Dating of the Lower Pleistocene Vertebrate Site of Tsiotra Vryssi (Mygdonia Basin, Greece): Biochronology, Magnetostratigraphy, and Cosmogenic Radionuclides
George E. Konidaris,
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos,
Matteo Maron,
Mirjam Schaller,
Todd A. Ehlers,
Elina Aidona,
Mattia Marini,
Vangelis Tourloukis,
Giovanni Muttoni,
George D. Koufos,
Katerina Harvati
Affiliations
George E. Konidaris
Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstr. 23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
Dimitris S. Kostopoulos
Laboratory of Geology and Palaeontology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Matteo Maron
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, University of Milan, via Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Mirjam Schaller
Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94–96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Todd A. Ehlers
Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94–96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Elina Aidona
Department of Geophysics, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Mattia Marini
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, University of Milan, via Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milan, Italy
Vangelis Tourloukis
Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstr. 23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
Giovanni Muttoni
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra “Ardito Desio”, University of Milan, via Mangiagalli 34, I-20133 Milan, Italy
George D. Koufos
Laboratory of Geology and Palaeontology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Katerina Harvati
Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Rümelinstr. 23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
Background and scope: The late Villafranchian large mammal age (~2.0–1.2 Ma) of the Early Pleistocene is a crucial interval of time for mammal/hominin migrations and faunal turnovers in western Eurasia. However, an accurate chronological framework for the Balkans and adjacent territories is still missing, preventing pan-European biogeographic correlations and schemes. In this article, we report the first detailed chronological scheme for the late Villafranchian of southeastern Europe through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary dating approach (biochronology, magnetostratigraphy, and cosmogenic radionuclides) of the recently discovered Lower Pleistocene vertebrate site Tsiotra Vryssi (TSR) in the Mygdonia Basin, Greece. Results: The minimum burial ages (1.88 ± 0.16 Ma, 2.10 ± 0.18 Ma, and 1.98 ± 0.18 Ma) provided by the method of cosmogenic radionuclides indicate that the normal magnetic polarity identified below the fossiliferous layer correlates to the Olduvai subchron (1.95–1.78 Ma; C2n). Therefore, an age younger than 1.78 Ma is indicated for the fossiliferous layer, which was deposited during reverse polarity chron C1r. These results are in agreement with the biochronological data, which further point to an upper age limit at ~1.5 Ma. Overall, an age between 1.78 and ~1.5 Ma (i.e., within the first part of the late Villafranchian) is proposed for the TSR fauna. Conclusions: Our results not only provide age constraints for the local mammal faunal succession, thus allowing for a better understanding of faunal changes within the same sedimentary basin, but also contribute to improving correlations on a broader scale, leading to more accurate biogeographic, palaeoecological, and taphonomic interpretations.
