Middle Miocene mammal locality from Macedonia, Greece

0 Acadbmie ties sciences Stratigraphy-Palaeontology

/ Elsevier, Paris / Strafigraphie-PlII~onfologie

A new Early/Mididle Miocene from Macedonia, Greece

mammal

Un nouveau @semen t de mammifhes inf6rieur/moyen de M’acbdoine, G&e George D. KOUFOS*and George

locality

dans le Miocene

E. !;YRIDES

Laboratory of’Geolo~)~and Palaeontology. Aristotle Uut’er.&y of Thessaloniki, 54006 7hes,saloni&, Greece ABSTRACT A new fossiliferous locality with macro- and micro-mammals was found near the village of Agios Antonios, about 26km southeast of Thessaloniki. Macedonia, Greece. The fossils are recovered from the fissure fillings of the karstified Mesozoic limestones of the basement. The fissures were filled in and covered by the elastic sediments of Antonios Fm, representing the first Neogene deposits of the Axios-Thermaikos Neogene palaeobasin. Th- age of the fauna indicates a time span from the end of the Early Miocene to the beginning of the M.ddle Miocene (upper part of MN 4 to lower part of MN 5). The deposition of Antonios Fm must have started during or a little earlier than the end of the Early Miocene. and consequently the Neogene Axi’Ds-Thermaikos palaeobasin was created during this time or a little earlier. Keywords:

Miocene,

Greece,

Mammals,

Blochronology

Lespremiers rP.rultats de l’ktude d’un nouueazr gisementfossi@re sent expos& La localit est situ&e en Chalcidiqzte, clans des d@?ts n@ogBnes amiens. Les s~diments.fossil~f~res ant rempli lesjssures et les cavitks du cal#zaire sous-jacent. La composition de la faune, comparaison faite auec des faunes correspondantes de I’Europe, sugg8re un &ge compris entre MN 4 et MN 5. Mots

cl&

: Miocene.

G&e.

Mammifkes,

13iochronologie

VERSIONAR,R~~G~E Les gisements fossilifsres P grands mammi’ires du Miocene inferieur sont rares en M@diterranee orientale. De ce point de vue, la nouvelle localit&; qui fait 1’ objet de la presente note, permet de compl&er notre connaissance doss faunes de cette epoque, ainsi que la hiochronologie des cl+& qui y sont represent&. Cette localitk, appel&e ‘3Antonios 13(ANT), est situte 5 proximite du village d’hghios Antonios, 5 26 km au sutl-est de Thessalonique (figure la). Les fossiles ont et6 decouverts dans les fissures et les cavites du socie calcaire, structures karstiques remplies par les premiers skdiments deposes clans le bassin. La sore pr&X& Sow remix

sequence lithostratigraphique du Neogtine de la region est dejri connue (Syrides, 1990) et peut &re divisee en quatre formations qui sent, de la base vers le sommet : a) la formation d’ Antonios, qui se compose de sediments grossiers clastiques, fluviatiles j b) la formation de Triglia, continentale. constituCe de sables rouge-brun, de galets et d’argiles ; c) la formation de Trilophos, qui se compose de sediments saumstres contenant une riche Faune de mollusques ; d) ia formation de Gonia, marnes fluviolacustres.

par Y-KSCoppens 1997, accept& apr?a rbision le 20 mai 1997

Ir 17 f&rier

* E-mail: koufosQgeo.auth.gr C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Sciences 1997. 325,51 l-516

