys, Ruscinomys, Cricetus barrierei, Promimomys and a new species of Stephanomys, S. dubari nov. sp. Myocricetodon is still known in the Lower Pliocene. It is shown that the large field-mice known since the Late Upper Miocene belong to two different lineages, on one side, A. jeanteti, on the other side, A. gudrunae followed by A. gorafensis. Biochronological and biogeographical implications are discussed. 


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Published in Vol. 20, Fasc. 4 (1991)

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Mammifères de l'Ilerdien Moyen (Eocène inférieur) des Corbières et du Minervois (Bas-Languedoc, France). Systématique, Biostratigraphie, Corrélations.
Bernard Marandat
Keywords: Biostratigraphy; Corbières; correlations; Early Eocene; Ilerdian; Mammalia; Minervois; Paleobiogeography; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    Mammal-bearing localities have been discovered in the marine and lacustrine series of the middle Ilerdian (Lowermost Eocene) from Southem France (Minervois and Corbières). In the localities of Fordones, Monze, Fournès, and La Gasque, thirty mammal species have been identified. Among others, they include ischyromyid rodents (Microparamys and Pseudoparamys), paromomyid and adapid primates (Arcius and Donrussellia), new insectivores, condylarths, and a dyspternine pantolestid. These faunas provide new informations on the early Eocene Mesogean faunas of Rians and Palette. The assemblages of primates and rodents from Fordones support good  correlations with Palette which was recently placed near the standard-level of Dormaal (MP 7). In fact, Palette and Fordones could be even older than Dormaal. Consequently, there seems to be a relatively important temporal gap between the late Paleocene of Cernay and the Sparnacian of Dormaal. This gap could be partly filled with the Mesogean faunas of Palette, Fordones, and Silveirinha. On the basis of these new mammal faunas the marine middle Ilerdian is proved to be older than the Cuisian stage of the Paris Basin. With regards to the position of the Fordones fauna at the top of the NP 10 calcareous nannoplankton biozone, the westem European paleomammalogists Paleocene/Eocene boundary could be situated between the NP 9 and NP 10 biozones. 


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Published in Vol. 20, Fasc. 2-3 (1991)

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Hexanchiforme nouveau (Neoselachii) du Crétacé inférieur du Sud de la France
Henri Cappetta
Keywords: Hexanchiformes; New genera; Southern France; Systematics; Valanginian
 
  Abstract

    The dentition of Welcommia bodeuri nov. gen. nov. sp. from the Valanginian of Southem France is described and reconstructed. Species and genera of Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous Hexanchiformes are reviewed and discussed.
    The genus Notidanoides MAISEY, 1986 must be restricted to the single Nusplingen Upper Jurassic specimen, whose attribution to the species muensteri AGASSIZ, 1843 remains doubtful.
    The genus Paranotidanus WARD &THIES, 1987 that does not rest on any type-species nor on any precise dental characterization must be rejected.
    The genus Eonotidanus PFEIL, 1983, based on a very poorly preserved and heterogeneous type-material must also be rejected.
    Teeth from the Lower Cretaceous, with a peculiar morphology, previously assigned to Eonotidanus or to Notidanoides, are to be ranked in the new genus Pachyhexanchus


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Published in Vol. 20, Fasc. 1 (1990)

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Analysis of mammalian communities from the late Eocene and Oligocene of southern France
Serge Legendre
Keywords: Late Eocene; Mammalian communities; Oligocene; Quercy; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    Valverde's cenogram method is used to analyse mammalian communities from the late Eocene to late Oligocene of southern France, mainly from the "Phosphorites du Quercy". Cenogram analysis involves plotting the size of each component species in a fauna on a semilog diagram in rank order, permitting fossil faunas to be compared with Recent ones. The configurations of Recent communities serve as models for establishing the general environmental characteristics of fossil mammalian faunas. This method of analysis applied to faunal sequence can reveal major and sudden ecological perturbations. The paleobiogeographical event (i.e. the mammalian immigration wave) at the Eocene-Oligocene Boundary in western Europe, known as the «Grande Coupure", is here shown to represent a drastic and sudden ecological change: late Eocene tropical environments in Europe deteriorated rapidly turning to subdesert or desert environments al the beginning of the Oligoccne. 


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Published in Vol. 16, Fasc. 4 (1986)

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Rongeurs du Miocène inférieur et moyen en Languedoc. Leur apport pour les correlations Marin-Continental et la Stratigraphie.
Jean-Pierre Aguilar
Keywords: Languedoc; Miocene; Rodents; Southern France
 
  Abstract

    The rodents (Cricetidae, Gliridae, Sciuridae) found in lacustrine, brackish marine and karstic sediments of Miocene age in Languedoc, assign the position of the different localities in the scale of "niveaux repères" used by mammalogists. Some detailed stratigraphical studies bring several correlations between this continental biochronological scale and the marine scale ; the most important results are the Aquitanian age of the "niveaux repères" of Coderet and Paulhiac, the Burdigalian age of Laugnac, Estrepouy, Vieux-Collonges, La Romieu and Sansan and the Langhian or Lower Serravallian age of La Grive M. The correlations between the Tethys and the Central Paratethys for the Lower Neogene profit also of these results, since the locality of Neudorf Spalte 1, 2 (Czechoslovakia) is shown to be younger than Sansan (France). The paleontological study has also several geological inferences for the Miocene of Languedoc ; with the calibration of this Miocene, we know quite precisely that the Lower Miocene is chiefly a time lacustrine sedimentation, and also that the marine Miocene sedimentation ends early in the Miocene Period, in Langhian or lower Serravallian times. 


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Published in Vol. 09, Fasc. 6 (1980)

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