Amphibians and Squamates from the Miocene of Felsőtárkány Basin, N-Hungary

Abstract

Seven localities from the Felsőtárkány Basin, N-Hungary, yielded at least 38 lissamphibian and squamate reptile taxa and represents to date one of the richest herpetofaunas from the middle/late Miocene of the Pannonian basin. The fossil assemblages with relatively high local diversity were deposited near the margins of the former Pannonian Sea in a wide variety of sedimentary environments. The composition of the fauna documents for a number of taxa (e.g., Albanerpetontidae indet., Salamandrina, Triturus cf. marmoratus, Lissotriton, Ophisaurus, Pseudopus, ‘Coluber’ pouchetii) a distinctly wider distribution during the Middle Miocene of continental Europe. On the other hand, several newcomers indicate (e.g., Parahynobius, Mertensiella cf. caucasica, Albaneryx cf. volynicus, Natrix cf. rudabanyaensis, Hierophis cf. hungaricus, Vipera berus complex), similarly to micromammals, an amplified faunal influence from the Asiatic continent. The fossil record of the land salamander genus Parahynobius (Hynobiidae) represents its first appearance date (FAD) in Europe, whereas those of Mertensiella, Salamandrina, Chalcides, Albaneryx and Vipera berus complex is the FAD in the Pannonian basin. Furthermore, the presence of the African-derived skink Chalcides indicates an earlier divergence history for this group of lizards. The estimated mean annual precipitation (MAP), based on the co-occurrences of certain lissamphibian and squamate taxa indicates a rising tendency across the Astaracian/Vallesian boundary and largely correlates with the estimations based on macrofloral associations.