Gavathas: Early Miocene, Greece
collected by G. Koufos, N. Zouros and O. Mourouzidou

List of taxa
Where & when
Geology
Taphonomy & methods
Metadata & references
Taxonomic list
Mammalia - Proboscidea - Deinotheriidae
Prodeinotherium bavaricum (von Meyer 1831)
Material: Right lower tooth row with P3-M3 in situ and left lower tooth row with P3-M3 in situ of the same individual, GVT-1
see common names

Geography
Country:Greece State/province:North Aegean County:Lesvos island
Coordinates: 39.3° North, 26.0° East (view map)
Paleocoordinates:38.1° North, 24.9° East
Basis of coordinate:estimated from map
Geographic resolution:outcrop
Time
Period: Neogene Epoch: Miocene
10 m.y. bin: Cenozoic 5
Key time interval: Early Miocene Mammal zone:  MN3
Age range of interval: 23.03 - 15.98 m.y. ago
Age estimate: minimum 18.4 ± 0.5 Ma (K-Ar)
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy comments: The morphology of P3 suggests that it belongs to the primitive early/middle Miocene forms of the species. A more precise age for it can be estimated using the available radiometric ages of the overlying volcanic deposits of the area. The studied deinothere was found below a series of pyroclastics dated to 18.4 ± 0.5Ma and thus an age older than 18.4 Ma is possible for it. This age fits quite well with its dental morphology and evolutionary stage, as well as with the arrival time of the deinotheres in Eurasia estimated at 19.0– 18.0 Ma (Rögl, 1999a, b).
Lithology and environment
Primary lithology: lithified cherty/siliceous marl
Secondary lithology: lithified conglomeratic "volcaniclastic"
Includes fossils?Y
Lithology description: The Lacustrine Unit, situated unconformably on the basement, corresponds to the first Neogene deposits. The unit consists of alternating marly limestones and marls with tiny lignitic intercalations of about 1 m thickness. In the base of the unit there are more marly limestones, while in the upper part marls are more common. This unit is strongly silicified because of the younger volcanic action in the area. The fossils were found in the upper levels of the Lacustrine Unit.
Environment:terrestrial indet. Tectonic setting:volcanic basin
Geology comments: As the deinotheres are forest dwellers the palaeoenvironment in Europe was close (forests). This is confirmed for Lesvos by the extensive petrified forest with big trees found in the area, where the deinothere remains were located.
Taphonomy
Modes of preservation:body
Size of fossils:macrofossils
Spatial orientation:random
Abundance in sediment:rare
Articulated whole bodies:none
Collection methods and comments
Collection methods:field collection
Collection size:2 specimens
Reason for describing collection:general faunal/floral analysis
Collectors:G. Koufos, N. Zouros and O. Mourouzidou
Collection method comments: To obtain the studied fossils, we were working 3 days with a big mechanical hammer (compressor) and two mechanical cutters. The preparation of the fossils was continued for more than 2 months.
Taxonomic list comments: A "List of plant species identified in the Petrified Forest of Lesvos. According to Velitzelos and Zouros (1997, 1998)" is given in Table 1, page 314.
Metadata
Database number:195540
Authorizer:E. Vlachos Enterer:P. Kampouridis
Modifier:T. Cleary Research group:vertebrate
Created:2018-08-12 09:20:55 Last modified:2019-07-24 09:38:15
Access level:the public Released:2018-08-12 09:20:55
Creative Commons license:CC BY
Reference information

Primary reference:
66555. G. D. Koufos, N. Zouros, and O. Mourouzidou. 2003. Prodeinotherium bavaricum (Proboscidea, Mammalia) from Lesvos island, Greece; the appearance of deinotheres in the Eastern Mediterranean . Geobios 36:305-315 [E. Vlachos/P. Kampouridis]

Secondary references:

61193 G. Koufos. 2006. The Neogene mammal localities of Greece: Faunas, chronology and biostratigraphy. Hellenic Journal of Geosciences 41:183-214 [E. Vlachos/E. Vlachos/T. Cleary]