La faune d'artiodactyles de Ste-Néboule, qui comprend neuf espèces, présente de nombreux
points communs avec les faunes habituellement rattachées au Ludien supérieur, telles celles de La Débruge ou de Montmartre. A l'inverse de ces localités, on ne connaît pourtant, à Ste-Néboule, ni Oxacronae, ni Anoplotheriinae. Parmi les espèces du gisement se trouve une nouvelle espèce du genre Mouillacitherium (M. schlosseri n. sp.), cette forme devant être interprétée comme le dernier représentant du rameau. Nous faisons connaître par ailleurs la presque totalité de la denture du Dacrytherium saturninii, espèce qui était à ce jour très imparfaitement documentée. Ste-Néboule est, d'autre part, la seule localité où l'on peut signaler l'association probable de deux lignées du genre Amphimeryx. Les primates sont peu diversifiés à Ste-Néboule, puisque le groupe est limité au seul genre Adapis. Les genres Microchoerus et Pseudoloris, que l'on sait pourtant être représentés dans des gisements dâge voisin (Microchoerus ornatus à San Cugat de Gavadons et Mormont-Entreroches, Pseudoloris reguanti à San Cugat de Gavadons, Pseudoloris cf. reguanti à Neustadt ; cf. Louis et Sudre 1975) sont absents dans les faunes du Quercy de cette période. 

The few remains recently collected at Ste Néboule (upper Eocene) belong to three genera: the Testudinid Ergilemys, of which it is the oldest occurence in Western Europa, probably Palaeochelys and an unpublished genus, which is peculiar to the Phosphorites du Quercy. Some statements are made on the chelonian fauna as a whole in that région. After the study of some characters proper to the genus Ergilemys, some remarks are made concerning its antecedents and descendants. 

More than 400 paleontological type-specimens housed in the Montpellier University collections have been inventoried in this catalogue which includes charophytes, Paleozoic plants, brachiopodes, molluscs, arthropodes and vertebrates (selachians, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals). The vertebrates have been treated exhaustively in the catalogue and one can consider that it includes most of the type specimens deposited in the Montpelier II collections. 

The species diversity of the mammalian fauna from Montredon (Hérault, France, late Miocene) is examined in terms of richness and abundance. A cenogramic analysis of the fossil mammalian community suggests the prevalence of open habitats, with the presence of marshes and of a poorly developed galery forest, and a climate rather warm and dry. 

The remains of Ruminantia are very rare at Montredon. No specific determination was possible. We have only one Micromeryx, one small cervid, one tragocere and one (?) gazella. The faunal spectrum is in good correlation with the general retreat of the cervids in the European upper Miocene, but in contrast it is not convenient for the bovids, which are in expansion at the same time. For them, we have to invoke the local ecological conditions.
  

A sample of 231 isolated teeth of lagomorphs from the upper Miocene of Montredon (southern France), identified as the ochotonid Prolagus crusafonii DOPEZ, 1975, is studied, comparing it with other populations of the same species as well as with its closest species P. oeningensis (KÖNIG, 1825).
The maintenance dining 5 m.y. of a high morphological variability in a group of non-selected features is interpreted as an evolutionary response. This may be related with the heterogeneity and probably too with the regression of the environment. 

Until the discovery of dinosaur eggshells locality in the Oukdiksou syncline, (Middle Atlas, Morocco) in 1999 (Garcia et al. this volume) the maastrichtian reptiles faunas were unknown in North Africa. Additional material from Achlouj-2 allows us to describe five oospecies, belonging to four oofamilies. The Megaloolithidae is recorded by Megaloolithus maghrebiellsis Garcia el al. and Pseudomegaloolithus atlasi oogen. novo oospec. nov. Tipoolithus achloujensis Garcia et al. is questionably considered as a Subtiliolithidae. A relatively small Elongatoloolithidae is represented by Rodolphoolithus arioul oogen. nov. oospec. nov. A thin Prismatoolithidae is described as a new oospecies of ? Pseudogeckoolithus Vianey-Liaud & Lopez-Martinez, 1997: P. tirboulensis. The diversity of these oospecies indicates that the dinosaur fauna comprises at least five dinosaur oospecies, with perhaps one sauropod and three theropods. 

