NEW DATA ON STRATIGRAPHY, MAGNETOSTRATIGRAPHY AND MAMMAL FAUNAS OF THE LATE MIOCENE LOCALITY OF NOVAYA-EMETOVKA (UKRANIA)

This paper presents an integrated study of the late Miocene mammal locality of Novaya Emetovka (Ukrania) and its faunas. In earlier studies, mammalian remains found there were considered as belonging to a single fauna. Field observations, new excavations and review of the old collections proved that there are in fact two bone horizons. Stratigraphic investigations and faunal analyses allowed to precise their situations in the local and regional stratigraphic context and to determine their faunal compositions. Comparisons of the bulk faunas as well as their characteristic elements with those of the other late Miocene faunas from the north of Black Sea led to attribute both localities to early Meotian. The fauna from Novaya Emetovka-1 contains some late Sarmatian species together with others which occur in the Meotian. In Novaya Emetovka-2, a large number of species present some Central Asian affinities. Observations on the faunal composition changes in localities around the Sarmatian-Meotian boundary allow to explain to a certain extent climatic and environmental tournover related to this boundary. Magnetostratigraphy of two sections including these mammal localities has been done. The correlation of the polarity zones yielded an age about 6.6 Ma for Novaya Emetovka-1 and about 6.3 Ma for Novaya Emetovka-2.