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Pliocene small mammals (Mammalia, Lipotyphla, Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Rodentia) from Muselievo (North Bulgaria)

Vasil V. POPOV

en Geodiversitas 26 (3) - Pages 403-491

Published on 30 September 2004

The micromammals from the sediment filling of an ancient cave located near the village of Muselievo (Pleven district) are studied. At least 35 species representing 28 genera from 15 families are identified. The lipotyphlans are represented by scarce remains of five species: Blarinoides mariae, Deinsdorfia kordosi, Mafia cf. csarnotensis, Asoriculus gibberodon, and Talpa minor. The main part of bones belongs to bats: Rhinolophus wenzensis, Rh. mehelyi birzebbugensis, Rh. ex gr. euryale, Myotis blythii longicaninus n. ssp., Myotis cf. bechsteinii, Myotis sp., and Miniopterus cf. approximatus. The four lagomorphs (Ochotonoma csarnotanus, Hypolagus beremendensis, Trischizolagus dumitrescuae, and Pliopentalagus dietrichi) are among the most numerous components of the assemblage. Most of the species belong to the rodents, dominated quantitatively by the voles: Dolomys occitanus, Dolomys cf. nehringi, Propliomys cf. hungaricus, Bjornkurtenia canterranensis. The other rodents are represented by sciurids (Pliopetaurista dehneli, Sciurus sp., Tamias orlovi, ?Spermophilus sp.), glirids (Myomimus complicidentatus n. sp., Dryomimus eliomyoides, Glis minor), mice (Rhagapodemus cf. hautimagnensis, Rhagapodemus sp., Sylvaemus dominans), cricetids (Allocricetus bursae, A. ehiki, Trilophomys depereti), a mole rat (Pliospalax cf. macoveii), and a porcupine (Hystrix sp.). The presence of Dolomys occitanus, slightly more advanced than the population from the type locality (Sète, France) speaks for the late Ruscinian age (MN15b-zone). According to the biogeographical comparative analyses and the appearance of the bat assemblage, it can be supposed that the climate was similar to the recent one. The assemblage points to a complex landscape, composed probably of savanna-steppes on the plain, shrubs on the slopes, and tall forests along the rivers.


Keywords:

Mammalia, Soricidae, Talpidae, Rhinolophidae, Vespertilionidae, Lagomyidae, Leporidae, Sciuridae, Gliridae, Muridae, Cricetidae, Arvicolidae, Trilophomyidae, Spalacidae, Hystricidae, Pliocene, Ruscinian, Bulgaria, biochronology, paleoecology

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