TAPHONOMIC AND SEDIMENTARY FAC'l'ORSIN THE FOSSU. RECORD OF MAMMALS

The composition of the fossil assemblages of mammals (MFA) is traditionally considered as being controlled by historical factors. Its variations are attributed to biochronological changes due to evolutionary process or to biogeographic changes due to geodynamic process. The different MFA are compared as sampling units of similar nature. The presence or absence of taxa and their relative abundance are used as biochronologic and biogeographic indicators, and the samples (MFA) are considered homologous, although they appear in a different sedimentological, taphonomical, or tectonic context.