This is the first of the two volumes. It starts with H. Hemmer's biographic sketch of Hans-Dietrich Kahlke, followed by 24 papers containing results on the evolution, systematics and palaeoecology of groups of mammals in taxonomic order, with contributions by G. van den Bergh, M. Bukshianidze, E. Cregut-Bonnoure, R. Croitor, T. Deng, M. Dermitzakis, V. Eisenmann, H. van Essen, A. van der Geer, F. Lacombat, G. Lyras, J. van der Made, F. Marcolini, R. A. Martin, C. Najdeck, R. Sardella, A. Siefker, M. Sotnikova, L. M. Takken Beijersbergen, A. Vekua and J. de Vos. Regional studies follow, approximately in stratigraphical order, with contributions by L. Abbazzi, M. T. Alberdi, J. Argant, L. Bishop, B. Blackwell, A. David, E. Debard, E. Delson, S. Elton, M. Faure., J. L. Franzen, A. Garapich, C. Giovinazzo, C. Guerin, W. Harcourt-Smith, L. van den Hoek Ostende, N. Hudackova, V. Konecny, D. S. Kostopoulos, A. Lamb, M. Marchetti, E. Martin-Suarez, F. Masini, P. P. A. Mazza, J. Miroslaw-Grabowska, A. Monguillon, A. Nadachowski, T. Obada, H. O'Regan, M. R. Palombo, F. Parenti, V. Pascaru, J.-F. Pastre, M. Sabol, B. Sala, S. Sen, A. R. Skinner, M. Slamkova, N. Spassov, C. C. Swisher III, Z. Szyndlar, T. Tomek, I. Tunyi, A. Turner, A. M. F. Valli, D. Vass and I. Vislobokova.

Plusieurs synthèses sur des gisements fort célèbres (Senèze, Tegelen, Eppelsheim) soulèvent, une fois de plus, le problème des anciennes collections, d'origines stratigraphiques obscures, laissant soupçonner des mélanges de niveaux ou des remaniements aujourd'hui difficiles à démontrer comme à écarter. Remarquons la proposition de révision de l'âge du site de référence d'Eppelsheim (l'un des rares sites miocènes traités), qui pourrait bien en fait appartenir à la seconde moitié du Vallésien, et non au tout début du Miocène supérieur (J.-L. Franzen).

Parmi les analyses paléoclimatiques et paléoenvironnementales, on peut noter une louable tentative d'interpréter objectivement la structure pondérale des communautés de mammifères par les cénogrammes (M.R. Palombo & C. Giovinazzo). Enfin, la biogéographie n'est pas oubliée, avec l'éternel problème de Gibraltar (H. O'Regan et al.), et une intéressante synthèse sur les ressemblances des faunes d'Europe du Sud (M.R. Palombo et al.).

Ce premier volume servira sans aucun doute de référence, pendant de nombreuses années, à tous les vertébristes du Pliocène et du Quaternaire européens et son coût raisonnable (74,80 Euros) devrait lui permettre de figurer dans la bibliothèque de beaucoup d'entre eux.

D. GERAADS

This volume starts with Foreword, Preface, and an introductory paper entitled Deer, Pleistocene interregional correlations, Linear Pottery Culture and East- West mediation - 80th birthday of HANS-DIETRICH KAHLKE (by H. HEMMER). The latter is addressed to the biography of the famous German specialist, who made the greatest efforts in the Quaternary vertebrate palaeontology. The further papers deal each with its specific subject.

