The Senèze Equids

Three genera of Plio-Pleistocene monodactyl equines are recognized and distinguished by cranial proportions: Equus, Plesippus[aut]Plesippus and Allohippus. The rich material of equid fossils from Senèze is not homogeneous. In addition to a few caballine teeth and limb bones (possibly cataloguing errors or intrusive specimens), there is evidence of at least two species. The bulk of the material may be referred to Allohippus senezensis senezensis, which by size and proportions is intermediate between A. senezensis guthi of La Puebla de ValverdeLa puebla de valverde (SpainSpain) and A. senezensis mygdoniensis of GerakarouGerakarou, Gerakaroú (Greece). Its relatively short muzzle and deep, not very robust, metapodials are usually found in equids living in rather dry conditions. Two partial skeletons and a few other possibly associated hindlimb elements were recovered in the new excavations close to the bottom of the local sequence, thus ca 2.2 Ma. One upper cheek tooth and 16 limb bones belong to a very large Allohippus. There are moreover a few fossils larger than the average of A. stenonis vireti of Saint-VallierSaint-Vallier (France) and a few others as small as ?Allohippus of PyrgosPyrgos (Greece). The affinities and ages of various PliocenePliocene and Pleistocene equid species are discussed and illustrated.