Beremendia fissidens ( Pétenyi, 1864 )

Rzebik-Kowalska, Barbara & Rekovets, Leonid I., 2016, New data on Eulipotyphla (Insectivora, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pleistocene of Ukraine, Palaeontologia Electronica 12 (1), pp. 1-31 : 21-23

Beremendia fissidens ( Pétenyi, 1864)

Figure 10.1

Material. Popovo 2 (late MN 16), right I1 slightly damaged on its posterior side (on the crown/root boundary). MNI = 1. Catalogue number 29/II/12. Popovo 1 ( MN 16/ MN 17), right m1. MNI = 1. Catalogue number 29/I/12. Popovo 0 ( MN 17), upper fragment of left coronoid process. MNI = 1. Catalogue number 29/0/12.

Description. The I1 ( Figure 10.1 ) is large and strongly fissident. The m1 is also large. Its trigonid basin is wide and deep, its talonid is wider than the trigonid and its entoconid crest is moderately high. The anterior, buccal and posterior cingulids are very well developed, and the lingual one is less protruding. The tip of the coronoid process is narrow and bends buccally.

Measurements. See Table 10.

Systematic Position and Distribution. The morphology of teeth and especially the strongly fissident I1 indicates that the specimens are typical of the genus Beremendia and their large size points to B. fissidens . Since the beginning of the Late Ruscinian (MN15) this great opportunist among shrews was ubiquitous in Europe ( Rzebik-Kowalska, 1998).

The oldest locality (Zamkowa Dolna Cave B) with remains of Beremendia fissidens is from Poland and is dated to the Early Pliocene (?MN14). In the Middle Pleistocene it became rare but was still present in southern Europe (Rzebik-Kowalska, 2009).

It is also known in Asia from South Caucasus ( Furió et al., 2010) to western Siberia and Transbaikalia ( Storch et al., 1998).

cf. B. minor Rzebik-Kowalska, 1976

Figure 10.2

Material. Verkhnya Krynitsa 1 (early MN 16), fragment of left mandible with proximal part of i1, anterior root of m1 and alveolae of a1, p4 and m1. MNI = 1. Catalogue number 29/1/13.

Description. The anterior fragment of the mandible is massive and convex under m1. The mental foramen damaged at the back and is situated under the second root of m1. The i1 is devoid of a cingulid.

Measurements. See Table 10.

Systematic Position and Distribution. The anterior part of the mandible with a fragment of i1 ( Figure 10.2 ) is large. Its size is intermediate between the size of such large forms as Mafia dehneli ( Kowalski, 1956) , Sulimskia kretzoii ( Sulimski, 1962) and Beremendia fissidens and Blarinoides mariae Sulimski, 1959 . A smooth proximal part of i1 without a cingulid (present in Mafia , Sulimskia and Blarinoides ) suggests its affiliation to the genus Beremendia in which the buccal cingulid is absent in most specimens. On the other hand its size is smaller than that of B. fissidens and points to B. minor . However, the very bad state of preservation of the single specimen allowed only a tentative assignment to this species.

Beremendia minor was described from the Early Villanyian (MN16) locality Rębielice Krolewskie 1A in Poland and later found in two Hungarian localities, older (MN14) Osztramos 1 and younger (MN15/MN16) Osztramos 7 ( Reumer, 1984).

It is also known from western Siberia and Transbaikalia ( Storch et al., 1998).

Figures

FIGURE 10. 1, Beremendia fissidens from Popovo 1, right I1, in anterior view (c.n. 29/I/12/1); 2, cf. Beremendia minor from Verkhnya Krynitsa 1, fragment of left mandible with proximal part of i1 in buccal view (c.n. 29/1/13/1); Petenyia dubia from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 (3) and Lobkove (4): 3, left condyloid process, posterior view (c.n. 29/2/14/1); 4, left M1, occlusal view (c.n. 29/3/14/1). 5, Zelceina sp. from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2, fragment of left maxillae with M1-M2, occlusal view (c.n. 29/2/16/1).