Diplobune: Difference between revisions

The ''D. minor'' specimen UM ITD 1083 has an [[interaural time difference|estimated interaural distance]] of {{cvt|96|mm}}, translating to a function interaural delay before arrival to the ear of 277 µsμs (millionths of a second). Based on the measurement in relation to [[hearing range]], ''D. minor'' likely had a large high-frequency limit estimate of 44 [[hertz|KHz]]. Another specimen UM ITD 1081 has an estimated high-frequency limit estimate of 32&nbsp;kHz and a low-frequency limit of 0.35&nbsp;kHz. The frequency limits of ''Diplobune'' suggest that it was not a specialist in low-level or high-level hearing frequency limit, since its high-level range, between 30 and 44&nbsp;kHz, is similar to most extant terrestrial artiodactyls while its low-level range, between 0.11 and 0.4&nbsp;kHz, is high compared to extant artiodactyls. It is not certain whether the equations used for predicting hearing frequency limits of fossil animals are accurate. Either way, ''Diplobune'' does not show cochlear morphology for underwater hearing.<ref name="petrosal"/>

''Diplobune'' coexisted with a wide diversity of artiodactyls in western Europe by MP18, ranging from the more widespread [[Dichobunidae]], [[Tapirulidae]], and [[Anthracotheriidae]] to many other endemic families consisting of the Xiphodontidae, [[Choeropotamidae]] (recently determined to be polyphyletic, however), [[Cebochoeridae]], [[Amphimerycidae]], and Cainotheriidae.<ref name="endemic"/><ref name="Revision of the Eocene artiodactyls"/><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bai|first1=Bin|last2=Wang|first2=Yuan-Qing|last3=Theodor|first3=Jessica M.|last4=Meng|first4=Jin|year=2023|title=Small artiodactyls with tapir-like teeth from the middle Eocene of the Erlian Basin, Inner Mongolia, China|journal=Frontiers in Earth Science|volume=11|pages=1–20|doi=10.3389/feart.2023.1117911 |bibcode=2023FrEaS..1117911B |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kostopoulos|first1=Dimitris S.|last2=Koufos|first2=George D.|last3=Christanis|first3=Kimon|year=2012|title=On some anthracotheriid (Artiodactyla, Mammalia) remains from northern Greece: comments on the palaeozoogeography and phylogeny of Elomeryx|journal=Swiss Journal of Palaeontology|volume=131|issue=2 |pages=303–315|doi=10.1007/s13358-012-0041-z|s2cid=195363034}}</ref> ''Diplobune'' also coexisted with palaeotheriids, including those endemic to the Iberian Peninsula until MP19 when they were replaced by typical palaeothere genera.<ref name="equoids"/> Late Eocene European groups of the clade [[Ferae]] represented predominantly the [[Hyaenodonta]] ([[Hyaenodontinae]], [[Hyainailourinae]], and [[Proviverrinae]]) but also contained [[Carnivoramorpha]] ([[Miacidae]]) and [[Carnivora]] (small-sized [[Amphicyonidae]]).<ref name="Evolution of European carnivorous mammal assemblages"/> Other mammal groups present in the late Eocene of western Europe represented the [[leptictida]]ns ([[Pseudorhyncocyonidae]]),<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hooker|first=Jerry J.|year=2013|title=Origin and evolution of the Pseudorhyncocyonidae, a European Paleogene family of insectivorous placental mammals|journal=Palaeontology|volume=56|issue=4|pages=807–835|doi=10.1111/pala.12018|bibcode=2013Palgy..56..807H |s2cid=84322086 |doi-access=free}}</ref> primates ([[Adapoidea]] and [[Omomyoidea]]),<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Marigó|first1=Judit|last2=Susanna|first2=Ivette|last3=Minwer-Barakat|first3=Raef|last4=Malapeira|first4=Joan Madurell|last5=Moyà-Solà|first5=Salvador|last6=Casanovas-Vilar|first6=Isaac|last7=Gimenez|first7=Jose Maria Robles|last8=Alba|first8=David M.