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{{Short description|Period of geologic time equivalent with the Middle Miocene}}
The '''Astaracian''' age is a period of [[geologic time]] ({{Mya|16.0|11.6|[[Mya (unit)|Ma]]}}), equivalent with the [[Middle Miocene]] and used more specifically with [[European Land Mammal Ages]]. It precedes the [[Vallesian]] age and follows the [[Orleanian]] age. The Astaracian overlaps the [[Langhian]] and [[Serravallian ]] ages.<ref>[https://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayInterval&interval_no=292 Paleo Database: Astaracian]</ref>

During the Late Orleanian and Astaracian ({{Mya|17.0|10.7|Ma}}), oscillating sea levels resulted in a succession of palaeogeographic changes in the Eastern [[Mediterranean]]; the opening and closing of the [[Tethys Ocean|Tethys]] seaway resulted in temporary land-bridges between Africa and Eurasia. Three short periods of faunal migrations between the continents can be distinguished:<ref name="Koufos-etal-2005">{{Cite journal
|last1 = Koufos
|first1 = George D.
|last2 = Kostopoulos
|first2 = Dimitris S.
|last3 = Vlachou
|first3 = Theodora D.
|title = Neogene/Quaternary mammalian migrations in Eastern Mediterranean
|journal = Belgian Journal of Zoology
|volume = 135
|issue = 2
|pages = 181–190
|date = July 2005
|oclc = 716880430
|url = http://www.naturalsciences.be/institute/associations/rbzs_website/bjz/back/pdf/BJZ%20135(2)/Volume%20135(2),%20pp.%20181-190.pdf
|accessdate = 19 November 2012
}}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

During the Late Orleanian, [[MN zonation|MN]] 5 ({{Mya|17.0|15.0|Ma}}), a first wave of migrations from Africa correspond to fossil fauna from Greece. The Antonios locality (MN 4/5, {{Mya|17|Ma}}) on the [[Chalkidiki]] peninsula includes the small [[Tragulidae|tragulid]] ''[[Dorcatherium]]'', the [[giraffid]] ''[[Palaeomeryx]]'', and the [[Suiformes|suiform]] ''[[Sanitheres]]''. The Thymiana locality (MN 5, {{Mya|15.5|Ma}}) on [[Chios]] includes both the giraffid ''[[Georgiomeryx]]'', ''Dorcatherium'', the [[Ctenodactylidae|ctenodactylid]] ''[[Sayimys]]'' as well as an immigrant from Asia, the [[proboscidea]]n ''[[Choerolophodon]]'' known from the [[Bugti Hills|Bugti]] fauna (MN 3, {{Mya|18.3|Ma}}) in India. Primates also arrived during MN5: ''[[Pliopithecus]]'' is known from [[Elgg]] in Switzerland and [[Pontlevoy]]-[[Thenay, Loir-et-Cher|Thenay]] in France and prevailed until the end of the Vallesian.<ref name="Koufos-etal-2005" />

{{Gallery
|File:Choerolophodon molar.jpg|''Choerolophodon'' molar
|File:Pliopithecus antiquus.jpg|''Pliopithecus antiquus''
}}

A second wave from Africa in the Early Astaracian, MN 6 ({{Mya|15.0|13.5|Ma}}), included the hominoid ''[[Griphopithecus]]''; a Eurasian relative to the African ''[[Kenyapithecus]]'' found at the Pasalar and Candir localities in Turkey. and at Neudorf-Sandberg in Slovakia. The primate genus was accompanied by the [[aardvark]] ''[[Orycteropus]]''. From Asia came the [[Hyracoidae|hyracoid]] ''[[Pliohyrax]]'', the [[Cervidae|cervid]] ''[[Dicrocerus]]'', and the suid ''[[Listriodon]]''. Asian [[Bovidae|bovids]] such as ''[[Protragocerus]]'', ''[[Tethytragus]]'', and ''[[Hypsodontus]]'' known from Asia Minor and Chios during MN 5 migrated into Africa as part of this wave.<ref name="Koufos-etal-2005" />

{{Gallery
|File:Kenyapithecus wickeri.JPG|''Kenyapithecus''
|File:Dicrocerus elegans MHNT.PRE.2012.0.jpg|''Dicrocerus elegans''
|File:Protragocerus labidotus.JPG|''Protragocerus labidotus''
}}

A third wave during MN 7/8 ({{Mya|13.5|10.7|Ma}}) probably took place, but the late Astaracian is poorly documented. A seaway most likely joined the [[Paratethys]] and the Mediterranean, preventing migrations. The hominoid ''[[Dryopithecus]]'' appeared in Europe {{Mya|12.5|Ma}} together with the Asian suid ''[[Propotamochoerus]]''. The rodent genus ''[[Cricetulodon]]'' is known from Western and Central Europe from MN 3 and from the end of MN 7/8 in Turkey and Greece.<ref name="Koufos-etal-2005" />

{{Gallery
|File:Dryopithecus fontani 3.JPG|''Dryopithecus fontani'' mandible
|File:Propotamochoerus giganteus.JPG|''Propotamochoerus giganteus''
}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Neogene Footer}}

[[Category:Miocene]]
[[Category:Miocene geochronology]]

{{geochronology-stub}}

Astaracian - Revision history

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