Late Sarmatian mammal localities of the Eastern Paratethys: Stratigraphic position,magnetochronology, and correlation with the European continental scale

Analysis of geological sections, paleogeography, and paleomagnetic data is used to reveal succession of the middle to late Sarmatian mammal localities of the Eastern Paratethys and their correlation with the continental stratigraphic scale of Western Europe. Until recently, the late Sarmatian localities were correlated with MN10 and even MN11 zones. As is proved, all the known late Sarmatian localities should be correlated with the upper half of Zone MN9. The terminal late Sarmatian faunas only, which are correlative with the lowermost Chron C4Ar3r and older than 9.6 Ma, can be referred to Zone MN10. According to essential changes in taxonomic composition of faunas from continental localities around the Eastern Paratethys, which are recorded in the mid-late Sarmatian, Zone MN9 can be divided in two subzones MN9a and MN9b separated by boundary at ～10.5 Ma. The refined correlation can be used to establish difference between faunas of the Southeastern, Central, and West European paleozoogeographic provinces and to assess diachronism in dispersal of mammals. In the Southeastern province, many forms characteristic of the Turolian in Central and Western Europe first appeared as early as in the mid-Vallesian. The results obtained indicate that faunal criteria used to define boundaries of MN zones in Western Europe are of a regional importance being inapplicable to the entire North Eurasia and even to Europe as a whole that is unfortunately ignored by many paleontologists. Criteria of distinction should be worked out for each paleozoogeographic province. As geochronological levels of faunal changes are identical throughout the northern Palearctic, they suggest impact of global factors despite variable manifestation in different regions.