A recent campaign of excavations (1965-68) undertaken by the Laboratoire de Paléontologie of Montpellier in pockets of the Quercy phosphorites, has permitted the dating of several localities thanks to the analysis of their micromammalian fauna.
The rodents of localities belonging to the middle Oligocene (La Sauvetat zone) are the object of this study. This rodent fauna has been compared to the forms coming from three stratified localities belonging to the biochronologic zone of La Sauvetat :  Balm, Montalban and Lovagny.
The abundance of material, notably of theridomyids and cricetids, permitted a summary statistical study to be effected and gave some precise details on the variability of the species (Theridomys varians in particular). Other details were provided on certain groups, notably on the upper teeth of Scíuromys cayluxi and on the milk teeth of theridomyids. Some specimens of «Sciurus» sp. and of Plesispermophilus angustidens were collected. By this means, it has been possible to establish, for the first time, a precise upper limit to the epoch of their appearance in Europe. 

Le présent volume traite des lagomorphes, carnivores, artiodactyles, périssodactyles et proboscidiens de la faune de Montredon (Hérault). Il clôt la monographie de ce célèbre gisement d'âge miocène supérieur du Languedoc, dont la première partie, relative aux rongeurs, insectivores et chiroptères, fut publiée en 1982.
[...] 

The Tafna Basin corresponds to the lowlands, which are located in front of Tessala and Traras ranges, below the Tlemcen mountains, Algeria. This basin displays a complete sedimentary cycle dominated by lagoonal-fluvial and marine deposits. The continental formations located at the base of these deposits are mainly composed of alternating sandstones and clays. An early late Miocene age has been previously attributed to them, based on direct correlations with marine deposits. Search for micromammal fossils led to the discovery of three different rodent species from a single level of the Djebel Guetaf section, located at the bottom of these deposits. The rodent assemblage indicates a late Miocene age. Combined magnetostratigraphical and biostratigraphical investigations were carried out to provide a more accurate age control of these continental deposits. Sixty-four oriented rock samples were collected for a magnetostratigraphic study along a 92 meters thick section including the fossiliferous layer. Rock magnetic investigations indicate the presence of both high and low coercivity minerals. Specimens subjected to progressive thermal demagnetization procedures show that the samples exhibit a high temperature magnetization component and display a normal polarity. Based on biostratigraphic constraints, the Guetaf section is correlated with Chron C4An, indicating an age ranging from
9.1 to 8.7 Myr.
  

Les Carnivores Fissipèdes de Sainte-Néboule appartiennent tous au genre Cynodictis et semblent constituer une population homogène. Celle-ci se distingue suffisamment des espèces déjà décrites pour constituer un taxon particulier : Cynodictis lacustris neboulensis n. s. sp. . L'étude des variations à l'intérieur de cette population nous a conduit à reconsidérer les critères utilisés pour définir les espèces existantes et à regrouper certaines d'entre elles. Il semble qu'il demeure cependant trois lignées distinctes dans le genre Cynodictis mais le matériel nous paraît encore insuffisant pour traduire cette remarque en termes de systématique. 

Is hereby described an impressive lchnoiauna belonging to the Lower to Middle Ludian of the Gard (S. France). The slab, already cleaned over a length of 18 m, is located near the top of the Potamides aporoschema lacustrine limestone (Lower Ludian, Euzet zone). It is therefore older than the Célas sandstone deposit, and still more than the Melanoides albigensis and M. acutus marly limestone corresponding to the Upper Levels of the Ludian stage. Although biostratigraphically older than the La Débruge and Montmartre zone, the biotope shows already a sampling of very tall Artiodactyles, Perissodactyles and Carnivorous. One of the most « majestic ›› Artiodactyles, Anopolotheriipus lavocati, nov., points out a huge size type. To mention also among the Ichnotypes described, 10, the big Perissodactyle Palaeotheriipus similimedius, nov., and the big Carnivorous Hyaenodontipus praedator, nov. 

Morphological descriptions are given of Eocene mammals from the locality Toru Ajgyr (NEKyrgyzstan) that were excavated in 1997 and 1998 in a cooperation between the Martin-Luther-University Halle (Germany), the Zoological Institute in St. Petersburg (Russia) and the Seismological Institute in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). The species found belong mostly to perissodactyls, as Lophialetes sp., Teleolophus sp. and brontotheres. The primitive ungulate family Olseniidae is represented by a complete foot skeleton of cf. Olsenia sp. In addition, postcranial materials of Gobiatherium mirificum (Dinocerata) and of artiodactyls have been collected and are described herein. Based on mammals, the locality is part of the Asian Land Mammal Age Arshantan and is stratigraphically equivalent with the Bridgerian Land Mammal Age in North America and with the lower and middle Geiseltalian of the European Middle Eocene. 

