Equidae (Perissodactyla, Mammalia): Extinctions subsequent to the climatic changes

Abstract

The present knowledge of global climatic changes allows us to infer its possible influence in the extinction(s) of assemblages or faunistic groups. In the Equidae family the extinctions of both Anchitherium and Hipparion could be deduced, based upon climatic changes. The replacement of the Anchitherium faunal assemblage by that of Hipparion at about 13-12 MA in the Mediterranean area, could be related to the Serravallian climatic crisis. During this crisis there was a less warm period and drier conditions. On the other hand, the extinction of Hipparion and its replacement by Equus seems to be linked with the first cold period as approximately 3.0-2.5 MA (Alberdi, in press; Alberdi & Bonadonna, 1987 a y b).