biostratigraphy Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock strata by using the fossil assemblages contained within them.Hine, Robert. “Biostratigraphy.” ''Oxford Reference: Dictionary of Bio ...

, MN 4 is one of the MN zones used to characterize the fossil mammal faunas of the

Neogene The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...

of Europe. It is preceded by MN 3 and followed by

MN 5 Minnesota State Highway 5 (MN 5) is a highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 19 and MN 22 in Gaylord and continues east and northeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with MN 120 in Maplewoo ...

; together, these three zones form the

Orleanian The Orleanian age is a period of geologic time ( MN 3–5, (mya)), within the Miocene and used more specifically with European Land Mammal Ages. It precedes the Astaracian age and follows the Agenian age. ; Agenian-Early Orleanian migration At ...

age of the middle Miocene. This zone starts within

magnetostratigraphic Magnetostratigraphy is a geophysical correlation technique used to date sedimentary and volcanic sequences. The method works by collecting oriented samples at measured intervals throughout the section. The samples are analyzed to determine their ' ...

chron Chron may refer to: Science * Chronozone or chron, a term used for a time interval in chronostratigraphy * Polarity chron or chron, in magnetostratigraphy, the time interval between polarity reversals of the Earth's magnetic field Other ...

C5Dr, at 18 million years ago, and ends within chron C5Cr, at 17.0 million years ago, although some different correlations have been proposed.Steininger, 1999, p. 16 The reference locality used to correlate faunas with this zone is

La Romieu La Romieu (; oc, L'Arromiu) is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France. It is known for its magnificent Collégiale St. Pierre, a 14th-century church with a cloister and a tower. Geography Population Sights * *Jardins de ...

(southwestern France); other localities include Artesilla and

Buñol Buñol (Valencian: ''Bunyol'') is a town and municipality in the province of Valencia, Spain. The municipality has an area of some 112 km², and is situated approximately 38 km west of the provincial and autonomous community capital city ...

in Spain, Tägernaustrasse-Jona in Switzerland, Erkertshofen 2 and Petersbuch 2 in Germany, Belchatov C in Poland, and

Aliveri Aliveri ( el, Αλιβέρι) is a town and a community in the island of Evvoia, Greece. It is part of the municipal unit Tamyneoi, and the seat of the municipality Kymi-Aliveri. Aliveri is situated in the western part of the island, on the Sout ...

in Greece.Mein, 1999, p. 28 In this zone, the common

muroid The Muroidea are a large superfamily of rodents, including mice, rats, voles, hamsters, lemmings, gerbils, and many other relatives. Although the Muroidea originated in Eurasia, they occupy a vast variety of habitats on every continent except A ...

rodent '' Democricetodon'' immigrates into Europe from Asia, followed shortly after by three other muroids: '' Megacricetodon'', '' Eumyarion'', and '' Anomalomys''. '' Cricetodon'', which later also reaches western Europe, is only present in Greece in MN 4 in Europe. The archaic muroid '' Melissiodon'' last appears in MN 4, as does '' Ligerimys'', a member of the extinct rodent family

Eomyidae Eomyidae is a family (biology), family of extinct rodents from North America and Eurasia related to modern day pocket gophers and Heteromyidae, kangaroo rats. They are known from the Middle Eocene to the Late Miocene in North America and from the ...

. The

dormouse A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae (this family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists). Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hib ...

Glirulus ''Glirulus'' is a genus of dormouse. The only extanct species is the Japanese dormouse ''(Glirulus japonicus)'' but fossil species indicate that the genus was widespread in Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a ...

'', which occurs in older deposits in Turkey, first appears in Europe; this genus contains a single living species, the

Japanese dormouse The Japanese dormouse (''Glirulus japonicus'') is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae endemic to Japan. It is the only extant species within the genus ''Glirulus''.Holden, M. E.. 2005. Family Gliridae. pp. 819–841 ''in'' Mammal ...

(''Glirulus japonicus''). The

proboscidea The Proboscidea (; , ) are a taxonomic order of afrotherian mammals containing one living family ( Elephantidae) and several extinct families. First described by J. Illiger in 1811, it encompasses the elephants and their close relatives. Fr ...

n genera—members of the group that includes the

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

s—''

Archaeobelodon ''Archaeobelodon'' is an extinct genus of proboscidean of the family Amebelodontidae that lived in Europe and North Africa (Egypt) during the Miocene from 16.9 to 16.0 Ma, living for approximately . ''Archaeobelodon'' was an ancestor of ''Platy ...

'' and ''

Prodeinotherium ''Prodeinotherium'' is an extinct representative of the family Deinotheriidae that lived in Africa, Europe, and Asia in the early and middle Miocene. ''Prodeinotherium'', meaning "before terrible beast", was first named in 1930, but soon after, ...

'' first appear in Europe. The rhinoceros ''

Diaceratherium ''Diaceratherium'' is an extinct genus of rhinoceros from the Oligocene and Miocene of Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, ...