 A new genus of hystricognath rodent with two new species, Soriamys gaimanensis and Soriamys ganganensis, from the Colhuehuapian Age (Early Miocene), Sarmiento Formation, of Patagonia is described. The first species comes from the south barranca of the valley of Rio Chubut, near Gaiman locality (Chubut Province). It is known through a great number of dental remains in different stages of wear. The teeth are protohypsodont, with cement in the principal valleys. P4 are simpler, more oval inoutline and without a differentiated hypocone-hypoflexus. Upper molars are pentalophodont in early stages of wear and become bilobated in middle and advanced stages; M3 have a temporary third posterior lobe due to the maintenance of the braquiflexus on the posterior wall of the tooth. Lower teeth have a completely asymrnetrical pattern in relation to the uppers. The molars are trilophodont, with only one complex crest in the trigonid composed of the fusion of the anterolophid and mesolophid. The dp4 have a derived pentalophodont pattern due to the loss or fusion of the mesolophid and the development of an accessory transverse crest between the anterolophid and metalophid. The second species is known through a complete skull and jaw and other skull fragments with the dentition, proceeding from Pampa de Gan Gan, Chubut province. Respect to the first species, the teeth are higher crowned, with an earlier occlusal simplification and a third posterior lobe of M3 more developed and persistent. The skull and jaws show many chinchilloid characters, such as jugal bone with an ascending process, concave palate, very prominent dorsal shelf of the masseteric fossa, nasolachrymal duct opened laterally on the maxillary and very developed lateral mandibular fossa. Moreover, Soriamys is closely related to Cephalomys by sharing a similar asymmetric dental pattern and other dental and mandibular characters. These two genera constitute a natural group, the Cephalomyidae, with peculiar dental characters, like the asymmetric pattem of the upper and lower teeth; Cephalomyopsis, and probably Litadontomys, can be considered part of this group. Scotamys and Perimys constitute a distinct lineage (the Neopiblemidae or Perimyidae), more closely related to the chinchillids. Many characters shared by cephalomyids, eocardiids and caviids suggest a closer affinity between the Chinchilloidea and the Cavioiidea as a whole. Abrocoma shows also an asymmetric dental pattern and other chinchilloid features that suggest some degree of relationship with the cephalomyids, still not well determined. 

There are very few birds in the site of Sainte-Néboule. They belong to three species already known in the "Phosphorites" : Paraortyx brancoi, Aegialornis broweri, Cypselavus gallicus, and to one new species, Recurvirostra santaeneboulae. The comparison of some different bones of the genus Cypselavus with some Apodiformes and Caprimulgiformes shows that this genus must be classified in the order Apodiformes. 

New faunal and stratigraphical data on the vertebrates localities from the early Paleogene of the Ouarzazate Basin (Adrar Mgorn 1, Adrar Mgorn 1 bis et N'Tagourt 2), Morocco, are presented. A magnetostratigraphical study, the first for such early Paleogene Arabo-African mammal localities, and the discovery of probable remains of the nannofossil Discoaster support the Thanetian age of the Adrar Mgorn 1 site. The magnetostratigraphy suggests a slightly later age than was thought for the Paleogene formations of the local series of Tinerhir and for the vertebrate localities: late or latest Thanetian for Adrar Mgorn 1 and Adrar Mgorn 1 bis, middle Ypresian for N'Tagourt 2. It also indicates a lower position of the KT boundary in the series. Two tons of matrix recovered in the vertebrate sites have vielded new data on the micromammals. A damaged lower molar from N'Tagourt 2 is referable to Khamsaconus bulbosus  and supports the proboscidean affinities of this species and especially possible relationships with bunolophodont taxa such as elephantiforms. A lower molar from Adrar Mgorn 1 bis belongs to a new form which can be identified as a plesiadapiform or an euprimate close to Altiatlasius koulchii though significantly larger. A new material from Adrar Mgorn 1 illustrates a new dilambdodont adapisoriculid species which is referable to Garatherium : ?Garatherium todrae n. sp. Another species referred to Garatherium is known in the locality (?Garatherium n. sp.). Garatherium is a new lineage from the Ouarzazate basin which crosses the Paleocene-Eocene boundary together with Palaeoryctes, Didelphodontinae gen. and sp. 2, Todralestes, and Afrodon, and it is the first Paleocene-Eocene lineage identified outside of this basin (Garatheríum is based on a species from El Kohol, Algeria). Among the Paleocene-Eocene lineages from the Ouarzazate basin, it should be also mentioned a new possible carnassial form (carnivoran or creodont; Adrar Mgorn 1), and an upper molar of Cimolestes cf. incisus (Adrar Mgorn 1 bis). The upper molar THR 168 previously reported as from an indeterminate didelphodontine is here identified as the M1/ of Afrodon chleuhi. The micromammal faunas from the Ouarzazate basin are positioned in the global chronological framework of the mammal localities from the Paleogene of the Arabo-African domain. 

