Building better biochronology: New fossils and <sup>40</sup> Ar/ <sup>39</sup> Ar radioisotopic dates from Central Anatolia
Türkiye's geographic position between Europe, Asia, and Africa gives it pivotal importance for understanding the local, interregional, and intercontinental dynamics of Neogene vertebrate evolution. Although rich in vertebrate fossil deposits spanning the Middle and Late Miocene, associated geochronology has been limited by the lack of available volcanic materials that allow radioisotopic dating and geochemical correlation. As a result, calibrating mammalian evolution has been largely restricted to the semicircular application of paleomagnetic inferences combined with temporally ill-constrained and geographically remote biochronological deductions. For example, fossils from three Greek localities and one Anatolian locality assigned to the primate genus <i>Ouranopithecus</i> lack datable samples, leaving its ages poorly constrained. Chronological calibration based on the <sup>40</sup>Ar/<sup>39</sup>Ar results reported here demonstrates how a fauna-focused, precision geochronology can enhance a better understanding of evolving species lineages and the ecosystems they comprise.
Authors
- Cesur Pehlevan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9356-0052)
- Ahmet Cem Erkman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3382-1019)
- Okşan Başoğlu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0123-4346)
- Maud J.M. Meijers (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2724-4980)
- Andrew J. Tholt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3355-6545)
- Yener Bektaş (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4423-1519)
- Ferhat Kaya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0900-3390)
- Nuretdin Kaymakçı (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7618-0226)
- Joshua P. Carlson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1857-2738)
- Tim D. White (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1266-7489)
- Paul Randall Renne (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1769-5235)
- Raymond L. Bernor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-5354)
- Pınar GÖZLÜK KIRMIZIOĞLU (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0759-3529)
- Özge KAHYA (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0209-6547)
- Uğur Doğan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1300-3484)
- Ömer Faruk Dağ (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4219-6670)
- Emrah Şimşek (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6078-8501)
Institutions
- Smithsonian Institution (US)
- Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University (TR)
- Planetary Science Institute (US)
- Virginia Museum of Natural History (US)
- Berkeley Geochronology Center (US)
- Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (IN)
- National Museum of Natural History (US)
- Ankara University (TR)
- University of Graz (AT)
- Middle East Technical University (TR)
- Ahi Evran University (TR)
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University (TR)
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (ES)
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (DE)
- University of the Humanities (MN)
- Kayseri Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi (TR)
- Maden Tetkik ve Arama Genel Müdürlüğü
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- University of Oulu (FI)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2025-03-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2424428122
- Primary Topic
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Oulun Yliopisto