SOTNIKOVA describes a find of Nurocyon chonokhariensis gen. et sp. nov. in the Lower Pliocene lacustrine deposits of northwestern Mongolia. This species demonstrates sharp differences from the other Canini, and it is considered as a representative of their separate lineage. SARDELLA discusses briefly the evolution of the Eurasian Pliocene-Pleistocene jaguars with the data collected at the Monte Argentario locality in Italy. The presence of leopard remains at this locality is not confirmed. VAN ESSEN et al. address to the “Cryptomastodon problem“. A detailed examination of the supernumerary teeth of proboscideans, subdivided into three categories, is given, and the presence of Stegodon trigonocephalus MARTIN, 1887 in the Pleistocene of Java is argued. DENG presents a good synthesis on the Neogene rhinoceroses from the Cenozoic strata of the Linxia Basin in China. Besides a detailed taxonomic synopsis, five stages in the regional evolution of the mentioned group are recognized. Another good feature of this paper is all fossil finds are justified stratigraphically. The earliest record of the woolly rhino is pointed out. The reviewer is just curious, why did this woolly animal appeared at that time, and why in Gansu? Perhaps these questions are explained in the other article by DENG &DOWNS (2002), but to present some brief remarks in the current paper would be not less important. LACOMBAT continues the discussion on this topic, and his paper deals with the European Pleistocene rhinoceroses. Four studied species demonstrate intriguing changes in their sizes through time. It is possible to agree with the author, that such changes can be useful for the biostratigraphical developments. EISENMANN suggests against the early separation of the caballine branch of Equids, i.e., against the biomolecular interpretations. The “Sussemiones“, which were descendants of Caballines, wide spread over the continents in the Pliocene446 Paläontologie allgem. Pleistocene. They went to be extinct together with the rise of the Caballines. The author hypothesizes that the extant equids appeared simultaneously somewhen in the early Middle Pleistocene. It would be intriguing to know, whether there was any environmental control of events recorded in the evolution of this fossil group. CROITOR gives a taxonomic synthesis on the Pleistocene cervid genus Praemegaceros PORTIS, 1920. Three parallel lineages, namely Praemegaceros, Orthogonoceros and Neoleipoceros are framed herein as subgenera. Changes in humidity was an important force of cervid evolution and migrations. VAN DER MADE analyses the evolution of the Pleistocene giant deer Megaloceros giganteus, which populated a large territory of Northern Eurasia. The original population of this taxon was divided into two particular subgroups, lived in Western Europe and Eastern Europe- Western Asia respectively. They differed by the robusticity of limb bones. The Western European population went to be extinct around 20 Ka, and Western Europe was re-populated by the Eastern European population around 13 Ka. The author hypothesizes only little changes in body weigth during the entire evolution of this species. VAN DER GEER et al. describe the endemic Pleistocene deer Candiacervus sp. II from Liko Cave of Crete. A skeleton of this taxon was mounted. It is noted that this animal might have occupied a niche of goat-like bovids in the rocky environment.

CRÉGUT-BONNOURE et al. provide a taxonomic synopsis on the Late Cenozoic Caprinae, included Ovibovini, Ovini and Caprini. Their morphological and metrical characters are summarized. Diversity of Caprinae rose from the Pliocene by the end of the Early Pleistocene. The beginning of the Middle Pleistocene is characterized by a climatically-induced turnover, when the earlier-existed taxa disappeared. Further immigration supported the diversity rise. BUKHSIANIDZE & VEKUA describe a new fossil, i.e. Capra dalii nov. sp., which was found in the Upper Villafranchian strata at the Dmanisi Locality in East Georgia. This fossil occurs together with the human remains, and former is linked phylogenetically with the Caucasian turs. TAKKEN BEIJERSBERGEN deals with the genus Lemmus. Its Middle Pleistocene representatives from Schöningen (Germany) and Boxgrove (UK) localities allow to conclude a more complicated history of lemmings than imagined previously. An important evolutionary event (it is not clear enough of what kind) is hypothesized to have occurred at the end of the Pleistocene. MARCOLINI et al. present some interesting conclusions from their studies of the morphological variability in the first lower molars of Ogmodontomys from the Early-Middle Pliocene of the Meade Basin (U.S.A.). An application of Fourier Analysis permitted to recognize the occurrence two species, namely O. sawrockensis and O. poaphagus.