Abstract
 The validity of Propachynolophus Lemoine, 1891, supposedly an intermediate between Hyracotherium Owen, 1841 and Pachynolophus Pomel, 1847, has been questioned for a long time. A detailed analysis of features on which this genus is based further supported by a formal cladistic analysis demonstrates that Propachynolophus is not a valid taxon. The type species, “Propachynolophus gaudryi Lemoine, 1891” shall be assigned to Propalaeotherium Gervais, 1849, under the new combination Propalaeotherium gaudryi (Lemoine, 1891). “Pachynolophus maldani Lemoine, 1878”, later assigned to Propachynolophus, typifies the new genus Orolophus, under the binomen Orolophus maldani (Lemoine, 1878). The other referred species, “Propachynolophus levei Hooker, 1994” and “P. remyi Checa-Soler, 1997” are poorly documented, and both species shall be provisionally referred to as “Hyracotherium” levei (Hooker, 1994) and “Hyracotherium” remyi (Checa-Soler, 1997), pending new discoveries.
 
  

In dilambdodont molars the primitive crest between paracone and metacone (centrocrista) is represented by a pair of crests that join the mesostyle (postparacrista, premetacrista). The cutting action of these crests against the crests of the hypoconid is described. Dilambdodonty is a derived adaptation for greater cutting efficiency. It has evolved several times and in more than one way. 

The locality of Fons 1, one of the fossiliferous outcrops in the late Eocene limestones of Fons-outre-Gardon (Gard), has yielded varied remains of mammals. The specimens were prepared by dilute acetic acid attack on the rock and by impregnation with an acrylic resin.
This fauna, rich with about 20 species, can be included in the biochronologic zone of Euzet. The Palaeotheridae (sensu Simpson 1945), represented by 6 species, occupy a predominant place; Plagiolophus annectens is particularly abundant, comprising 55% of all the specimens found.
The abundance of this species has permitted a detailed comparative study with the corresponding form from Euzet. The quantitative tests brought out a slight but highly sígnificant difference between the average dimensions of the teeth in the two populations. Moreover and in spite of the feeble rate of evolution in the Plagialophus dentition, diverse archaic particularities can be seen which permit the conclusion that the form from Fons 1 is a little the older. This conclusion is corroborated by observations on the other palaeotherids, particularly Lophiotherium aff. cervulum, whose dental evolutionary stage is intermediate between those of the corresponding forms known from Robiac and Euzet.
A new species of Pachynolophus is described, P. garimondi n.sp., the last representative known of the genus. lts teeth are distinguished by their size, a great heterodonty, and the weakness
of their cingula. 

The genus Cryptomeryx SCHLOSSER, 1886, inusited during a long period, has been discovered in Lower and Middle Oligocene localities of the Quercy region (South-West France). This new material, as well as specimens from the old collections referred to Cryptomeryx, are described; their study, allows us precising the definition of the genus, and confirming its allocation to the Tragulidae family. The type species of the genus, Crypmmeryx gaudryi (= Lophiomeryx gaudryi FILHOL, 1877), occurs in several localities at the base of the Middle Oligocene (Itardies, La Plante 2, Roqueprune 2, Soulce, Herrlingen 1). The new species C. matsoui n. sp. has been defined in the older locality of Mas de Got (top of Lower Oligocene). It is possible that the species Pseudamphimeryx decedens STEHLIN, 1910 pertains to the same genus. Also to the Tragulids must be referred the monospecific genus Iberomeryx (I. parvus GABOUNIA, 1964) from Upper Oligocene of Benara (Georgie, URSS), with which Cryptomeryx is related. These genera are not direct ancestors of Miocene tragulids; their occurrence in the Western European Oligocene results from a first immigration wawe of the family. These Tragulids are one of the most archaic groups of Ruminants. They are probably derived from a primitive stock which had acquired in Asia the selenodont condition of the dentition. 

