Geologists have discovered traces of a dead continent between Europe, Asia and Africa
Miscellaneous / / February 24, 2022
Asian animals moved along it to Western Europe.
Researchers from France, USA and Turkey discoveredBalkanatolia: The insular mammalian biogeographic province that partly paved the way to the Grande Coupure / Earth-Science Reviews traces of the Balkanatolia continent in the Eastern Mediterranean. Millions of years ago, he went under water.
Scientists analyzed fossils found in the Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia region of Turkey and tracked changes in the local fauna. They believe that the territory was below sea level several times, but over time a small continent formed here.
The fauna of Balkanatolia differed from European and Asian. When sea levels dropped again, the continent found itself connected by land to the Middle East, as well as to Central and Western Europe. Through these isthmuses, animals from Asia came to Europe. During the Eocene, 34-55 million years ago, Western Europe was separated from Asia, and the fauna of these continents was very different.
Biologists emphasized that rodents, ungulates and representatives of other animal species migrated from Balkanatolia before the Eocene-Oligocene extinction event, which occurred 34 million years ago. They replaced many European endemics - specific species that were found only here.
While scientists do not know exactly how animals from relatively warm Balkanatolia managed to survive long transitions through the unfavorable northern regions. They suggest that the animals could walk along the bottom of the current Eastern Mediterranean, which was above the water about 34 million years ago.
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