MASINI&ABBAZZI review a record of the small mammals of Italy. The authors measured some abundance and diversity patterns, which are well justified against the available biostratigraphic framework. The factors controlled the number of sites (both open environment and cavity environment sites are considered) are sampling and preservation biases, and the “environmental preferences of owls”. The regional taxonomic diversity of small mammals changed significantly during the Pliocene-Pleistocene. It is concluded that only the Toringian (late Middle-Late Pleistocene) diversity is estimated correctly, whereas the diversity of the earlier Lehrbücher, zusammenf. Darstellungen, Bibliographien 447 time intervals is underestimated. In fact, this article is a true pearl of the reviewing volume, and it gives us an example of how to deal with the measurements of the mammalian fossil record. The reviewer just would like to suggest more carefully work with those diversity estimations, which involve calculations per absolute time units. 1 Ka in the Pliocene and 1 Ka in the Holocene bring a different “quantity” of information on the changes in the geosphere, and, consequently, they are incomparable. PALOMBO & GIOVINAZZO discuss the cenogram analysis, which deals with the body mass distribution in the ancient faunas, with the data from the Late Cenozoic of Italy. Although this method provides some uncertainties, it seems to be a useful tool to evaluate the changes in local humidity. FRANZEN addresses his paper to the mammalian and palaeoenvironmental records in the Mainz Basin. An examination of available (very rich!) fossil localities permitted to establish the interrelations between the palaeoecosystems, sedimentation, tectonics, and taphonomic processes. Fig. 4 (p. 240) illustrates, in particular, the regional Oligocene- Miocene changes in salinity. Fig. 9a and 9b (p. 243-244) document faunal turnover in the middle Vallesian-early Turolian at two important localities, namely Eppelsheim and Dorn-Dürkheim. The formation of the Rhine River Canyon is explained by the overflow of the earlier existed lake at about 800 Ka. NADACHOWSKI et al. present a review of the Pliocene vertebrate localities of Moldova. The recognized Moldavian Faunal Complex is brought in correspondence with the Ruscinian (MN 15). The presence of MN16a and MN17-Q1 assemblages is also established. All localities are described in a single manner, and they are accompanied by detailed taxonomic lists, illustrations of the most intriguing fossil remains, and also by a pretty lithologic sections, which together make this paper very important. The authors emphasize on the bird remains. SABOL et al. provide new knowledge on the early Late Pliocene Hajná􀃾ka I site in Southern Slovakia, where MN16a assemblage is established. The evolution of local ecosystems was linked with the volcanism. The mammalian assemblage was dominated by forest taxa like tapirs, mastodons, rhinoceroses, and cervids, whereas open-land and aquatic as well as semi-aquatic taxa make only 37% of this assemblage. The strong feature of this paper is a successful integration of palaeobotanical and palaeozoological data. DELSON et al. give a detailed characteristics of the Senèze Locality in France, whose age is evaluated as a Late Villafranchian, although such dating is debated. 34 mammalian species, which include representatives of Primates, Proboscidea, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Lagomorpha and Rodentia, several taxa of birds, Anapsida, Amphibia, Actinopterygii, Mollusca and Crustaceamorpha as well as palynological data make an exceptional fossil record. Important are the present finds of Dicerorhinus etruscus etruscus (FALCONER, 1859), Eucladoceros ctenoides ctenoides (NESTI, 1841) and Acinonyx pardinensis (CROIZET & JOBERT, 1828).

VAN DEN HOEK OSTENDE & DE VOS summarize a knowledge on the Tegelen locality in Netherlands. This site is explored for about a century, and many remains of fishes, amphibians, reptilians, birds, mammals (Soricomorpha, Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Chiroptera, Primates, Proboscidea, Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla and Carnivora) have been found there. However, the lack of good excavations and complicated taphonomic patterns do not permit to make a clear decision on the age of the Tegelen fauna. The authors hypothesize a “mixture of ages”.

