Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 39(1) 1996

Issue:

VOL 39(1) 1996

Keywords:

Pliocene, Arvicolidae, Mimomys-lineage, Mimomys occitanus

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A discussion of the referral of Mimomys occitanus Thaler, 1955 (Rodentia: Arvicolidae) to the genus Mimomys

• Lutz MAUL

Abstract:

Mimomys occitanus, which up to now has been considered to be a member of one of the Mimomys lineages, should be excluded from this group. The main argument for this is the development of the height of the Sb3 (=anterior buccal synclinal) wall of the M₁. Very early arvicolids such as Promimomys and Mimomys davakosi have a high Sb3-wall. Because its development seems to go into the direction of decrease, Mimomys occitanus with a low wall cannot be the ancestor of Mimomys polonicus and other modern Mimomys forms that all have high walls. It is much more probable that Mimomys occitanus belongs to a lineage which goes into the direction of Dolomys.