de la terre

et des planetes

/ Earth & Planetary

Sciences

formke

de sables, g&s. argiles,

G. D. Koufos

and

G. E. Syrldes

La faune de mollusques de Trilophos de type I’ euxinique )*I indique un Ige ctpontien II (fin du Miocene sup&ieur). Cette datation est confirmke par la presence d’ une faune de macromammifires du Vall&ien (debut du Miocene sup&ieur) dans la formation de Triglia, au-dessous de celle de Trilophos. La faune de mammifires de Triglia prkente de fortes similitudes avec les faunes du Valkien de la vallee de 1’Axios. En outre, la partie infirieure de la formation de Gonia, sise au-dessus de celle de Triglia, contient une faune de micromammifires du Ruscinien infkrieur (Syrides, 1990). En fonction des donnees disponibles jusqu’ici, la formation d’Antonios pourrait Ctre simplement considkke comme anterieure au Mio&ne supCrieur. La dkcouverte de fossiles, dans sa partie infkieure? permet maintenant une datation plus prkise. La faune d’hntonios renferme micro- et macromammiRres. La forme de Cticetodon d’Antonios est identique 1 celle de C. meini de Komotini (Thrace, G&e) et des Thymiana A (ile de Chios, G&e). Le m6gacricktidk kfegacricetodonprimitivus est de forme analogue 2 celle d’Aliveri (ile d’Evia, G&e). Les similitudes de la faune de micromammifilres d’caAntonios sbavec celles des localit& Komotini, Thymiana .4 et Aliveri montrent que tous ces gisements ont des sges rlzlativement proches. Aliveri est da& de la paxtie supkrieure de la zone MN 4, tandis

Triglia

Introduction

the locality of Prebreza (Serbia) is the only one known in the whole of the Balkans. The new locality, situated in Chalkidiki, Macedonia, Greece contri:gutes to the knowledge of the Middle Miocene faunas, as well as to the biochronology of the Neogene deposits in the area. The stratigraphy of Western Chalkidiki and the Kassandra peninsula has been studied and t”le stratigraphic sequence is well known (Syrides, 19901. According to the lithostratigraphy proposed by the latter author the following Neogene formations bottom to the top.

Antonios

Fm

This is Neogene

the oldest basement

can

be

formation, (Mesozoic

distinguished

from

512

eastern

C. R. Acad.

Trilophos

Its thickness m thick.

transition and with red-brown and gneissose

is variable;

in some

Fm

This overlies uncomformably Triglia Fm and consists of well-stratified fossiliferous sediments (clays, sands and sandstones) with intercalations of limestones at the top; its thickness is 40-60 m. Trilophos Fm includes a very rich brackish envimollusc fauna, characterizing an isolated ronment

with

fluctuating

salinity.

Conia

Fm

This

overlies

Trilophos

Fm

with

gradual

consists of various sediments (sands, gravels, marls) which were deposited fluviolacustrine environment. Three tions of massive marly limestone have

which covers the prelimestones, Monopigado

palaeomargin.

gravels are also present. boreholes it is 100-200

Fm with gradual sands intermixed quartzitic, granitic

the

granite). It consists of fluvial, elastic sediments, mainly alternations of lenses and len-shaped beds of coarse sands with pebbles and gravels, silty sands and cobbles, often intermixed. The pebbles and cobbles are spherical, well rounded and consist of granite, gneiss, pegmatite, quartzite and mica-schist. The colour of these sediments is grey-white and their approximate total thickness is about 100 m. Antonios Fm corresponds to the first elastic infilling of a Neogene palaeobasin, created in the wider area of Thermaikos gulf and more precisely includes the elastic of the

Fm

This overlies Antonios consists of quartzitic silt-clay; pegmatitic,

Middle Miocene mammal localities are few in the eastern Mediterranean and those with large lnammals are even more rare. They are unknown in continental Greece and

deposits

que Komotini et Thymiana A sont places dans la partie infkieure de MN 5 (de Bruijn et al., 1992a, Sen et al., en preparation). La composition de la faune de macromammifires est en accord avec cette datation. Les carnivores sont rkpresentks par deux espi-ces de Pseudaelurus, toutes deux semblables P celles des localit& de Sansan, La Grive et Steinheim. Le genre Dorcatheriuwz est repr&sentC, dans la faune d’Antonios par deux espkes distinctes, proches de celles des localit& La Romieu, Pontigui: et Savignkur-Lathan des Faluns d’Anjou (France) et St%tzling (Allemagne). Palaeomelyx d’Antonios ressemble 2 P kaupi des sites d’ Artenay et Baigneaux (France). Le Sanitberium rappelle S. schlagintweitide Thymiana B (ile de Chios, G&e), tandis que Bunolistriodon Lockbahartid’Antonios offre de fortes similitudes avec l’espke correspondante de La Romieu (France). Les localitk d’Artenay et Baigneaux appartiennent P MN 4 (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). La presence d‘un Sanitherium voisin de la forme observee a Thymiana B montre que la faune d’ Antonios peut se placer au debut de la zone MN 5. Finalement, le genre Bunolistriodon se rencontre dans la portion supkrieure de MN 4 et dans la partie infirieure de MiY 5 (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). La poursuite des recherches sur le terrain ne manquera pas d’apporter, dans un proche avenir, de nouvelles don&es et peut-Ctre: une datation plus prkise.

