Les hipparions du gisement miocène supérieur d'Aubignas (Ardèche, France)

The vertebrate fauna of Aubignas 1 discovered during the last century contains two co-existing hipparion species: a medium-sized and robust form, Hipparion depereti Sondaar, 1974, well known from Montredon (Hérault, France), and another small species, Hipparion sp., which is of similar size to Hipparion macedonicum Koufos, 1984. Recently, a new fossiliferous site, Aubignas 2, close to the preceding one, but slightly of higher stratigraphic age, has yielded a similar fauna. Contrary to Aubignas 1, only one large-sized species of hipparion with brachyodont teeth lived in Aubignas 2. It is related to Hipparion truyolsi Sondaar, 1961, reported from the Mistrales (Vaucluse) and the Montagne dAndance (Ardèche). According to the morphological characters of the hipparions, it is suggested that Aubignas 1 is dated to Upper Vallesian-Lower Turolian age, while a slightly younger age, Middle Turolian, is proposed for Aubignas 2.