The Early Miocene rodent faunas of Kargi, Anatolia, and their biostratigraphic implications.

Abstract

The assemblages found in the lignite mine of Kargı (Kargı 1, 2 and 3), Osmançik-Dodurga basin, Central Anatolia, contain a rich record of Late Oligocene and Early Miocene rodent species. Only the insectivore material of these assemblages has been formally studied before. The integrated faunal list of Kargı aids to the biostratigraphy of the Anatolian localities, which combined to the available tectonic and basin analyses, as well as the magnetostratigraphic studies, can provide a reliable dating of the localities. A large number of teeth (>300 molars and incisors) is examined; eight muroid genera and one dipodoid genus are identified in the Kargı assemblages, and described in detail; Meteamys alpani is the most frequent species found in the studied material and it is considered to be a characteristic species of the Oligocene/Miocene transition of Anatolia. Biostratigraphic correlations to other Anatolian localities of the time (Yeniköy, Inkonak, Kilçak, Harami, Keseköy) suggest that Kargı 1 is of Late Oligocene age (MP30), Kargı 2 is found during the Oligocene/Miocene transition (MP30/MN1 transition) and Kargı 3 is of Early Miocene age (MN1). Also, the composition of the Kargı faunas suggests a warm, humid/near lacustrine environment, which is supported by the presence of diatomites and lignites in the area.