Conia The forms

Fm. The Trilophos

thickness mollusc

transition

and

sandstones, clays, in a fluctuating different intercalabeen recognized in

is estimated to be 100-l 50 m. fauna includes the “Paratethyan”

Pseudocatillus pseudocatillus, littorallis, Parvivenus cf. widhalmi, Mactra, suggesting a “Pontian” (Latest

Pseudoprosodacna Congeria/Dreissena,

Miocene =Turolian) age (Syrides, 1990). Recent data reveal that this mollusc fauna has a wider distribution in the area of Macedonia and Thrace (northern Greece) inclicating a very large “Paratethyan” influence during Latest Miocene (Syrides, in The age of Trilophos Fm is press; Syrides et al., in press). also confirmed by the presence of a micromammalian

Sci. Paris, Sciences

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et des plan&tes

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Earth

& Planetary Sciences 1997. 325,51

1-516

A new

fauna

found

tion. Gonia could

at the bottom

of the overlying

Conia

Forma-

This fauna suggests an Early Ruscinian age; thus Fm can be dated to Pliocene. The Triglia Formation be as old as Late Vallesian or Early Turolian on the

basis of some well with the

large mammals (Syrides, age of Nikiti Fm in the

1990). This age fits cen:er of Chalkidiki

(Koufos et al., 1991) which can be correlated stratigraphitally with Triglia Fm. A Middle--Late Miocene age was proposed for Antonios Fm on the basis of all these data (Syrides, 1990). The new locality, found Fm and more exactly in

in the lowest ipart of Antonios the fissures of the basement’s

limestone, which were filled by the first sediments basin, provides the first dating of the formation, ation of the basin and the beginning of deposition.

the

Early/Middle

Miocene

ing quite rare, from “Antonios”

from Macedonia,

Greece

one of us (G.D.K.) identified the material by comparing it directly with the collec-

tions housed in the Museum of Paris. The “Antonios” species: lnsectivora indet.,

national d’Histoire fauna includes the

naturelle following

Megacricetonprimitivus, Cricetodon meini, Democricetodon mutilus, Mastodon sp., Pseudaelurus cf. lorteti, Pseudaelurus quadridentatus, Bunolistriodon lockharti, Sanitherium schlangintweiti, Eotragus sp., Dorcatherium cf. peneckei, Dorcatherium sp. (small-sized), Palaeomeryx cf. kaupi.

In the feldspar)

of the cre-

locality

mammal

washed residue most are angular. However,

of the sand there are

grains some

(quartz, peculiar

ones which are very well rounded with a highly polished surface. According to C.E.S. they are possibly gastroliths of birds (7) which have accumulated in the fissures after being washed out of their fecals.

Locality Comparison The new locality, named “Antonios” (ANT) one of us (C.E.S.) during an attempt to definite dating of Antonios Fm. It is situated

was found by determine the along the road

between the villages of Agios Antonios and Souroti (23.00”N/40.30°E), about 26 km southeast of Thessaloniki. The fossils are concentrated in the karstic fissures of the basement’s limestone; they were recovered after artificial cutting for the construction of the road (figure b). It should be mentioned that before the road cutting

an 1 a, the

whole area was covered by the sediments of Antonios Fm and the fissures were “sealed”. The collected fossils include both macroand micro-mammals. They are badly preserved owing to their transportation and deposition with coarse elastic material. The deposi::s of the fissures consist pebbles, clayey coarse

