NEW INSIGHTS ON ANTHRACOTHERIUM MONSVIALENSE DE ZIGNO, 1888 (MAMMALIA, CETARTIODACTYLA) FROM THE LOWER OLIGOCENE OF MONTEVIALE (VICENZA, NORTHEASTERN ITALY)

摘要

In Italy, anthracotheres are represented by a few fossils, most of them described during the XIX century and without a standardized scientific method. Anthracotherium monsvialense De Zigno, 1888 was originally erected from a fossil discovered in the site of Monteviale (Vicenza, northeastern Italy), whose Rupelian (MP21) lignitic beds yielded the richest lower Oligocene evidence of the genus Anthracotherium in Europe. A. monsvialense ranges from MP21 to MP23 and its small size has been interpreted as a consequence of the insular environment, at least at Monteviale.