|year=2014|title=The primate fossil record in the Iberian Peninsula|journal=Journal of Iberian Geology|volume=40|issue=1|pages=179–211|doi=10.5209/rev_JIGE.2014.v40.n1.44094|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[eulipotyphla]]ns ([[Nyctitheriidae]]),<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Manz|first1=Carly|last2=Bloch|first2=Jonathan Ivan|year=2014|title=Systematics and Phylogeny of Paleocene-Eocene Nyctitheriidae (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla?) with Description of a new Species from the Late Paleocene of the Clarks Fork Basin, Wyoming, USA|journal=Journal of Mammalian Evolution|volume=22|issue=3 |pages=307–342|doi=10.1007/s10914-014-9284-3|s2cid=254704409 }}</ref> [[chiroptera]]ns,<ref name="chiroptera"/> [[Herpetotheriidae|herpetotheriid]]s,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Badiola|first1=Ainara|last2=Cuesta|first2=Miguel-Ángel|year=2006|title=Los marsupiales del yacimiento del Eoceno Superior de Zambrana (Álava, Región Vasco-Cantábrica)|journal=Estudios Geológicos|language=spanish|volume=62|issue=1|pages=349–358|doi=10.3989/egeol.0662130|doi-access=free}}</ref> [[apatotheria]]ns,<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sigé|first=Bernard|year=1997|title=Les mammiféres insectivoresdes nouvelles collections de Sossís et sites associes (Éocène supérieur, Espagne)|journal=Geobios|volume=30|issue=1|pages=91–113|doi=10.1016/S0016-6995(97)80260-4}}</ref> and endemic [[rodent]]s ([[Pseudosciuridae]], [[Theridomyidae]], and [[Gliridae]]).<ref>{{cite book|last=Dawson|first=Mary R.|year=2003|chapter=Paleogene rodents of Eurasia|title=Distribution and migration of tertiary mammals in Eurasia.|volume=10|pages=97–127}}</ref> The alligatoroid ''Diplocynodon'', present only in Europe since the upper Paleocene, coexisted with pre-Grande Coupure faunas as well, likely consuming insects, fish, frogs, and eggs due to prey partitioning previously with other crocodylomorphs that had since died out by the late Eocene.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hastings|first1=Alexander K.|last2=Hellmund|first2=Meinolf|year=2016|title=Evidence for prey preference partitioning in the middle Eocene high-diversity crocodylian assemblage of the Geiseltal-Fossillagerstätte, Germany utilizing skull shape analysis|journal=Geological Magazine|volume=154|issue=1|pages=1–28|doi=10.1017/S0016756815001041|s2cid=131651321 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Chroust|first1=Milan|last2=Mazuch|first2=Martin|last3=Luján|first3=Àngel Hernández|year=2019|title=New crocodilian material from the Eocene-Oligocene transition of the NW Bohemia (Czech Republic): an updated fossil record in Central Europe during the Grande Coupure|journal=Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen|volume=293|issue=1|pages=73–82|doi=10.1127/njgpa/2019/0832|s2cid=199104151 }}</ref> In addition to snakes, frogs, and [[Salamandridae|salamandrids]], rich assemblage of lizards are known in western Europe as well from MP16-MP20, representing the [[Iguanidae]], [[Lacertidae]], [[Gekkonidae]], [[Agamidae]], [[Scincidae]], [[Helodermatidae]], and [[Varanoidea]], most of which were able to thrive in the warm temperatures of western Europe.<ref name="reptiles">{{cite journal|last=Rage|first=Jean-Claude|year=2012|title=Amphibians and squamates in the Eocene of Europe: what do they tell us?|journal=Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments|volume=92|issue=4 |pages=445–457|doi=10.1007/s12549-012-0087-3|s2cid=128651937 }}</ref>