O’REAGAN et al. evaluate the possibilities of the early hominin movements with the mammalian migrations. Analyses of modern biogeographic patterns, phylogeography (based on mitochondrial DNA analyses), and palaeobiogeography permit to favour the dispersal route through the Levantine Corridor, whereas dispersal across Gibraltar appears unlikely. MAZZA documents responses of the Late Cenozoic evolution of the Italian large land mammals to the environmental changes. Decline in temperature and humidity caused drops in primary productivity and replacement of smaller browsing taxa by gregarious taxa and of carnivores by social predators. An expansion of steppes since 0.9 Ma provoked a major turnover in faunistic communities as well as an increase in biodiversity and biomass. Alternatively, an expansion of woodlands at the end of the Last Glacial led to the decline in both plant and animal communities. This paper is undoubtedly an important contribution. However, it would be better if to present the changes both in diversity and climate not qualitatively, but at least semi-quantitatively. All conclusions are very important, and, therefore, they should be strongly supported by the numerical calculations.

SALA & MARCHETTI discuss briefly the importantce of the Po Valley floodplain for the connection of south-western and central-eastern Europe, which were zoogeographically distinct regions. The so-called Central Slovenian Corridor functioned since the Middle Pleistocene, but it was unavailable in the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene. PALOMBO et al. attempt a careful analysis of similarity between the Pliocene-Middle Pleistocene large mammalian communities of Southern Europe. A total of 286 taxa are considered. The similarity was evaluated quantitatively with the Jaccard Coefficient and cluster analysis. Two clusters have been established, namely the Pliocene-early (pre-Jaramillo) Early Pleistocene and the late Early- Middle Pleistocene. A significant gap between them marks a transition from Villafranchian to Galerian faunas. Some other faunal renewals are also reported. All of them were evidently resulted from the climatic changes. Somewhat strange happened on the Fig. 2b (p. 335), which illustrates fossil localities in Eastern Europe. Eight sites (numbered as 42-44, 46-48, 50 and 54) are listed as Russian. But they are evidently located in southwest Ukraine and possibly Moldova! Inspite of explanations in the text, such uncertainty on figure may bring a confusion for those, who will operate with this very important paper.

All information presented in this volume is, undoubtedly, of great interest. A large number of taxa are described and illustrated. Besides to give taxonomic descriptions, four tasks (numbered below) would be solved in this volume as one may conclude from its whole title. This edition presents a good illustration of the vertebrate fossil heritage of Europe. However, just few articles are directly addressed to biodiversity and its particular patterns (1). The questions considered diversity changes, rates of origination and extinction are discussed only occasionally. A good example of a paper, which is addressed to palaeobiological matters, is that of MASINI & ABBAZZI. However, taxonomic palaeontology stays at the first plan in the whole volume, and, thus, specialists in the palaeobiology, i.e., those who are specialized in fossil diversity changes and mass extinctions, may be slightly disappointed reading it. Evolutionary processes (2) are better considered as well as palaeoenvironmental context (3). However, the reviewer would like to note the Lehrbücher, zusammenf. Darstellungen, Bibliographien 449 lack of appropriate number of palaeogeographical and even palaeobiogeographical maps, and a little amount of figures, which will precisely illustrate the palaeoenvironmental changes. Available palaeonvironmental remarks often sound too general. Interregional correlations (4) are considered widely in this volume, and, particularly, in a review paper by PALOMBO et al. As a whole, such syntheses as those published by GRAYSON (2006) and LOUYS et al. (2007) would benefit these proceedings. But as it becomes clear from the Preface, more synthetic papers will be included into the second volume of the proceedings. On the reviewer’s opinion, this is an interesting volume, which presents many new and important results, and it will be of interest for the specialists in the Late Cenozoic vertebrate palaeontology.

D.A. Ruban

Zentralblatt Geol. Pal. Teil II Jg. 2007 H. 3/4