Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 39(1) 1996

Issue:

VOL 39(1) 1996

Keywords:

Arvicolidae, Rodentia, Mammalia, Pliocene, Early Pleistocene, Dacic Basin, Romania, evolution, phyletic lines

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Pliocene and Early Pleistocene arvicolids (Rodentia, Mammalia) of the Dacic Basin, Romania

• Costin RADULESCU
• Petre-Mihai SAMSON

Abstract:

Excavations carried out in Pliocene and Early Pleistocene deposits outcropping in the valleys of the Jiu and Olt Rivers (Dacic Basin, Romania) yielded rich micromammalian associations with arvicolid rodents, spanning a time interval of about 2.5 million years. Dental morphological analyses allowed the recognition of two arvicolid lineages of “mimomyian” aspect (Mimomys rhabonensis and M. moldavicus) which gave rise during the Early and Middle Pliocene to the genera Dolomys and Propliomys respectively. The transitional forms leading to Propliomys are discussed and illustrated. A third phyletic line started at the end of the Middle Pliocene with Mimomys ex gr. stehlini/minor. This stock is presumed to lead to M. coelodus of the Early Pleistocene. A fourth lineage, Early Pleistocene in age, was constituted of M. ostramosensis ssp., followed by Kislangia rex.