Neogene mammalian successions and dispersals. Homage to Pierre Mein

During the 13th International Congress of the Regional Committee on Mediterranean Neogene Stratigraphy (RCMNS), held in Naples from September 2nd to 6th, 2009, a special session entitled ‘‘Neogene Mammalian successions and dispersals’’ was devoted to honour the scientific trajectory of Pierre Mein (University Claude Bernard, Lyon, France). The 16 papers published in his honour in this Geobios issue, fully reflects the large spectrum of research fields he developed over the last five decades: from systematic paleontology of various small-vertebrate clades, to evolutionary paleobiology, paleobiogeography and, of course, continental biostratigraphy.