Age or paleoenvironment? What is the cause of the differences between two Early Miocene small-mammal assemblages from Kaplangı (Turkey)?

Abstract

Two assemblages of small mammals near Kaplangı (Anatolia) are described to determine if their respective differences are due to a difference in palaeoenvironment, age, or both. The main species composing the assemblages are Anomalomys aliveriensis, Democricetodon gracilis, Eumyarion carbonicus, Cricetodon aliveriensis, Mirrabella cf. crenulata, Vasseuromys sp. and Glirudinus cf. euryodon. Their respective ages are determined to be Late MN3 to Early MN4 for both assemblages. Differences between the populations are determined to be due to a slightly wetter environment in Kaplangı 2. The Kaplangı assemblages are useful in confirming current theories about faunal migration from Anatolia to Europe during the Miocene.