Le gisement pleistocène de Morgadinho, en Algarve

Abstract

Key-words: Mammals - Amphibia and fishes - Gastropoda - Ostracoda - Palynology - Lower Pleistocene to lowermost Middle Pleistocene - Morgadinho - Algarve. Small mammals from a water weil near Morgadinho indicate an age comprised between Middle Villafranchian, MN 17 zone and lowermost Middle Pleistocene, MN 20. This fauna corresponds to an hurnid region under a possibly temperate (certainly not cool) c1imate. Nearly ail Gastropoda have quaternary affinities. Most are freshwater dwellers. Ostracoda lived in lacustrine or extensive swamp environments rich in plants. They also point out to fresh waters (eventually oligohaline; this may' suggest sorne kind of communication with the sea, which would not be very close by), and to water temperatures over 10.S°C. Charophyta thrive in fresh, carbonate-rich waters. Cyprinid fishes are also freshwater dwellers, and amphibians exclude any significant salinity. Palynological analysis shows c1imate should be warm and rather humid. Near Morgadinho there was a mixte mesophytic fore st (and perhaps a sempervirent, large leave type forest at Algoz). Morgadinho and Aigoz (this locality being dated MN 20, lowermost Middle Pleistocene) are probably correlative, and this may also be true for lacustrine Iimestones at Ponte das Lavadeiras, near Faro.