Şerefköy-2, a new Late Miocene mammal locality from the Yataĝan Formation, Muĝla, SW Turkey

Abstract

Here we report on a new fossil locality, şerefköy-2, from the Yataĝan Basin of southwestern Turkey that preserves a well-sampled, abundant, and diverse mammal fauna. Indeed, after three field seasons, more than 1200 catalogued specimens representing 26 mammal species belonging to 14 genera make the şerefköy-2 mammalian assemblage one of the richest Late Miocene fauna from Anatolia. Five hipparionines, six bovids, including the rare and enigmatic Urmiatherium rugosifrons and the presence of Pliohyrax graecus, strongly support affinities with Late Miocene faunas from Samos Island, Greece. Through a consideration of the identified material and the subsequent comparison with material from well-known Balkan and Anatolian faunas, a Middle Turolian (MN12) age for şerefköy-2 is indicated. © 2011 Académie des sciences.