The middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (17–15 Ma; MCO) is a period of global warmth and relatively high CO2 and is thought to be associated with a significant retreat of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). We present here a new planktic foraminiferal dB record from 16.6 to 11.8 Ma from two deep ocean sites currently in equilibrium with the atmosphere with respect to CO2. These new data demonstrate that...

BACKGROUND Mammalian fossils from the Eppelsheim Formation (Dinotheriensande) have been a benchmark for Neogene vertebrate palaeontology since 200 years. Worldwide famous sites like Eppelsheim serve as key localities for biochronologic, palaeobiologic, environmental, and mammal community studies. So far the formation is considered to be of early Late Miocene age (~9.5 Ma, Vallesian), representi...

The ensign wasp genus Hyptia Illiger was previously known from 52 extant New World species and one fossil species from Lower Miocene to Upper Oligocene Mexican amber. Hyptia hennigi sp. nov., from Eocene Baltic amber, is the oldest known species and the first member of the genus from the Old World.

During IODP expedition 359 multiple holes recovered Modern to Middle Miocene sediments from the Kardiva Drift which is strongly influenced by monsoonally-driven currents. Two continued below drift into Lower that were deposited under rather different conditions following Oligocene subsidence of Maldives Ridge. These are characterised marked alternation between dark organic-rich sapropelic and p...

The evolution of the western Mediterranean of an 'interna1 zone plate' by the mechanism basin is considered. The Provence basin invoked by Karig. Lower or middle Miocene results from the Oligocene migration of Conica squeezing of the interna1 zones against the and Sardinia southeastwards. The North North Afncan platform caused ejection of the African basin was created by the dislocation flysch ...

The Goto Islands are located at the westernmost tip of Japan archipelago, and preserve a lower–middle Miocene sedimentary sequence deposited during rifting continental margin opening Sea Japan. stratigraphy Group new K–Ar, fission-track, U–Pb age data were used to determine initial conditions in southwest thickness is 2000–3000 m. lower unit (ca. 22–17.6 Ma) consists thick, greenish, volcanicla...

Deep-time perspectives in macroecology are essential with regard to understanding the impact of climate forcing on faunal communities. Using late Miocene rodent faunas (12 to 5 Ma) from two different biogeographical provinces from southwestern Europe, we asked whether the waxing and waning of faunas with dissimilar ecological affinities tracked climate in different ways. The latest middle Mioce...