2009 SEQS CONFERENCE, ORCE AND LUCENA, SPAIN

LATE PLIOCENE-EARLY PLEISTOCENE EVOLUTION OF THE WESTERN

EURASIAN RODENT COMMUNITIES

Jordi AGUSTÍ, ICREA-I nstitute of Human Paleoecology and s. Evolution, Pl. Imperial
Tarraco 1. 43005-Tarragona. Spain. Email: j ordi.agusti@icrea.es

Western Eurasian Early Pliocene rodent communities were in general very similar to
those of the late Miocene, characterized by high richness levels. They were dominated
mainly by murids, cricetids and spalacids. However, as a difference with the late
Miocene ones, most of the early Pl iocene communities were characterized by the
occurrence of the fi rst archaic arvicol ids (Promi momys) or by closely rel ated arvicol id-
like cricetids (Bjornkurtenia, Celadensia,Trilophomys, Baranomys, Microtoscoptes).
A fi rst radi ati on of arvicol ids (Pliopotamys,, Ellobi us,, Mimomys) characterizes the
middle Pl iocene, leadi ng to the present subfami l ies and tri bes of the fami ly. However,
murids and cricetids conti nue to prevail i n the smal l mammal communities of the
middle latitudes.
A major change took place at 3.2 Ma, as it has been dated i n the Galera and Zúj ar
sections of the Guadix-Baza Basin. Although not accompanied by a significant
structural change, at this time the arvicol ids of the genus Mimomys became the
dominant elements of the small mammal communities, the diversity of other families
(especially murids) decreasing dramatically, both in richness and relative abundance.
In contrast, no major change is seen at 2.6 Ma. This time is characterized by a number
of l i neages which fol lows a paral lel anagenetic trend towards i ncreasi ng size and
hypsodonty. This trend reach a maxi mum at the end of the Pl iocene, when the genus
Mimomys is widely represented by very l arge and hypsodont species, l i ke Mimomys
pliocaenicus and Mimomys ostr amosensis. Mimomys pliocaenicus is present at the site
of Dmanisi, enabling the correl ation of this site with those of the same biozone in
western and central Europe. I n south-western Europe, these forms are repl aced by local
lineages ( ―Kislangia ” gusii, Mimomys medasensis), which, however, show similar
trends.
A second Mimomys l i neage (for which the subgenus Tchar i nomys was erected) is
characterized by different trends. Here, increase in hypsodonty is accompanied by a
reduction i n size and a si mpl ification of the dental pattern. The origi n of the fi rst un-
rooted microti nes of the genus Allophaiomys l ies close to this group.
The fi rst Allophaiomys species, A. deucalion, is reported from several late Pl iocene sites
from eastern and central Europe, but this species is lacki ng i n the late Pl iocene of south-
western Europe, thus suggesti ng a strong latitudinal component for the dispersal of this
vole. Actual ly, the fi rst un-rooted microti nes maki ng thei r fi rst occurrence i n the earl iest
Pleistocene of the Guadix-Baza sequence are not members of the genus Allophaiomys
but archaic ones of the genus Ti ber icola. Tiber icola has been so far described i n Israel
and Turkey and its presence in the early Pleistocene beds of Guadix-Baza strongly
suggest that the fi rst wave of i mmigrants i n Western Europe came from the East.
Tibericola vandermeuleni from the Guadix-Baza Basin is accompanied by the last
members of the smal l and l arge Mimomys l i neages, which fi nal ly develop ever-growi ng
mol ars i n a paral lel way with the Allophaiomys l i neage.
Early Early Pleistocene rodent communities in most of Europe are characterized by the
vole Allophiaomys pliocaenicus. A similar form, Allophaiomys ruffoi, characterizes the
rodent communities i n the southern peni nsulas, bei ng present i n the localities of Venta

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 2009 SEQS CONFERENCE, ORCE AND LUCENA, SPAIN

Micena and Pirro Nord. Allophaiomys ruffoi is l arger and more archaic than the central--
European species, suggesting a direct origin from A. deucalion (as happened with
Tiber i cola i n Anatolia and Middle East). At the same time, the water voles of the
species Mimomys savini are wi despread i n Europe.
A trend to develop nivaloid morphotypes is observed in these southern populations,
leading to Allophaiomys burgondiae and A. lavocati, in the case of A. ruffoi, and
Tibericola jordanica, in the case of T. vandermeuleni. This kind of forms are
characteristic of middle early Pleistocene sites such as Barranco León D and Fuente
Nueva 3 (A. aff. lavocati) and Ubeidiya (T. jordanica).
Late Early Pleistocene rodent communities from Europe are characterized by the sudden
occurrence of a new group of microtines, either referred to the genus Allophaiomys (A.
nutinesis) or Microtus (M. tenni). The first lower mol ars of these microti nes are
characterized by the constriction of the T – T connection, an evol utionary innovation
that was not present i n earl ier forms and that can be considered as a derived feature of
the genus Microtus (s.l.). Elements of this group are present i n a number of sites, such
as Le Vallonet and Les Valerots, in France, Monte Peglia in Italy and U ntermassfeld in
Germany.
At this time, the archaic Allophaiomys populations almost disappear from Europe, being
only represented by the southern endemism A. chalinei. In contrast, the M. nutiensis-
theni i group evolves i nto the fi rst representatives of the Microtus (s.s.; Mi crotus
hintoni) and Iberomys (I. huescarensis). Mimomys savini is still a common element in
these latest Pleistocene rodent communities.

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