Rzebikia polonica ( Skoczeń, 1980 ) Sansalone & Kotsakis & Piras, 2016

Sansalone, Gabriele, Kotsakis, Tassos & Piras, Paolo, 2016, New systematic insights about Plio-Pleistocene moles from Poland, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61 (1), pp. 221-229 : 224

Rzebikia polonica ( Skoczeń, 1980) comb. nov.

Fig. 2A .

1980? Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Skoczeń 1980: 427–440, pls.

V–VI. 1983? Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Storch and Qiu 1983: 100–

101, 105. 1993 Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Skoczeń 1993: 133–134, fig. 4. 1994 “? Neurotrichus polonicus ” Skoczeń ; Rzebik-Kowalska 1994: 80,

89–91. 1995? Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Doukas et al. 1995: 51. 2003 Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Ziegler 2003: 639. 2004 Quyania polonica (Skoczeń) ; Popov 2004: 71–75, fig. 6–8. 2005 Neurotrichus? polonicus ; Rzebik-Kowalska 2005: 128–131. 2006 Neurotrichus polonicus ; Ziegler 2006: 139, 141. 2009 Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Rzebik-Kowalska 2009: 9, 22,

24–26, 51. 2014? Neurotrichus polonicus Skoczeń ; Rzebik-Kowalska 2014: 9–11,

figs. 2, 3. Etymology : In reference to its origin from Poland. Holotype: Incomplete right mandible with p4–m2 ( MF/1016 /1)

Skoczeń 1980: pl. VI). Type locality: Kadzielnia, Poland. Type horizon: Late Villanyian (MN17) or Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary .

Material.—Rębielice Królewskie 1A, Poland: One right P4 (MF/1015/1); one right and two left M1 (MF/1015/2– 4); right M3 (MF/1015/5); incomplete premolar portion of the right mandible with p3 (MF/1015/6); incomplete premolar portion of the right mandible with m1 and m2 MF/1015/7); two middle fragments of left mandibles with m1 and m2 (MF/1015/8, 9); posterior part of left mandible with m2 and m3 (MF/1015/10); right m1 (MF/1015/11); three m2 (MF/1015/12–14); right and left m3 (MF/1015/15, 16); six clavicles (MF/1015/17–22); 13 humeri (MF/1015/23– 35); ulna (MF/1015/36); radius (MF/1015/37). Zamkowa Dolna Cave near Częstochowa, layer C, Poland: three M1 MF/1017/1–3); right M2 (MF/1017/4); right m1 (MF/1017/5); right m2 (MF/1017/6); right and left m3 (MF/1017/7, 8); right humerus (MF/1017/9). Kadzielnia, Poland: two right mandible (MF/1016/1, 2), one with p4–m2 and other with m1–m2, 2 humeri (MF/1016/3, 4). Kielniki 3B, Poland: 1 humerus MF/1020/1). Varshets, North Bulgaria: 3 fragments of mandible with m1–m3 and one m2 (V23: 4–5, V339), 3 humeri (V23: 1–3). All from Villanyian (Pliocene–Pleistocene). See SOM 2 for linear measurements of the material.

Emended diagnosis.—Medium to large sized shrew-mole with moderate adaptation to digging. The humerus has an evident scalopine ridge and partially unfused bicipital tunnel ( Fig. 2A ). The protoconules are absent or vestigial. Lower molars have vestigial mesoconids.

Description.—See Skoczeń (1980, 1993), Popov (2004) and Rzebik-Kowalska (2014) for a complete and detailed description of the material.

Remarks.—The material from Varshets ( Popov 2004) fit well in both size and morphological characters with that of Rzebikia polonica from Poland, so we ascribe the Bulgarian material to the Polish species.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary, Poland, Late Villanyian (MN17) localities: Kadzielnia, Zamkowa Dolna Cave A, Kielniki 3B; Early Villanyian (MN16), locality Rębielice Królewskie 1A. Bulgaria, Villanyian (MN17), locality Varshets.

Figures

Fig. 2. Photographs showing the different conditions of the bicipital tunnel (arrowed) in talpid mammals. A. Rzebikia polonica (Skoczeń, 1980) gen. nov. (MF/1020/1), Early Villanyian (MN 16) of Poland, Rębielice Królewskie 1A, frontal view with partially unfused bicipital tunnel. B. Urotrichus talpoides Temminck, 1841 (NMNS 28207), Recent, frontal view with completely open bicipital tunnel. C. Neurotrichus gibbsii Baird, 1856 (LACM 93944), Recent, lateral view with completely fused bicipital tunnel.