Le groupe des Mustélides « Ischyrictoïdes » développe des tendances évolutives qu’engendrent des formes de Carnassiers prédateurs robustes et de grande taille. C’est une évolution comparable à celle que l’on trouve chez Plesiogulo, qui, lui, a une origine énigmatique (Petter, 1963). Chez les Mustélides on peut signaler deux lignées assez nettes : celle du sous-genre nominal des Laphyctis, plus conservatrice, plus mustéliforme, renfermant les espèces Ischyrictis (Laphyctis) mustelinus VIRET et L. zibethoides BLAINVILLE ; celle de type félinoïde caractérisée par L. Ginsburg (1961) avec la forme type Ischyrictis (Hoplicitis) florancei du Vindobonien inférieur de Pontlevoy-Thenay et I. helbingi VIRET, 1951 du Vindobonien supérieur de la Grive Saint-Alban. De plus rappelons que I. vorax DEHM et I. comitans DEHM du Burdigalien de Wintershof-West sont sans rapport avec les espèces du Miocène supérieur (Ginsburg, o.c.).

Récemment G. Petter (o.c.) a montré la difficulté qu’il y avait à envisager que l’Ischyrictis de Can Llobateres qu’elle décrivait puisse être le descendant de Ischyrictis helbingi de La Grive : la forme plus récente est évidemment de plus grande taille, mais le développement très marqué et la position avancée du protocône paraissent constituer un obstacle à une telle filiation.

Donc on signalait jusqu’ici deux lignées de Mustélides « ischyrictoïdes » toutes deux de grande taille : d’une part I. zibethoides de Sansan, d’autre part I. helbingi de la Grive. Or à notre point de vue nous considérons actuellement qu’il existe très probablement trois phyla d’Ischyrictis. Le premier serait représenté par les formes burdigaliennes déjà nommées I. vorax et I. comitans ; il se caractériserait par la perte précoce de la P₁ inférieure et la forme spéciale de la canine inférieure. Ce premier ensemble pourrait être rassemblé dans le sous-genre Laphyctis. Le reste des ischyrictoïdes de type conservateur, pour ce qui est de la région des prémolaires et de la forme de la canine, pourrait être subdivisé en deux sous-genres : le sous-genre Ischyrictis désignant les formes les plus mustéliformes avec I. mustelinus et I. zibethoides d’une part, et le sous-genre Hoplicitis pour les formes félinoïdes avec I. florancei et I. helbingi. 

The genus Pachynolophus, one of the poorest known of the Palaeotheriidae, includes the brachyodont forms with reduced and non-molariform premolars and with upper molars lacking a mesostyle. Quantitative characters (divers surface indications and elongation of the teeth), while demonstrating a close relationship to Hyracotherium, permit a better differentiation of the genus, confirm its specific splitting, and permit the distinction of three lineages. The skull from Memerlein is taken as the type of a new species, P. Iavocati, of which the dentition is extremely characterized by its lophiodonty, the strong reduction of the premolars and the reduction of the cingula. This characterization testifies to a late age which extends the existence of the genus quite near to the Eocene-Oligocene limit. Compared with the only two skulls known of related species (Hyracotheríum vulpiceps and Pachynolophus Iivinierensis), that from Memerlein is distinguished by progressive characters affecting diferent regions but most particularly the braincase; it is not possible, however, to isolate within this evolution the part which leads to a systematic differentiation. Modernization is translated by a considerable increase in size of the braincase, principally in the frontal region, a development of the facial region with anterior displacement of the dental series and a greater specialization of the masticatory apparatus. This evolution parallels the history of the Equidae of the North American early Tertiary, but certain particularities, the form of the alisphenoid, the presence of an anterior frontal foramen, and the structure of the paroccipital apophysis, testifies to the independance of the European forms. 

A rear skull from the Quercy Phosphorites is described. It documents a new perissodactyl genus, likely assignable to the family Palaeotheriidae and probably paleogene of age. Owing to the lack of any tooth, this family assignment remains however somewhat hypothetical. The specimen is firstly characterised by the presence of a wide epitympanic sinus swelling and hollowing the squamosal shell and the post-glenoid process. This cavity might make up a peculiar pattern of improvement for the hearing apparatus by carrying out a kind of drum near the middle ear, whereas the bony tympanic remains barely bulged and forms but a few developed auditory bulla. This pattern appears an outcome of a trend observed with many palaeotheriids, such as Plagiolophus. Furthermore, the endocranial cast shows a rather high degree of gyrencephaly for a paleogene mammal. The prominent lambdoidal crest points out a powerful nape musculature and a lowered head bearing. Consequently, it is assumed that such an animal was probably living in somewhat open places, at the expense of rather tough vegetables. It might have been accordingly provided with a semi-hypsodont, cement covered, "plagiolophoid" dentition. 