Seventeen species of cricetid rodent are recognized and described from lower and middle Siwalik deposits in the Potwar Plateau of Pakistan. These species are grouped in three categories, characterized as subfamilies (e. g., Megacricetodontinae, Myocricetodontinae, and Dendromurinae); an additional and more abundant category of rodents from these deposits, the Democricetodontinae, is excluded from this study, and will be described in a later study. Fifteen of the species are new, and four new genera are described. The Siwalik cricetid taxa are : Megacricetodon aquilari, n. sp.; Megacricetodon sivalensis, n. sp.; Megacricetodon daamsi, n. sp.; Megacricetodon mythikos, n. sp.; Punjabemys downsi, n. gen. & n. sp.; Punjabemys leptos, n. gen. & n. sp.; Punjabemys mikros, n. gen. & n. sp.; Myocricetodon sivalensis, n. sp.;  Myocricetodon sp.; Dakkamyoides lavocati, n. gen. & n. sp.; Dakkamyoides perplexus, n. gen. & n. sp.; Dakkamys asiaticus, n. sp.; Dakkamys barryi, n. sp.; Dakkamys sp.; Paradakkamys chinjiensis, n. gen. & n. sp.; Potwarmus primitivus, n. gen.; and Potwarmus minimus, n. gen. & n. sp. This diverse record of middle Miocene small mammals illuminates a profound radiation of cricetid rodents in southem Asia, the effects of which were felt in Europe and Africa as well as the rest of Asia. 

The fauna studied in the following work involves the dentitions and skulls more or less complete of 5 genera, among which only Cephalomys was previously known by its skull. One must notice that the Salla's species of this genus is a new one. Sallamys, rather small, shows a dentition rather similar to that of Platypittamys Wood from Patagonia. The upper molars, more primitive than those of this last genus, according to the smaller dimensions of the hypocone, retain a distinct metaloph. This metaloph tends to be reduced in a way which may give us a possibility to understand how it disappeared in Platypittamys. The upper P4 can be compared as well to that of Platypittamys as to that of Gaudeamus from the African Oligocene. The lower P4, more molarized than that of Platypittamys, is already moving towards the miocene type of structure. The infraorbital foramen is wide and the insertion of the masseter on the muzzle is spacious. Branisamys, genus of a great size, shows an auditory region partly preserved, peculiarly the promontorium with the fenestra rotunda, entirely of the Hystricognathi type. Upper molars are very clearly pentalophodont. A new reconstruction is proposed for the tooth called Villarroelomys by Hartenberger. This tooth is shown to be a lower D4, perhaps of Branisamys , certainly of a rather nearly allied form, and Hartenberger does agree with the essential part of this new conclusion. Of Incamys, two incomplete skulls are known, each one being admitted to be the type of a distinct species, the first one being I. bolivianus, I. pretiosus the second. The infraorbital foramen is of a great size and the impression of the masseter on the muzzle is spacious. The sphenopalatine foramen is widely developed and of a really very uncommon great size. Only Thryonomys from Africa shows a similar tendency to the enlargement of this foramen, but not so extreme. The main basicranial foramina can be observed. The upper teeth, hemi-hypsodont, show, either a vestigial metaloph, similar to that of recent Thryonomys from Africa, associated with a well developed mesoloph, either a well developed metaloph, while the mesoloph is reduced or absent. Cephalomys was previously known by anterior parts of the skull showing a wide infraorbital foramen and a spacious facial insertion of the masseter. Its lacrymal is of the phiomorph type and the spheno-palatine foramen is seemingly of great size, like in Incamys. The species is new. The varied peculiarities of the upper teeth of these genera can be easily understood if we refer to the plan of the teeth of Phiomys andrewsi from the Oligocene and Miocene of Africa. The structure of this genus, clearly more primitive, still typically brachyodont, shows and clearly explains the fundamental coherence of the varied realisations arised from such a structure. Luribayomys n.g. is known only by an anterior half of a skull without teeth. It is remarquable by the great development of the masseter's insertions on the muzzle and by the lacrymal region, well preserved, typically phiomorphid. The classification previously published by A.E. Wood and B. Patterson is granted in its essential parts, provisionally, but not as a definitive solution. Nevertheless the Dasyproctidae are integrated within the Cavioidea, following the conclusions of Bugge and of Vucetich, reached independently. The conclusion emphasizes the exceptional meaning of the fauna of Salla-Luribay. This shows that Platypittamys, while interesting, can no more be supposed certainly representative of the normal structure of the Oligocene Caviomorph, and not even of their ancestors. The anatomical peculiarities exhibited in these new samples, auditory region, lacrymal, spheno-palatine foramen, reinforce the primitive structural identity with the Phiomorpha. Similarly, the new lower D4 favour very close relationships, ever if the affinities of the D4 has been questioned or minimized by Wood and Patterson. It is certainly possible to admit that parallelism could explain limited similarities, like the presence in North America of Rodents with an hystricomorph type of infraorbital foramen and an hystricognath mandible. But if the parallelism could be a sufficient explanation of the identical association of multiple and complete structures observed in the Caviomorpha and Phiomorpha, all the Zoological systematic would have to be questioned. The last positions of A.E. Wood on the subject (1975) are revised and criticised, and the recent publications studying the problems of distance between Africa and South America in Eocene time, as a consequence of the drift, are quoted; the possibility of transportation by rafts is shown. A new hypothesis is proposed about the interrelationships of Pentalophodont Rodents, with interesting paleobiogeographic implications. 

