Paranourosorex gigas Rzebik-Kowalska, 1975

Zazhigin, Vladimir S. & Voyta, Leonid L., 2022, New Neogene anourosoricin shrews from northern Asia, Palaeontologia Electronica (a 29) 25 (3), pp. 1-36 : 16

Paranourosorex gigas Rzebik-Kowalska, 1975

Figure 6A, E, H, J, L, N, P, S

1978 Crocidura sp. Agadjanian and Kowalski, p. 33.

1988 Paranourosorex sp. Topachevsky et al., p. 20.

2009 Soricidae gen. Agadjanian, p. 102.

Material. The analysed material of P. gigas comprises remains mainly from CHR/1A (n = 20) and PSH /1B (n = 33) localities . Single remains originate from ISK /1A (n = 1) , NIL (n = 2) , PSH /1A (n = 1), ANR/1A (n = 2) , ANR/2A (n = 1) , LZN/1A (n = 3) , BRK/1C (n = 1) and KRN (n = 2) localities (see Appendix 2: 4).

Description. Largest Paranourosorex species. In general, the dental characters are typical for the genus but some teeth display specific characters that distinguish this species such as the most undulated and sculptured P4 outline between the parastyle and hypocone with the well-developed anterior notch, the short portion of the entocingulum under the protocone, the moderately developed notch before the hypocone and the protocone lobe; the relatively deep posterior emargination of P4 ( Figure 7E ); the moderately developed metastyle of M1; the massive cone-like hypocone of M1, relatively short the hypoconal flange and the shallow posterior emargination of M1 ( Figure 7H ); M1 has a weak entocingulum under the protocone; the moderately exaenodont a1 has a wide postcingulid ( Figure 7P ); the hypolophid of m1 contacts the entoconid base without a groove; a tip of the entoconid of m1 is slightly shifted anteriorly; the entocristid of m1 is separated from the metaconid base through the moderately developed transverse groove. m3 is unknown.

Measurements. See Appendix 4.

Remarks. P. gigas is the biggest species of the tribe, especially in comparison to P. seletiensis ( Figure 5 ). To differentiate P. gigas from Paranourosorex intermedius sp. nov. see above. VZ has seen materials from Obukhovka 1 referred to as ‘ Paranourosorex sp. ’ ( Topachevsky et al., 1988); from Antipovka and Chugunovka referred to as ‘ Crocidura sp. ’ by Agadjanian and Kowalski (1978) and ‘ Soricidae gen.’ by Agadjanian (2009) and determined all findings as P. gigas .

Much material of P. gigas originates from CHR/1A (n = 20) and PSH /1B (n = 33).

Stratigraphic and geographic range. At present, the distribution includes the type locality Podlesice (early Pliocene , Ruscinian, MN 14, Poland), Slovakian locality (early Pliocene , Ruscinian, MN 15) ( Rzebik-Kowalska , 1975, 1998), three Eastern European Plain localities such as Obukhovka 1 ( Topachevsky et al., 1988), Antipovka and Chugunovka ( Agadjanian and Kowalski , 1978; Agadjanian , 2009; early Pliocene , Ruscinian, MN 14) and also 10 localities from Kazakhstan and Russia ( Appendix 2). The stratigraphic range in Asia covers an interval between the late Miocene Rytov Formation (Turolian, MN 13) and early Pliocene Peshnev Formation (Ruscinian, MN 14).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Bivariate plot of linear differences between five Asian species, Paranourosorex seletiensis Storch and Zazhigin, 1996 (PSt.), Paranourosorex gigas Rzebik-Kowalska, 1975 (P. gigas), Paranourosorex intermedius sp. nov. (PIm.) and Ishimosorex ishimiensis gen. et sp. nov. (PPl) based on the second lower molar measurements (L vs TRL), mm). Studied remains from Asian Neogene localities are marked by colours, which corresponds to ELMA (see Figure 1); numbers are given in the Appendix 2.

FIGURE 6. Teeth and bones of Paranourosorex seletiensis Storch and Zazhigin, 1996 (A, B), Crusafontina sp. 1, (C), Crusafontina sp. 2 (D) and Paranourosorex intermedius sp. nov. (E). A, GIN 951/1000 (holotype) from SLT/1A, left hemimandible fragment (cut image) with m1 and m2 in occlusal view (A2, magnified m2); B, GIN 951/1001 (paratype) from SLT/1A, left P4 in occlusal view; C, GIN 640/1004 from PVL/1A, left M1 in occlusal view; D, GIN 951/1003 SLT/ 1A, left P4 in occlusal view; E, GIN 948/1051 (holotype) from NST/1A, right dentary fragment with m1 and m2 (E1, occlusal view; E2, lateral view E3, medial view;). Scale bars equal 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Teeth and bones of Paranourosorex intermedius sp. nov. (B, C–D, F–G, I, K, M, O, Q–R; with dotted frames) and Paranourosorex gigas Rzebik-Kowalska, 1975 (A, E, H, J, L, N, P, S). A, GIN 1118/1044 from PSH/1B, right I1 in lateral view; B, GIN 948/1073 (paratype) from NST/1A, left I1 in lateral view; C, GIN 948/1065 (paratype) from NST/1A, left P4 (C1, occlusal view; C2, tilted occlusal view); D, GIN 1130/1104 from LZN/2B, diagrammatic image of right P4 in occlusal view; E, GIN 1118/1028 from PSH/1B, left P4 in occlusal view; F, GIN 948/1064 (paratype) from NST/1A, right m3 in occlusal view (F1, SEM image; F2, diagrammatic image); G, GIN 948/1069 (paratype) from NST/1A, right M1 in occlusal view; H, GIN 1118/1005 from PSH/1B, right M1 in occlusal view; I, GIN 948/1056 (paratype) from NST/1A, right m1 in occlusal view; J, GIN 1118/1013 from PSH/1B, left m1 in occlusal view; K, GIN 948/1078 (paratype) from NST/1A, left p4 in occlusal view; L, GIN 1118/1011 from PSH/1B, left p4 and m1 fragment (cut image) in occlusal view; M, GIN 948/1089 (paratype) from NST/1A, left A1 in occlusal view; N, GIN 11181036 from PSH/1B, left A1 in occlusal view; O, GIN 948/1081 (paratype) from NST/1A, left a1 in occlusal view; P, GIN 1118/ 1008 from PSH/1B, left a1 in occlusal view; Q, GIN 1115/1123 from BRK/1A, left fragment of mandibular ramus in posterior view; R, GIN 948/1075 (paratype) from NST/1A, right i1 (R1, SEM image in lateral view; R2, diagrammatic image in medial view); S, 1118 951/1021 from PSH/1B, right i1 in lateral view. Scale bars equal 1 mm.