Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 39(1) 1996

Issue:

VOL 39(1) 1996

Keywords:

Mammals, voles, Clethrionomys, Pliocene, Pleistocene, evolution, hypsodonty

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Evolution of bank voles (Clethrionomys, Arvicolinae) in the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene of eastern Europe

• Alexey TESAKOV

Abstract:

The morphology and taxonomy of east European Clethrionomys is briefly discussed. Special attention is paid to the increase in hypsodonty of the molars. Two major stages of this process have been detected. The initial one, spanning the Pliocene and earliest Pleistocene, is the stage of accelerated hypsodonty increase. The second, Pleistocene, stage is characterized by near stasis in hypsodonty. The beginning of this stage is interpreted as the origination of the modern dietary adaptations of Clethrionomys.