The smallest late Miocene phocine from the Southern Caucasus and the Eastern Paratethys seal community crisis

The Caucasus is one of the most important areas for study Paratethyan Neogene phocids, with a number ‘paleorookery’ sites that are still poorly studied. In this study, remains fossil phocine from Late Miocene locality Eldari I (late Vallesian/late Sarmatian s.l.) in Southern described and compared other phocines. new materials obtained site consists right complete forelimb bones along carpal metacarpal natural anatomical articulation innominate bone fragment. Additionally, published ‘Phoca’ procaspica analysed. Based on morphological morphometric studies, assigned to genus Praepusa. skeletal material demonstrates distinct combination diagnostic traits can be attributed smallest representative subfamily, Praepusa procaspica. During early (10 Ma.), major palaeoecological palaeogeographic changes took place Eastern basin, which significantly decreased diversity phocids had negative impact remnant taxa; was expressed Küçükçekmece seals by decrease body size change feeding apparatus.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:497DEEE9-8557-4136-8AD7-B8749A0285A2