of mixed, coarse, elastic sed,ments (gravels, sands) with more fine grained, n?d-brown, siltysediments (old terra-rossa); in many cases the material appears as lenses with Lateral continuity

into the overlying The comparison

deposits of the

of Antonios Fm (figure elastic sediments from

1 a, b). the fis-

sures with those of Antonios Fm indicates that they originate from the same source rocks (similar composition and lithological characters). This similarity suggests that the karstic fissures and holes were filled up by, the same elastic material simultaneously with the early horizons of Antonios Fm. The fissures after their filling were covered by the sediments of Antonios Fm and no younger deposits entered into them. The deposition of Antonios Fm was continuous and the sures corresponds These fossiliierous time nios

“capsules”, Fm depo’sition

relative stratigraphic pcssition of the fisto the lower horizons of Antonios Fm. fissure fillings can be considered as isochronous to the first period of Antoand

can

be used

for

its dating.

Fauna The collectecl material of macroand micro-mammals quite rich and allows reliable taxonomic: determinations. Middle Miocene faunas in the eastern Mediterranean C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Sciences 1997. 325,51 l-!j16

de la terre

et cles plan&es

is be-

Some

horn

cores

found

in “Antonios”

belong

Eotragus and have close similarities with saniensis from Sansan (France). However, horn

cores

that

are

slightly

smaller

than

to the genus

those of E. santhere are two those of f. san-

saniensis.

For this reason and also because of the scarcity of the material it is better for the moment to refer these horncores to Eotragus sp. Two species of Dorcatherium have been recognized. One of them is large and similar in size to D. peneckei from Pontigue and Savigne-sur-Lathan des Faluns d’ Anjou, France (orig. comparison) and from Statzling, Germany (Fahlbusch, 1985); but the lower molars seem to be wider than those of the latter species; thus referred to D. cf. peneckei. The small-sized

the large

form

is

Dorcatherium

is close to D. guntianum from Faluns d’Anjou, France (orig. comparison) and from Bezien at La Romieu (Ginsburg and Bulot 1987). The size of M, from these two localities is similar. However the dental dimensions of the sole known mandible from “Antonios” are smaller than those of D. guntianum from Faluns d’Anjou parison) and SMtzIing, Germany (Fahlbusch this reason the small-sized Dorcatherium from is referred to Dorcatherium sp. Two mandibular remains of Palaeomeryx

(orig. com1985). For “Antonios” have

been

found. Both are very worn and smaller or near the minimum values of /? kaupi (orig. comparisons) with the material from Artenay and Baigneaux, France. The available P, has a size similar to that of a P, from Pasalar, Turkey (Gentry, 1990; figure 1 D). The sanitheres are represented by a mandibular fragment and some isolated teeth. They fit pretty well to those from “Thymiana B” in Chios (Bonis et al., in prep.) and they are referred to S. schlagintweiti. The suid from “Antonios” is represented by three isolated teeth that are morphologically and metrically similar to Bunolistriodon lockharti from La Romieu, France. Two species of fseudaelurus, a small one and a large one, have been found in “Antonios”. The comparison of the small one with some material from Sansan, Steinheim

/ Eatih & Planetary

Sciences

513

G. D. Koufos

and

G. E. Syrides

a

t

Road Route

To Souroti vers Souroti

To Ag. Antonjos vers Ag Anton~os

-

E

b

W

F : Fossils Fossi Les Eboulis

Figure 1. a. Cross section and Antonios Formation. a. Section

514

ojes fissures

of the

fossi/if&es

m&d

BaPebbles/sand Galet/sable

mSCrW

fossiliferous

fissures

et de /a formation

(Old (Terre and

Antonios

d’Antonios.

C. R. Acad

silty -clayey sands @Mesozoic Terra Rossa) Calcaire rouge ancienne 1

Formation

b.

