First early pliocene micromammal faunas from the venta del moro area (Cabriel basin, Spain): New data on the messinian dispersal of debruijnimys

Abstract

The localities of La Bullana 3 and LA Bullana 2B (Valencia, E Spain) have yielded remains of Apodemus gorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet. and Asoriculus cf. gibberodon the former, and Apodemus gorafensis, Paraethomys aff. abaigari, Stephanomys dubari, Apocricetus barrierei, Sciuridae indet., Asoriculus cf. gibberodon, Castillomys gracilis, Occitanomys brailloni, Occitanomys sp., Paraethomys meini, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys intermedius, Debruijnimys cf. julii and Atlantoxerus sp. the latter. Based on the study of these micromammal assemblages, we propose an Early Pliocene age (MN14) for both sites. The presence a gerbilid related to Debruijnimys julii in La Bullana 2B open new questions about the phylogenetic relationship between Debruijnimys species from the Miocene and Pliocene of the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, preliminary paleomagnetic data indicate an age between 4.997 Ma and 4.896 Ma for La Bullana 2B, and between 5.235 Ma and 4.997 Ma for La Bullana 3.