'' last appears in MN 4 and five other rhinoceros genera, ''

Plesiaceratherium ''Plesiaceratherium'' is an extinct genus of rhinoceros. It includes two species: ''P. gracile'' from China and ''P. mirallesi'' from France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western E ...

'', ''

Brachypotherium ''Brachypotherium'' is an extinct genus of rhinoceros that lived in Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene. A first upper decidual molar referrable to ''Brachypotherium brachypus'' was found during gold mining in New Caledonia during the 19th ce ...

'', ''

Lartetotherium ''Lartetotherium'' is an extinct species of rhinoceros that lived during the Miocene in Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its h ...

'', ''

Gaindatherium ''Gaindatherium'' is an extinct genus of rhinoceros that lived in Asia during the Miocene. It is mainly known from the Siwalik Hills in Pakistan, though its fossils have been found as far west as the Negev desert. Description ''Gaindatherium'' is ...

'', and ''

Hispanotherium ''Hispanotherium'' was a genus of rhinoceros of the tribe Elasmotheriini endemic to Europe and Asia during the Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by ...

'', make their first appearance. '' Phyllotillon'', a member of the related extinct family

Chalicotheriidae Chalicotheres (from Greek '' chalix'', "gravel" and '' therion'', "beast") are an extinct clade of herbivorous, odd-toed ungulate (perissodactyl) mammals that lived in North America, Eurasia, and Africa from the Middle Eocene until the Early ...

, migrates into Europe during MN 4. Several

artiodactyl The even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla , ) are ungulates—hoofed animals—which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes: the third and fourth. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing poste ...

s, such as the pig ''

Bunolistriodon ''Bunolistriodon'' is an extinct genus of pig-like animals from Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geolog ...

'', the

tragulid Chevrotains, or mouse-deer, are small even-toed ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, the only extant members of the infraorder Tragulina. The 10 extant species are placed in three genera, but several species also are known only f ...

Dorcatherium ''Dorcatherium'' is an extinct genus of tragulid ruminant which existed in Europe, East Africa and the Siwaliks during the Miocene and Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from ...

'', the

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the ...

-like ''

Lagomeryx ''Lagomeryx'' is a genus of prehistoric ungulate that lived in Eurasia from the lower to middle Miocene. Fossil remains were found in Europe and Asia. Description This animal looked not very different from present chevrotains, but possessed two ...

'', the

bovid The Bovidae comprise the biological family of cloven-hoofed, ruminant mammals that includes cattle, bison, buffalo, antelopes, and caprines. A member of this family is called a bovid. With 143 extant species and 300 known extinct species, ...

-like '' Amphimoschus'', and the first true bovid of Europe, ''

Eotragus ''Eotragus'' is an extinct genus of early bovid. Species belonging to the genus inhabited Europe, Africa, and Asia during the Miocene some 20-18 million years ago. It is related to the modern nilgai and four-horned antelope. It was small and pr ...

'', first occur during MN 4. The last occurrence of the primitive

ruminant Ruminants ( suborder Ruminantia) are hoofed herbivorous grazing or browsing mammals that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principally through microbial actions. Th ...

Amphitragulus ''Amphitragulus'' is an extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Palaeomerycidae, endemic to Europe from the Late Eocene until the Middle Miocene. It is the earliest known genus of the family, and has been found in Aragon (Spain), Ronheim ( ...

'' also falls in this zone. The immigrant African

creodont Creodonta ("meat teeth") is a former order of extinct carnivorous placental mammals that lived from the early Paleocene to the late Miocene epochs in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Originally thought to be a single group of animals anc ...

Hyainailouros ''Hyainailouros'' ("hyena-cat") is an extinct polyphyletic genus of hyainailourid hyaenodont mammal of the polyphyletic tribe Hyainailourini within paraphyletic subfamily Hyainailourinae, that lived during the early to middle Miocene, of whic ...

'' occurs in Europe during MN 4. Among

carnivora Carnivora is a monophyletic order of placental mammals consisting of the most recent common ancestor of all cat-like and dog-like animals, and all descendants of that ancestor. Members of this group are formally referred to as carnivorans, ...

ns, the first occurrences of the

mustelid The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest family in t ...

'' Leptoplesictis'' and the saber-toothed ''

Prosansanosmilus ''Prosansanosmilus'' is an extinct genus of mammalian carnivores of the suborder Feliformia, family Barbourofelidae, which lived in Europe during the Miocene epoch (16.9—16.0 mya), existing for approximately . It contains ''Prosansanosmilus ...

'' fall in MN 4.

References

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Literature cited

*Mein, P. 1999. European Miocene mammal biochronology. Pp. 25–38 in Rössner, G.E. and Heissig, K. (eds.). The Miocene Land Mammals of Europe. Munich: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, 515 pp. *Steininger, F. 1999. Chronostratigraphy, geochronology and biochronology of the Miocene "European Land Mammal Mega-Zones (ELMMZ)" and the Miocene "Mammal Zones (MN-Zones)". Pp. 9–24 in Rössner, G.E. and Heissig, K. (eds.). The Miocene Land Mammals of Europe. Munich: Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, 515 pp. Miocene Regional geologic time scales Biostratigraphy