Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 42(3) 1999

Issue:

VOL 42(3) 1999

Keywords:

Cervidae, Megaceroides, Systematics, Moldovan Republic, Early Pleistocene

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Megaceroides obscurus (Azzaroli, 1953) (Mammalia, Cervidae) from early Pleistocene sites of Eastern Moldova

• Laura ABBAZZI
• Roman CROITOR
• Anatol DAVID

Abstract:

Remains of the large-sized deer Megaceroides obscurus have been recognised in mammal assemblages from early Pleistocene sediments of Moldova. The species M. obscurus is fairly well represented in the early Pleistocene localities of Western Europe (e.g. Italy and England) referred to the Late Villafranchian (Farneta faunal unit). It is a di­rect ancestor of the well-known and widespread species M. verticornis which is character­istic of the Galerian faunal assemblages of the late early and middle Pleistocene. The remains from Moldova add to the knowledge of the early phase of dispersal of the genus Megaceroides in the European regions.