Schizogalerix sp.

Sen, Sevket, 2016, Rodents, lagomorphs and insectivores, Geodiversitas 38 (2), pp. 299-314 : 309

Schizogalerix sp.

( Fig. 7D )

MATERIAL. — Right m2, MNHN.F.TRQ961 (2.26 × 1.69) from Küçükçekmece West.

DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON

In occlusal view, the trigonid is notably shorter than the talonid and has a narrow trigonid basin. The protoconid and metaconid are of the same height. The paraconid is ridge shaped. On the talonid, the entoconid is much higher than the hypoconid. The mesiolabial cingulum is strong and continues labially up to the base of the hypoconid. The metaconid has a strong posterior spur (metastylid) that ends freely in the mesosinusid. The posterior arm of hypoconid is directed to the middle of the hypoconulid and its middle part is thickened as a poorly defined cusp. The hypoconulid is almost bilobed. The strong posterior cingulum reaches the distolabial corner at the base of the hypoconid. There are two roots.

All characters of this tooth (size and morphology) fit with that of the genus Schizogalerix , which occurs in Turkey and southeastern Europe since latest early Miocene ( Hoek Ostende & Doukas 2003) through late Miocene. The middle Miocene representatives of this genus are different in having the posterior arm of the hypoconid either connected to the posterior part of the hypoconulid ( S. pasalarensis Engesser, 1980 ), and in that case the posterior cingulum is a separate low ridge, or connected to the posterior cingulum ( S. anatolica Engesser, 1980 ), and in that case the posterior cingulum is short and weak. The latter configuration is also preserved in S. voesendorfensis (Rabeder, 1973) and S. moedlingensis (Rabeder, 1973) from the late Vallesian-early Turolian localities of Central Europe ( Engesser 1980). The m2 from Küçükçekmece West has a talonid pattern similar to that of S. intermedia Selänne, 2003 and S. sinapensis Sen, 1990 from the Vallesian localities of Central Anatolia, and also to that of S. zapfei ( Bachmayer & Wilson, 1970) from early Turolian localities of the Balkans and Central Europe. Unfortunately the unique m2 does not allow further comparison and thus it cannot be identified at the species level.

Order SORICOMORPHA Gregory, 1910 Family Soricidae Fischer von Waldheim, 1817 Subfamily Soricinae Fischer von Waldheim, 1817 Tribe Anourosoricini Anderson, 1879

Figures

FIG. 7. — Insectivores from Küçükçekmece West, Crusafontina cf. endemica Gibert, 1975: A, right m1 (MNHN.F.TRQ963) in occlusal view; B, C, right mandible with m1 (TRQ962) in lateral (B) and medial (C) views. Schizogalerix sp.: D, right m2 (TRQ961) in occlusal view. Scale bar: 1 mm.