Section

along

transversale

Sci. Paris, Sciences

the

road.

des

b. Transverse

fissures

de la terre

limestone mkozoiquc

section

fossilif&es

et des plan&es

of the fossiliferous

et de la formation

fissures

d’Antonios

/ Eati/? & fhefarysciences 1997 325,511.516

A new

Early/Middle

Miocene

includes

mammal

Megacricetodon

locality

from

primitiwus

Macedonia,

known

Greece

from

Aliveri

(Evia island, Greece), which is dated at the upper part of MN 4 (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). Cricetodon meiniis known from Komotini, Thrace, Greece (de Bruijn et al., 1992b) and from “Thymiana A”, Chios island, Greece (Sen et al., in prep.) both dated at the beginning of MN 5. Democriceton mutilus is known from the type localities of the

i I Figure locality ,I

2. Stratigraphic of Antonios

Extension d’Antonios

(data

stratigraphique (don&es

range of the were taken

various genera from de Bruijn

des genres va+s, Bruijn et a/., J992a).

trouvh

biozones MN 4 and 5, La Romieu and Pont Levoy respectively (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). The large mammals and their relationships can also help to date this locality. Palaeomeryx has a wide stratigraphic range (figure 2). The “Antonios” form belongs to the small-

I I found et al.,

dans

4

in the 1992a).

Steinheim

to p cf. lorteti. The other species morphology to F! quabicfentatus

(Heizmann

MN 5; its presence in “Antonios” age. Moreover Bunolistriodon material from the type locality

has a

from

1973).

The micromammals from “Antonios” are represented by few teeth. The Cricetodon is morphologically and dimensionally similar to C. meinifrom Komotini A”, Greece (de Bruijn et al., 1992a; Sen The genus Megacricetodon is representc,d similar

to M.

and de Bruijn, morphologically described

primitivus 1988). and

from Aliveri, Democriceton dimensionally

by Fahlbusch

and “Thymiana et al., in prep.). by some teeth

Greece (Hofmeijer from “Antonios” is similar to D. mutilus

(1964).

fauna indicates a similar has close similarities to the of MN 4 (La Romieu). The

sanitheres are very rare but there is a good sample from the locality of “Thymiana B” (Chios island, Greece), which is dated at the beginning of MN 5 (Sen et al., in prep.); the similarity of the studied sanithere with that from Chios suggests a similar age. Considering all the above-mentioned data the “Antonios” fauna can be dated from the upper part of MN 4 to the lower part of MN 5 (figure 2). The age of “Antonios” fauna allows the first direct dating of Antonios Fm; more precisely of its lowest part. The deposition of Antonios Fm must have started at the end of the Early Miocene or slightly earlier and continued up to Late Miocene. The initial formation of the Neogene palaeobasin in the wider area of Thermaikos gulf (Axios-Thermaikos palaeobasin) must be considered as older than the end of the Early Miocene. These data confirm the previous comparative dating (Early-Middle Miocene) for the creation of the Axios-Thermaikos basin (Syrides, 1990). We are currently working in the locality and soon we hope to have more fauna1 data for better age determination.

Biochronology The fauna1 association of enough to date the locality.

Palaeomeryx kaupi both dated as MN 4 are very close to

D. guntianum and D. peneckei from Faluns d’Anjou (France) dated as MN 5 (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). However, the most characteristic genera for the age of “Antonios” fauna are Sanitherium and Bunolistriodon. The genus Bunolistriodon is known from the upper part of MN 4 and

la locali%

and La Grive indicates similarities to /? lorteti; however, the P, from “Antonios” is narrower. The :,malI fseudaeluTUS also has a similar size to f? romieviwsis (Heizmann, 1973) but again the P, is narrower and slightly shorter. Thus it is referred similar size and

sized forms and has similarities with from Artenay and Baigneaux (France), (de Bruijn et al., 1992a). The dorcatheres

“Antonios” is characteristic The micromammalian fauna

Acknowledgements: The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Research Committee) has kindly financed (Project No 7612). One of us (G.D.K.) is very grateful to Prof. L. Ginsburg and Dr. S. Sen (Museum national for their help, long and useful discussions, as well as for the great hospitality of the latter during his visit to her help in the fieldwork, Dr D. Kostopoulos for the preparation of the french text and Dr D. Geraads for

the

research

in Chalkidiki naturelle, Paris) Paris; Dr K. Koliadimou for his useful comments.

d’histoire

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