Early Pliocene vertebrates from Ivanovce and Hajnáčka (Slovakia). VIII. Ursidae, Mustelidae, Tapiridae, Bovidae and Proboscidea from Ivanovce
Abstract
The fossil record of large mammals (Ursidae, Mustelidae, Tapiridae, Bovidae, Proboscidea) from the primate Early Pliocene site of Ivanovce (Late Ruscinian, MN 15) is described and discussed from both the taxonomical and ecological viewpoints. The Ivanovce site is an important locality with probably one of the latest occurrences of Agriotherium in Central Europe, and also one of the earliest European records of Pannonictis ardea.
The remains of Tapirus arvernensis represent a rare fossil record of tapirs within karstic areas, whereas discovered bovid teeth belong to Alephis which was first described on Slovak territory. Proboscideans are represented only fragmentarily by Anancus cf. arvernensis.
All determined taxa support the presence of a humid forest environment along a broad river valley with a karstified limestone massif surrounded by an open drier habitat in higher elevations.