The skull of Hippopotamus amphibius of Cava Montanari. Cranium in dorsal (A), forward (B), best lateral (C), left lateral (D) and posterior (E) views. Mandible in occlusal (F) best lateral (G) and left lateral (H) views. Scale bar 10 cm. Credit: Mecozzi et al., 2023, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0
New analysis settles enduring confusion about the age of a key fossil.
Modern hippos first distributed in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, a geological epoch that spanned from about 770,000 to 126,000 years earlier. This is according to a study published November 22, 2023, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Beniamino Mecozzi of the Sapienza University of Rome and coworkers.
Modern hippos, Hippopotamus amphibius, developed from African forefathers throughout the Quaternary, a time when hippos were prevalent in Europe. However, the information of the contemporary species origin and dispersal into Europe are unclear and extremely discussed. In this study, Mecozzi and associates provide brand-new insights by means of analysis of a fossil hippo skull from the research study location of Tor di Quinto in Rome.
The Significance of the Tor di Quinto Skull
The skull of Tor di Quinto, presently housed at the Earth Science University Museum of Sapienza University of Rome, is amongst the most total hippo specimens understood from Pleistocene Europe, but its significance has actually been uncertain due to uncertainties about its age and where precisely it was initially excavated.
Following the repair of the skull in 2021, scientists were able to examine the composition of sediments found within the skull cavities, exposing a match to the local Valle Guilia Formation, indicating a geologic age for this skull in between 560,000-460,000 years old. Cranial and oral morphologies likewise confirmed the identity of this skull as the modern types Hippopotamus amphibius.
Historic photo of the Tor di Quinto area from the archive of the Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA, A, B) and the very same area today. Credit: Mecozzi et al., 2023, PLOS ONE, CC-BY 4.0
Unraveling Hippo History in Europe
This research exposes this skull to be the earliest known fossil of this modern hippo species in Europe. These outcomes clarified the history of hippos in Europe, reinforcing the hypothesis of an early dispersal during the Middle Pleistocene and reinforcing a broader understanding of the deep history of these large mammals. Hippos are highly prominent species within ancient and modern environments, and they are valuable indications of past climate and environmental conditions.
The authors include: “Restoring the mammal skeletons exposed at the University Museum of Earth Science, Terra, Sapienza University of Rome offers new data for old fossils. The multidisciplinary research study of the skull from Cava Montanari (Roma) redefines the first dispersal of Hippopotamus amphibius in Europe.”
Recommendation: “Reinforcing the idea of an early dispersal of Hippopotamus amphibius in Europe: Restoration and multidisciplinary study of the skull from the Middle Pleistocene of Cava Montanari (Rome, main Italy)” by Beniamino Mecozzi, Alessio Iannucci, Marco Mancini, Daniel Tentori, Chiara Cavasinni, Jacopo Conti, Mattia Yuri Messina, Alex Sarra and Raffaele Sardella, 22 November 2023, PLOS ONE.DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0293405.
Financing: Sapienza Università di Roma Grandi Scavi 2019 SA11916B513E7C4B Prof. Raffaele Sardella -Sapienza Università di Roma Grandi Scavi 2020 SA1221816893E2AB Prof. Raffaele Sardella -Sapienza Università di Roma Grandi Scavi 2021 SA12117A87BC3F0A Prof. Raffaele Sardella Sapienza Università di Roma Grandi Scavi 2022 SA1221816893E2AB) Prof. Raffaele Sardella Progetti per Avvio alla Ricerca– Tipo 2 anno 2022,” Sapienza Università di Roma AR222181333C1B88 Dr. Beniamino Mecozzi Contributi premiali per i ricercatori e assegnisti di ricerca per rafforzarne la condizione professionale e potenziare il sistema della ricerca del Lazio” DE G05411, 05/05/2022 Dr. Beniamino Mecozzi.
The skull of Hippopotamus amphibius of Cava Montanari. Cranium in dorsal (A), forward (B), ideal lateral (C), left lateral (D) and posterior (E) views. Mandible in occlusal (F) ideal lateral (G) and left lateral (H) views. In this research study, Mecozzi and associates offer brand-new insights via analysis of a fossil hippo skull from the research study location of Tor di Quinto in Rome.