The formic acid preparation of a nodule collected from the Lower Triassic of Spitsbergen, and containing a skull with some associated postcranial elements of Lyrocephaliscus euri (WIMAN), precises and enriches previous descriptions of the reputedly well-known trematosaur. lt permits more detailed descriptions of the occipital region, of the course of the carotid arteries and collateral vessels, and refutes the previous description of a stapedial foramen in trematosaurs. The discovery of pleurocentres associated with the other vertebral components confirms the primitive rhachitomy of trematosaurs. 

The rodent faunas of five afghan localities found in 1976 and 1977 (Sherullah, Ghazgay, Pul-e Charkhi, Dawrankhel 14 and 15) are studied.
The rodents (Muridae, Cricetidae and Rhizomyidae) represent 8 genera and 10 species. The detailed description of the 2 new genera and 7 species diagnosed in 1979 is given. An other species is created : Pseudomeriones crapouilloti n. sp. These faunas precise the origin and diversification of Muridae and Cricetidae. A phyletic lineage known in Afghanistan is represented in East Africa by a ramus or a collateral lineage. The five localities are dated from Lower Turolian to Ruscinian. They constitute the frame of a chronologie scale for the Upper Continental Neogene of Afghanistan.
The study of afghan material brings new data to the biogeography of Old Word's rodents during the Upper Neogene; from Pakistan to Europe and Africa, a rather warm and damp province would have existed till Upper Miocene; after which (in the mio-pliocene epoch) it would have divided into 3 parts, by aridification of the central area. 

A brief historical account of fossil vertebrate discoveries in the Eastern part of the Paris Basin between the beginning of the nineteenth century and 1950 is given. Other localities discovered since then are presented. A reconstruction of past landscapes is briefly elaborated. A biozonation based on mammals is proposed, from the Late Thanetian to the Middle Bartonian. Paleogeographical considerations are added. Suggestions regarding the search for new marnmal localities are made. 

Until now Aplodontidae of the European Oligocene have been documented by four species only. The phylogenetic relations remained obscure. as the distribution of only one species has been known in some detail. New material made it possible to define the stratigraphic range of two of the already existing species (Plesispermophilus angustidens, Sciurodon cadurcense) and to follow their development during the Oligocene beginning with the event of the « Grande Coupure ››. Sciurodon remained nearly without change until the end of the Middle Oligocene. Plesispermophilus angustidens split into two distinct phyletic lines, one of which (P. macrodon n. sp.) reaching considerable size, is represented till the beginning of the Upper Oligocene (Pech de Fraysse, Gaimersheim). The other line leads to Plesispermophilus ernii (basal Upper Oligocene of Burgmagerbein 1. terminal Upper Oligocene of Coderet). Besides the already known forms a new small-sized species (P. atavus n. sp.) is described, which by its primitive features closely resembles the genus Plesispermophilus. Two other small-sized species already known from the Upper Oligocene (? P. argoviensis) and Lower Miocene (? P. descedens) seem to be closely related to the new species. It cannot be decided whether they are descendents of this line or have developed independently, because of their poor fossil record.
Comparison of the evolutionary modalities in the different phylogenetic lines reveals general trends. the most striking of which is the complication of the tooth pattern by the development of additional crests. In the lower molars the cusps diminuate in size and are more and more transformed into ridges. ln addition new connection between the crests appear. in the upper molars, the « selenodont » shape of the teeth becomes more and more dominant, and in the two main evolutionary lines of Plesispermophilus the metaconulus becomes duplicated. A further evolutionary trend is the size increase of the premolars compared to the molars, which is even more pronounced in the Miocene Aplodontidae.
Phylogenetic relations between the primitive Plesispermophilus and certain « prociurines ›› of Northern America as well as between Plesispermophilus (P. angustidens) and more progressive forms of the Upper Oligocene (P. ernii, P. macrodon n. sp.) can be documented. In this light, the taxonomic distinction between Prosciurinae (bunodont) and Allomyinae (selenodont) sensu Rensberger 1976 can be shown to be artificial, because it separates forms from each other, which are evidently closely related. Consequently the separation into two subfamilies has been abolished. 

A new species, Otonycteris rummeli nov. sp., is described from the Late Miocene site Gritsev (MN 9) in the Ukraine. Otonycteris rummeli nov. sp. differs from those of most vespertilionids, except recent Otonycteris, Antrozous and Early Miocene Karstala silva, in having a well-developed entocingulid at the foot of the trigonid valley in the lower molars. The morphological resemblance of Otonycteris, Antrozous and Karstala is apparently a case of convergence in the evolution of the Old and New Worlds bat faunas. From at least the Middle Miocene the range of Otonycteris distribution spread to the whole of Central Europe and such a situation continued during the whole Late Miocene. This indicates a more arid climate in Europe during the Upper Miocene compared to the Quaternary. The reduction of the distribution range of Otonycteris and its extinction in most of the territory of Europe could have been caused by the global climatic cooling and increasing glacial cycle amplitude during the onset of the Quaternary. 

