The new fossil site Krimni-3 in Mygdonia Basin and the first evidence of a giant ostrich in the Early Pleistocene of Greece

A new Lower Pleistocene vertebrate site, Krimni-3 (KMN) from Mygdonia Basin, Greece is originally presented herein, providing a preliminary analysis of its taphonomic context and faunal content. The KMN fossil mammal fauna includes the following: Erinaeus sp., Canis sp., Hyaenidae indet., Ursus sp., Equus altidens , Equus sp. (large-sized), Stephanorhinus cf. hundsheimensis , Sus sp., Palaeotragus inexpectatus , Cervidae indet. (medium-sized), Praemegaceros sp., Bison cf. degiulii , Soergelia brigittae , and Hemitragus sp. Additionally, an avian femur, fully described and compared, is attributed to the giant ostrich Pachystruthio dmanisensis . This is the first record of a giant ostrich in Greece and southeastern Europe in general, and by documenting the southernmost occurrence of the species, it expands significantly its known geographical distribution. Large-sized ungulates predominate in the assemblage, while a large number of postcranial remains appear articulated. Bone surfaces are mostly fresh or only slightly weathered, yet post-depositionally cracked. Minor to moderate rounding and polishing indicate the action of water to a certain degree, while several bone breakages and marks suggest carnivore activity (including carnivore gnawing on the ostrich femur). The comparison of the KMN fauna with those already known from Mygdonia Basin and Europe suggests a late Villafranchian age, intermediate between the faunas from Tsiotra Vryssi and Apollonia-1, within the 1.8–1.5 Ma time frame. This is a crucial interval of time for mammal dispersal and turnovers, and KMN opens another window into the Early Pleistocene ecosystems of western Eurasia.