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2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Studies on the origin og the fossil vertebrate faunas in the Ryukyu islands ant its international correlation

Research Project

Project/Area Number 16540427
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Stratigraphy/Paleontology
Research InstitutionKagoshima University

Principal Investigator

OTSUKA Hiroyuki  Kagoshima University, Faculty of Science, Professor, 理学部, 教授 (50041223)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) OKI Kimihiko  Kagoshima University, University Museum of Kagoshima University, Professor, 総合研究博物館, 教授 (90041235)
OTA Hidetoshi  University of the Ryukyu, Tropical Bioshere Research Center, Professor, 熱帯生物圏研究センター, 教授 (10201972)
Project Period (FY) 2004 – 2005
KeywordsRyukyu Islands / terrestrial vertebrate fossil / Pleistocene / geographic isolation / endemic species / relics
Research Abstract

Result of study on the paleontological analysis of terrestrial vertebrate fossils in the Ryukyu islands furnish valuable clues and considerations as to the history and age of animal migration from the continent to its neighboring islands. Geological and paleontological data suggest that the area of the Ryukyu islands has been repeatedly connected to the Asiatic Continent and each land connection has been followed by migration of characteristic terrestrial vertebrates from the continent. So long as result of excavations done in post five years in the Ryukyu islands, five diagnostically different stratigraphic levels containing Late Miocene to latest Pleistocene vertebrate fossils have been delinated in the islands. Among the fossil assemblages found in these five different stratigraphic levels, those from Level 2 (Early Pleistocene) are known to occur in shallow marine deposits underlying the Early to Middle Pleistocene Ryukyu Group. They are named Imadomari-Akagimata assemblage and are considered to be immigrants from the latst Okiocene Renzidong fauna in Anhui Province located in Central China, during the second land connection. This assemblage may be regarded as the oldest post-Miocene fauna and might include the Ancestors of the Pleistocene fossil and living endemic terrestrial vertebrate faunas of the Ryukyu islands. Among the vertebrates in the Imadomari-Akagimata assemblage, the archetypal derr (=Cervus (Metacervulus) new species A) arrived to the islands from the continent as a progenitor and its descendants were dflourished in the islands during the Pleistocene together with another cervid and large terrestrial tortoise (=Manouria). These taxa became complately extinct at the end of Pleistocene (ca. 15,000 years B.P.), after the formation of many morphotypes. It can be said that other animal in this assemblage may serve as the progenitors of the present mammals, reptiles, and amphibians living in the Ryukyu Islands.

  • Research Products

    (4 results)

All 2005

All Journal Article (4 results)

  • [Journal Article] 北東部九州の洞穴堆積層産中期更新世松ヶ枝動物群に見いだされてたMacaca属(Macaca cf.Fuscata)化石の形態学的研究2005

    • Author(s)
      荻野慎太郎, 大塚裕之
    • Journal Title

      霊長類研究 21号

      Pages: 1-9

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Revision of the Pleistocene clupeid fish Clupanodon tanegashimaensis(Saheki,1929)from Tanegashima, Southwest Japan2005

    • Author(s)
      Yabumoto, Y., Sakamoto, Y., H.Otsuka
    • Journal Title

      Paleontological Research 9・4

      Pages: 299-304

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Morphological study of fossil Macaca cf.fuscata detected In the Middle Pleistocene Matsugae Fauna excavated from the cave deposits in northeasrern Kyushu, Japan.2005

    • Author(s)
      Ogino, Shintaro, Otsuka, Hiroyuki Otsuka
    • Journal Title

      Primate Research no.21

      Pages: 1-9

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Revision of the Pleistocene clupeod fish Clupanodon tanegashimaensis (Saheki, (1929) from Tanegashima, Southwest Japan.2005

    • Author(s)
      Yabumoto, Yoshitaka, Sakamoto, Yoko, Otsuka, Hiroyuki
    • Journal Title

      Paleontological Research vol.9, no.4

      Pages: 299-304

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2007-12-13  

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