Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the lower Eocene of Silveirinha (Portugal)

Silveirinha (Portugal) has produced a diverse herpetofauna. In Europe, it is the only described assemblage of amphibians and squamate reptiles from the base of the Eocene (MP 7). The fauna includes at least two species of amphibians (belonging to the Salamandridae and perhaps the Pelobatidae) and at least 15 species of squamates (at least nine families: Iguanidae, Agamidae, Gekkonidae, one or two families of scincomorphans, Anguidae, ?Varanidae, Amphisbaenidae, Boidae, Tropidophiidae, and likely an indeterminate family of snakes). But, except for the snake Dunnophis matronensis, identifications at species level are not possible. The presence of iguanid lizards and of the snake D. matronensis in the base of the Eocene (MP 7) of Europe is confirmed. The fauna includes several squamates that show close affinities with North American taxa.

Le gisement pleistocène de Morgadinho, en Algarve

Small mammals from a water well near Morgadinho indicate an age comprised between Middle Villafranchian, MN 17 zone and lowermost Middle Pleistocene, MN 20. This fauna corresponds to an humid region under a possibly temperate (certainly not cool) climate. Nearly all Gastropoda have quaternary affinities. Most are freshwater dwellers. Ostracoda lived in lacustrine or extensive swamp enviromnents rich in plants. They also point out to fresh waters (eventually oligohaline; this may suggest some kind of communication with the sea, which would not be very close by), and to water temperatures over 10.5°C. Charophyta thrive in fresh, carbonate-rich waters. Cyprinid fishes are also freshwater dwellers, and amphibians exclude any significant salinity. Palynological analysis shows climate should be warm and rather humid. Near Morgadinho there was a mixte mesophytic forest (and perhaps a sempervirent, large leave type forest at Algoz). Morgadinho and Algoz (this locality being dated MN 20, lowermost Middle Pleistocene) are probably correlative, and this may also be true for lacustrine limestones at Ponte das Lavadeiras, near Faro.

Guia (Algarve), gisement de vertébrés quaternaires à caractère saisonnier

A vertebrate (Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians) fauna From Guia (Algarve) is described. The site is the only one so far known in the «Faro-Quarteira sands». The fauna is upper Pleistocene in age (may even be younger). Its stratigraphical position shows it is younger than levels in the same unit that yielded mousterian/languedocian stone artifacts. A post Riss-Wurm age is admitted. The mammalian fauna nearly exclusively comprises small mammalremains; except for a few ones, only young individuals are represented. This unusual situation, coupled with data from the study of the Squamata and even more of the Amphibia, indicates that Guia locality corresponds to sedimentation in temporary, seasonal ponds originated in depressions in this sandy area during Winter and/or early Springtime.