Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 40(2) 1997

Issue:

VOL 40(2) 1997

Keywords:

Fossil mammals, rodents, Gliridae, Miocene, Poland

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Gliridae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the Miocene of Bełchatów in Poland

• Kazimierz KOWALSKI

Abstract:

Remains of dormice (Gliridae) were collected from three levels of sediments in the brown-coal mine of Bełchatów, representing mammalian zones MN 4 to MN 9. Besides a few teeth of Glis sp. from Opole they constitute the first material of this rodent family from the Miocene of Poland. 19 populations belonging to 8 genera (Glis, Glirudinus, Muscardinus, Myoglis, cf. Heteromyoxus, Microdyromys, Glirulus and Bransatoglis) were described. The composition of the dormice fauna suggests the existence of a forest environment all through the time of sedimentation in the Bełchatów basin. The fauna of glirids of Bełchatów is similar to that of western and central Europe.