The Osteology and Relationships of Metaxytherium krahuletzi DEPÉRET, 1895 (Mammalia: Sirenia)
2001. 91 pages, 10 figures, 19 tables, 20 plates, 30x21cm, 450 g
Language: English
(Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, Band 553)
ISBN 978-3-510-61054-9, paperback, price: 23.00 €
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Introduction 2
Geology and stratigraphy of the Eggenburg region 4
Sedimentology and taphonomy of sirenian localities 6
Kuhnring 6
Sonndorf 11
Maigen 12
Eggenburg - Schindergraben 16
Paleogeography of the Eggenburg region and its implications for
sirenian paleoecology and taphonomy 16
Systematic paleontology 17
Description of Austrian specimens 18
Specimens from outside Austria 38
Switzerland 38
Slovakia 40
France 40
Libya 41
Mexico 41
Comparisons and reconsiderations of phyletic relationships 41
Paleoecology 45
Acknowledgements 46
References 46
Plates 5
Geology and stratigraphy of the Eggenburg region 4
Sedimentology and taphonomy of sirenian localities 6
Kuhnring 6
Sonndorf 11
Maigen 12
Eggenburg - Schindergraben 16
Paleogeography of the Eggenburg region and its implications for
sirenian paleoecology and taphonomy 16
Systematic paleontology 17
Description of Austrian specimens 18
Specimens from outside Austria 38
Switzerland 38
Slovakia 40
France 40
Libya 41
Mexico 41
Comparisons and reconsiderations of phyletic relationships 41
Paleoecology 45
Acknowledgements 46
References 46
Plates 5
Metaxytherium krahuletzi was a halitheriine dugongid distributed
throughout the marine waters of the Central Paratethys, and probably
other parts of Europe' during the Early Miocene (upper Eggenburgian
and Ottnangian - early to middle Burdigalian). It was probably an
ecological generalist that fed on the leaves and rhizomes of small and
medium-sized benthic seagrasses. It appears to be the sister group and
direct ancestor of all the other Old World (European, Mediterranean,
and North African) Metaxytherium, though its relationship to New World
species remains unclear. This study documents its morphology,
stratigraphic and geographic distribution, and cladistic
relationships, showing that it differs from its putative direct
descendant M. medium only in characters of the skull, mandible, and
possibly sternum that display significant and inadequately-sampled
individual variation. Although the species M. krahuletzi is still
considered valid, larger samples of this and related species are
needed to demarcate more clearly the stages of evolution in this
lineage' which evolved slowly in comparison with other sirenians.
throughout the marine waters of the Central Paratethys, and probably
other parts of Europe' during the Early Miocene (upper Eggenburgian
and Ottnangian - early to middle Burdigalian). It was probably an
ecological generalist that fed on the leaves and rhizomes of small and
medium-sized benthic seagrasses. It appears to be the sister group and
direct ancestor of all the other Old World (European, Mediterranean,
and North African) Metaxytherium, though its relationship to New World
species remains unclear. This study documents its morphology,
stratigraphic and geographic distribution, and cladistic
relationships, showing that it differs from its putative direct
descendant M. medium only in characters of the skull, mandible, and
possibly sternum that display significant and inadequately-sampled
individual variation. Although the species M. krahuletzi is still
considered valid, larger samples of this and related species are
needed to demarcate more clearly the stages of evolution in this
lineage' which evolved slowly in comparison with other sirenians.