The Pliocene Artiodactyla and Proboscidea (Mammalia) from Gephyra (lower Axios valley, Macedonia, Greece). Discovery of a new boselaphine

In this paper we describe new mammalian fossil material of bovid, giraffid, cervid and proboscidean from the Gephyra locality from the Pliocene deposits in the lower Axios valley, which is otherwise broadly known for its Miocene mammal localities. Among the artiodactyl material, several well preserved cranial specimens are described in detail and attributed to a new species, Parabos savelisi sp. nov. Another well preserved skull is attributed to Procapreolus cusanus. Furthermore, a very long metatarsal Mt III + IV is attributed to an indeterminate giraffid yet, notably different from other synchronous Giraffidae. These mammals are associated with an aquatic soft-shelled Pan-Trionychidae turtle, member of a family that is for the first time documented in Greece. The new fossils presented herein allow a better estimation of the biodiversity of the Gephyra area during Pliocene, which greatly improves our knowledge on the overall diversity of northern Greece in the end part of the Neogene, especially in the MN 16a biozone.