Paleohistology and life history of Procervulus and Eotragus (Ruminantia, Artiodactyla) from the Middle Miocene site of els Casots (NE Iberian Peninsula)
Cuccu, Andrea (Universidad de Zaragoza. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra)
Azanza, Beatriz (Universidad de Zaragoza. Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra)
Casanovas i Vilar, Isaac (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Nacarino-Meneses, Carmen (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
Alba, David M. (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)
DeMiguel, Daniel (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont)

Date:	2026
Abstract:	The Miocene Climatic Optimum (MCO) event (ca. 16. 9-14. 7 Ma) was a period of increased warmth spanning more than 2 Myr that offers valuable insights into climate-driven ecological changes. The early Middle Miocene site of els Casots (MN5, ~15. 9 Ma), in the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Iberian Peninsula), is of extraordinary importance due to the abundant vertebrate remains and its coincidence with the midpoint of the MCO. Procervulus (Cervidae) and Eotragus (Bovidae) are of particular interest among the recorded taxa due to their basal phylogenetic position within their respective clades and their (apparently) similar ecology. Dental histology can provide valuable information about an organism's life history (LH) through the analysis of its tissues, as their incremental development records growth rates and periods of physiological stress. To investigate possible LH differences between the two clades, we analyzed the enamel histology of their molars with a focus on their enamel daily secretion rate (DSR). Our results indicate that both species exhibited a particularly high DSR, which agrees with a fast LH strategy. The similarity in DSR between Procervulus and Eotragus further strengthens the similarity between cervids and bovids during their early evolutionary stages. Furthermore, Procervulus from els Casots shows no significant differences compared with Procervulus from Artesilla in central Iberia, where likely drier and more open habitats prevailed. However, the likely presence of open woodlands in the surroundings of the more forested environment of els Casots suggests that the two Procervulus spp. inhabited similar environments and might partially explain their ecological similarities.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2024-160207NB-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-116220GB-I00 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2020-117118GB-I00 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/SGR-01184 Generalitat de Catalunya 2022/SGR-00620 Agencia Estatal de Investigación PRE2021-096969 Generalitat de Catalunya 2021/BP-00078 Generalitat de Catalunya CLT0009-22-000019
Note:	Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Vol. 33 (February 2026) , art. 3, ISSN 1573-7055

DOI: 10.1007/s10914-025-09799-8

14 p, 3.1 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP)
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