The recently discovered, very rich, Pliocene locality of Layna (Soria, Spain), has already yielded 30 species of mammals. Hipparion fissurae, described here is more dolichopodic than other Hipparion. It is related to Hipparion crusafonti from Villaroya (Villafranchian), but more slender between other characters.
  

The Pantolestidae from the middle eocene of Bouxwiller are the subject of a detailed study. Buxolestes hammeli (n. g., n. sp.) is not closely related to any other European or North American form described until now; it presents, however, some characters in common with Pantolestes, a form of the same age from North America. A parallel evolution from a common ancestral form could explain this ressemblance.
Another form (gen. and sp. indet.) accompanies Buxolertes hammeli in the Bouxwiller fauna.
  

The exploitation of new early Eocene localities in the Paris Basin has resulted in the collecting of  numerous mammalian remains, among which are about 300 isolated teeth representing the rodents. They belong, for the most part, to the paramyid group. Only the latest level of the early Eocene has yielded rodents belonging to the pseudosciurid group. The paramyids, the object of this study, are represented by at least 5 genera and 10 species; they are distributed among 4 clearly dilferentiated subfamilies : Paramyinae Simpson 1945, Pseudoparamyinae Michaux 1964, Ailuraviínae n. subf., Microparamyinae Wood1962.
It results from this study that the principal types of rodents in the middle and late Eocene of Europe are clearly related to the forms described here: Plesiarctomys Bravard 1850 is related to Pseudoparamys Michaux 1964, Ailuravus Rütimeyer1891 to Meldimys n. gen., Gliravus hammeli Thaler 1966 to Microparamys nanus (Theilard1927), and some Masillamys Tobien 1954 to Microparamys russelli Michaux 1964 and to M. sp. 1. Gliravus and Masillamys are the oldest representatives of the Gliridae and the Pseudosciurídae, respectively, families which will progressively replace the Paramyidae in the course of the middle and late Eocene.
Two stages can be recognized in the history of te European Paramyidae fauna during the course of the early Eocene: the older is characterized by the Mutigny fauna, the younger by the Cuis fauna.
The Mutigny fauna appears already rather diversified and does not completely correspond, point by point, to the homologous fauna of North America. A geographic differentiation seems to have been manifested rapidly, unless the fauna established in Europe was already a little different from that which established itself in North America. 

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. 

Isolated elasmobranch teeth (sharks and rays) from the middle Eocene (Bartonian) Bandah Formation in the Jaisalmer District of Rajasthan, India are described. The remains improve our knowledge of the environment represented by this lithostratigraphic unit and the ecology preserved therein. Seventeen unequivocal taxa were identified, including Nebrius sp., Striatolamia aff. S. macrota, Brachycarcharias atlasi, B. lerichei, cf. Jaekelotodus sp., Carcharhinus mancinae, Rhizoprionodon sp., Physogaleus sp., Galeocerdo clarkensis, G. eaglesomei, Odontorhytis aff. O. pappenheimi, “Rhinobatos” sp., “Dasyatis” sp., Coupatezia sp., “Aetomylaeus” sp., “Rhinoptera” sp., and Ouledia aff. O. lacuna. Of these, “Aetomylaeus” sp., B. atlasi, C. mancinae, G. clarkensis, G. eaglesomei, cf. Jaekelotodus sp., Nebrius sp., Odontorhytis aff. O. pappenheimi, Ouledia aff. O. lacuna, and “Rhinoptera” sp. are reported from the middle Eocene of India for the first time. The Bandah Formation elasmobranch palaeofauna has close affinities to the Palaeocene-Eocene Tethyan/Paratethyan faunas of Africa, Madagascar, Asia, and Europe, and some taxa indicate a western hemisphere influence from North America. The Bandah Formation palaeofauna indicates that deposition occurred in a moderately shallow marine environment. The Bartonian age is primarily based on foraminifera but is corroborated by the presence of elasmobranch taxa that also occur in contemporaneous deposits elsewhere. The marine regression started during the early Palaeogene, and our study indicates that the sea completely withdrew from the Jaisalmer Basin after the deposition of the Bandah Formation. This event may have been synchronous with the middle Eocene uplift of the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau.