A reappraisal of the Early to Middle Pleistocene Italian Bovidae

During the Quaternary, bovids are common elements in the Italian local faunal assemblages (LFAs). Representatives of Bovini tribe are continuously present, albeit with different lineages. Caprini are sporadically recorded by several genera, and Antilopini are less represented, only during the Early Pleistocene in the middle and early late Villafranchian local faunal assemblages (LFAs). Diversity and ecological role of continental representatives of Italian Bovidae varied with LFAs as well as in faunal units (FUs) throughout the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Species richness and diversity peaked during the early late Villafranchian land mammal age (LMA) and then decreased in the post- Jaramillo Early Pleistocene and at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (early and early middle Galerian LMA). That time was characterized by the exclusive presence of bovids preferring open environments. The small-sized bovids disappeared by the late Villafranchian, but a major renewal of the guild took place at the transition from the Galerian to Aurelian LMA) (late Middle Pleistocene). Endemic species are recorded in a few Italian islands: goat-like bovids with uncertain phylogenetic affinity are recorded from the Late Pliocene to the Early Pleistocene in Sardinia, while subspecies of Bovini, reduced in size, were present in Sicily during the Late Middle and Late Pleistocene and have been claimed as present on the island of Pianosa (Tuscany)