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Late Miocene (Turolian, MN13) squirrels from Moncucco Torinese, NW Italy

Simone COLOMBERO & Giorgio CARNEVALE

en Comptes Rendus Palevol 15 (5) - Pages 515-526

Published on 30 June 2016

Squirrel remains are rare in the fossil record, which hampers a properly documented interpretation of their evolutionary history. The Late Miocene sciurids from Moncucco Torinese (NW Italy) are described based on a diverse tooth assemblage. The data presented herein confirm the presence of Sciurus warthae and Pliopetaurista pliocaenica, and also include the first unquestionable occurrence of Hylopetes hungaricus plus an indeterminate Sciurinae. The report of Sciurus warthae from Moncucco Torinese represents the earliest record of the genus Sciurus in Europe. Moreover, Moncucco Torinese is the first European locality recording the co-occurrence of Sciurini and Pteromyini in the Late Miocene. Comparative analyses support a close relationship between S. warthae and Sciurus vulgaris corroborating the hypothesis of an earliest divergence of the “ Sciurus vulgaris clade” in the Late Miocene. Biochronological, paleobiogeographical and paleoecological implications are also discussed.


Keywords:

Rodentia, Sciuridae, Messinian, Italy, Paleoecology

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