The study of endocasts, or casts of the endocranial space, have played an important role in shaping understanding of mammalian, and particularly primate, brain evolution. Recently, the reconstructions of three-dimensional virtual endocasts from high-resolution computed tomography images have allowed for the visualization and quantification of endocasts in several Paleocene and Eocene primate species. Here we present the virtual endocast of MaPhQ 289 (informally known as the Montauban 9 skull), a specimen of Necrolemur antiquus Filhol 1873, a middle to late Eocene European primate of the family Microchoeridae. The virtual endocast of MaPhQ 289 reveals a lissencephalic surface morphology with expanded temporal poles and minimal overlap of the cerebellum or olfactory bulb by the cerebrum, which closely resembles the morphology of the endocast of its contemporary relative, Microchoerus erinaceus (Primates, Microchoeridae). MaPhQ 289 yields an endocranial volume (ECV) of 2.36 cm3, about 60% smaller than the volume of the most commonly cited ECV of N. antiquus. Thus, the size of the brain of N. antiquus relative to its body size is likely to be smaller than has been reported in previous literature, highlighting the importance of corroborating older ECV estimates with new evidence using 3-D imaging techniques. 

La poche à phosphorite de Sainte-Néboule (Lot) a livré au cours des récentes campagnes de fouilles effectuées dans le cadre de la Rep 311 une douzaine de dents ou fragments de dents de paléothéridés à rapporter à 3 taxons. 

The present work is devoted to the study of the Cretaceous and Tertiary fishes (teeth of Selachians, Actinopterygians and Dipnoans) collected during a recent expedition in Niger. The Maestrichtian localities have yielded a new genus and a new subspecies of Selachian: Igdabatis sigmodon nov. gen., nov. sp. and Lamna biauriculata nigeriana nov. subsp. The locality of Sessao, which has been attributed to the Thanetian by means of the study of the fish, has furnished by screen-washing an interesting fauna wherein six new species are described: Raja Iouisi, Dasyatis sessaoensis, D. sudrei, D. russelli, Hypolophites thaleri and Ceratodus casieri. Comparison of these faunas with contemporary faunas of Africa has brought out a certain endemism in the Iullemmeden Basin during the late Cretaceous and the early Tertiary. 

Deux types de remaniements post mortem me paraissent caractéristiques de l'état de conservation des dents de mammifères fossiles dans les Phosphorites du Quercy :

1) Des destructions localisées d'origine biologique, sous forme de galeries de morphologie très variable creusées dans la dentine et le cément, et impliquant sans doute la participation de différents types de micro-organismes. Ces altérations se sont développées peu de temps après la mort, avant la fossilísation proprement dite et se sont rapidement arrêtées après l'enfouissement dans le sédiment phosphaté.

2) Des perturbations dans les structures de la dentine liées aux variations locales de minéralisation, provoquées par une imprégnation diffuse des zones les moins calcifiées par divers minéraux et probablement surtout de l`apatite. 

In the course of a revision of the Equoidea numerous dentitions as well as a partial skeleton of a Phenaeodont were discovered from the Middle Eocene lignite beds of the Geiseltal locality. These fossils are recognized as a new genus and species of Phenacodontidae : HaIlensia matthesi n.g. n.sp.. The species is present in the « untere und obere Unterkohle ›› (uUK, oUK = the lower and upper part of the Lower Coal Seam) as well as in the « obere Mittelkohle ›› (oMK = the upper part of the Middle Coal Seam). Two fragmentary upper jaws described and figured by Matthes (1977) as Propachynolophus gaudryi are also belonging to Hallensia matthesi. Thus the decisive argument for classifying the " Unterkohle " of the Geiseltal section as Lower Eocene has to be dropped. Another relict form of the Geiseltal is Esthonyx tardus n. sp. documented by a fragmentary mandible coming from the « untere Unterkohle ››. This is the latest Tillodont from Europe. Contrasting to E. munieri from the european Lower Eocene the dentition of E. tardus is morphologically more progressive.