New Data on Cervidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from the Villafranchian Locality of Senèze (Haute-Loire, France)

The cervid remains from Senèze recovered during the expeditions between 2001 and 2006 are studied and described here. Only two of the four previously known taxa are recognized in the new material: Eucladoceros ctenoidesEucladocerosctenoides senezensis and Metacervoceros rhenanus[aut]Metacervocerosrhenanus philisi[aut]Metacervocerosrhenanusphilisi, the first one being more abundant than the second. Their morphology and dimensions are compared with those of the specimens already known from previous studies, and we found no significant differences. The impact of our findings for the problem of the existence, at Senèze, of more than one fauna is also discussed. The present results are compatible with the existence of just one fauna.