A new Middle Miocene mammalian fauna from Mordoğan (Western Turkey)

Abstract

Ardiq-Mordo~an is a new fossil Mammal locality in the Karaburun Peninsula of Western Turkey. Among its fauna, which is described here, the carnivores are especially interesting , with the most complete specimens ever found of Percro-cuta miocenica and of a primitive species of hyaenid, of which a new subspecies is described, Protictitherium interrnedium paralium. This fauna is strongly reminiscent of those of several other Middle Miocene localities in this area, ~andir, Pa~alar and In6nii in Turkey, and Prebreza in Serbia, and they must all belong to the same mammalian zone. Their ungulates attest an open environment which must have been widespread in the Turko-Balkanic area in Serravallian times.