Pyrgos Vassilissis, Griechenland


Fundort: Pyrgos Vassilissis, Griechenland, Attiki, Griechenland
Taxon: Graecopithecus freybergi aus der Familie Hominidae
Fossilien und Beschreibung der Fundstelle:
Macrofossils, The type mandible of Graecopithecus freybergi was found in Pyrgos Vassilissis at the top of the Red Conglomeratic Member., We subdivide Upper Miocene sediments of the Athens and the Mesogea Basins (Figs 1 and 2) into the terrestrial to alluvial Pikermi Formation (new formation) and the palustrine to lacustrine Rafina Formation (new formation). The Pikermi Formation represents an up to 30-m thick sequence of predominantly reddish silts with subordinate clastic channels of conglomerates and sandstones, which contains a rich and exclusively terrestrial vertebrate fauna. The formation rests discordantly upon the ‘lower limestone unit’ (palustrine to lacustrine grey marls and coals) and is concordantly overlain by the Rafina Formation (palustrine to lacustrine clay, coal, and platy limestone). Based on transport mechanisms, sediment colour, and palaeosol development, the Pikermi Formation can be subdivided into two members: the Red Conglomeratic Member (new member) characterized by debris flows and the fluvio-alluvial Chomateri Member (new member). The lower part of the Pikermi Formation (Red Conglomeratic Member) represents an alternation of red silts with a weak pedogenic overprint and debris flow deposits (Fig 3). These debris flows contain clasts of the nearby Attica unit of Mt. Pendeli, which indicates a strong topographic gradient. Silts from the lower Red Conglomeratic Member include the classical Pikermian bone accumulations. The upper Pikermi Formation (Chomateri Member) represents an alternation of reddish to yellowish silts with fluvial channels and channel-fill trains (Fig 3) that are indicative of small migrating streams during times of increased surface run-off. Away from channels, silts can contain well developed calcareous palaeosols rich in mammalian fossils. In the Athens Basin the Pikermi Formation is best known from the Pyrgos outcrop (Fig 2). In both basins, the Pikermi Formation is concordantly overlain by palustrine clays and coals, and lacustrine marls and limestones of the Rafina Formation.
Geschätztes Alter
der Fundstelle:
zwischen 5,333 und 11,608 Millionen Jahre aus der Pikermi Formation in Griechenland
Geologie, Sratigraphie Tortonian, Messinian / Late Miocene / Pikermi
Koordinaten: 38° 2 ' 22 '' N, 23° 43 ' 25 '' O

Literatur

M. Böhme, N. Spassov, M. Ebner, D. Geraads, L. Hristova, U. Kirscher, S. Kötter, U. Linnemann, J. Prieto, S. Roussiakis, G. Theodorou, G. Uhlig, M. Winklhofer 2017, Messinian age and savannah environment of the possible hominin Graecopithecus from Europe\r\n. PLoS One. 12:5, p. , DOI: 10.1371/journal. pone.0177347

Systematik