TAPIRS (MAMMALIA, PERISSODACTYLA) FROM THE UPPER MIOCENE OF WESTERN-EUROPE

Three tapir species were described from the Upper Miocene of Western Europe : Tapirus priscus, Tapirus antiquus, Tapiriscus pannonicus. Tapirus priscus Kaup is anatomically redefined following a general examination of almost all the available material. The species is to be found in about fifteen West European fossiliferous sites and is typical of the Vallesian mammal age ; it corresponds to the classical ecological requirements of the genus for dense tropical forest in a warm and wet climate, close to sufficient waterbodies. Its anatomical resemblance to the Ruscinian and Villafranchian European T arvernensis allows us to assign a close phylogenetical relationship to the two species. The Middle Miocene T. telleri from central Europe could be their common ancestor. Tapirus antiquus Kaup is known from two upper molars from the Lower Vallesian of Germany, one (the holotype) being lost. The sole extant is really too large to be attributed to T priscus, therefore the taxon must then be conserved, pending new discoveries. Tapiriscus pannonicus Kretzoi from the Turolian of Hungary is not well defined. The rare dimensions we obtained show, like those of the original description, that the species is very much smaller than T. priscus and cannot be confused with it. The species is quoted but not described from a German Turolian site, and is possibly present in another one, and also in an Italian deposit of the same age.