THE PLIOCENE OF EUROPE, ASIA, AND NORTH AMERICA 309 



Faunal break with the Miocene. — The profound influences of the great 

 earth movements of southern Europe on all the conditions of life are re- 

 flected in the faunal break between the Upper Miocene (Pikermi stage) and 

 the Lower Pliocene (Plaisancian stage). As noted on p. 271, the advent 

 of a new period is first negatively indicated by the absence in Europe of 

 many carnivores, especially of the giant dogs (Dinocyon), of the short-faced 

 dogs {Simocijon), of Prome])hitis, of the hyaena-like Ictitherium and Hyce- 

 nictis, and of the anthropoid apes (gibbons). Among the herbivorous 

 mammals no successors in Europe are found to the dinotheres (Dinotherium) , 

 chalicotheres (Ancylotherium) , hornless rhinoceroses (Aceratheriiwi), teleoc- 

 erine rhinoceroses (Teleoceras), or African rhinoceroses (Diceros). The 

 rhinoceroses evidently found conditions unfavorable, for beside the expulsion 

 of the hornless and teleocerine types, the African two-horned types (Diceros 

 or Atelodus), which were so abundant in the Upper Miocene, apparently 

 migrated out of Europe, though destined to reappear again in the late 

 Pleistocene. Thus the only rhinoceroses which have been discovered in 

 Europe during the Pliocene belong to the two-horned, long-headed, cera- 

 torhine, or Sumatran type (Dicerorhinus) , and these are distinguished from 

 the African two-horned types by the presence of anterior cutting teeth. 



Faunal Divisions 



As we have seen (p. 305), the natural divisions of the Pliocene are based 

 upon three great marine stages, while the mammalian life is divided into two 

 grand phases, as follows: 



Thus, like the Miocene, the Pliocene of Europe has a grand and two- 

 fold division: it embraces an 'older fauna' of surviving resident types, 

 and a 'newer fauna' of arriving types. Briefly, the older fauna is a con- 



