Cainotheriids vs. lagomorphs: study of their ecological niche partitioning during the early miocene of the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Castelló, Spain)

ABSTRACT

Here we describe the fossil remains of Cainotherium aff. huerzeleri and Lagopsis penai from the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (Castelló, Spain). We also compare the relative abundance of cainotheriids vs. lagomorphs and discuss the possible direct interaction between both taxa, possibly indicating the competition between both families. The oldest locality in study has a predominance of Cainotherium followed by a dominance of Lagopsis in the next localities. Afterwards we see another interval where the relative abundance of Cainotherium is higher. However, after this period the relative abundance of Lagopsis increases again in one of the most recent sites, with a posterior modest increase in Cainotherium in the youngest locality that also sees a decrease in the abundance of Lagopsis. We can observe a pattern of one taxon attaining higher relative abundance when the other shows a decrease at the same time period, possibly indicating a direct competition between Lagopsis and Cainotherium.

KEYWORDS:

• Cainotherium
• lagopsis
• iberian peninsula
• palaeocology
• ecological competition

Acknowledgments

The survey and excavation campaigns in the area of Araia d’Alcora were funded by the Conselleria de Cultura i Esports of the Generalitat Valenciana from 2008 to 2011, by projects 2008/0433-CS, 2010/0528-CS, 2011/0230-CS, GV06/304 and GVPRE/2008/320. This research was also supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades PGC2018-094122-B100 (AEI/ FEDER, UE). We also thank Romain Weppe and anonymous reviewer of the original manuscript for their invaluable comments. V.D.C. is the beneficiary of a grant for the requalification of the Spanish university system from the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain, financed by the European Union, NextGeneration EU. MR thanks the Stimulus of Scientific Employment, Individual Support – 2018 Call grant by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal, CEECIND/02199/2018) and GeoBioTec.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the grant for the requalification of the Spanish university system from the Ministry of Universities of the Government of Spain [7007].