New Data on Plio-Pleistocene Dipodine Jerboas O F the Genus Plioscirtopoda from Eastern Europe (Mammalia: Dipodidae)
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© Zoological Institute, St.Petersburg, 2001 New data on Plio-Pleistocene dipodine jerboas o f the genus Plioscirtopoda from Eastern Europe (Mammalia: Dipodidae) A.S. Tesakov Tesakov, A.S. 2001. New data on Plio-Pleistocene dipodine jerboas of the genus Plioscir topoda from Eastern Europe (Mammalia: Dipodidae). Zoosystematica Rossica, 9(1), 2000: 237-244. Remains of dipodine jerboas, Plioscirtopoda, are described from the late Pliocene deposits of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov region. Dental morphology of the type species, P. stepanovi, is refined. A more primitive species, P. novorossica sp. n., is described from the Late Kujalnik deposits of Kryzhanovka 3. The new species differs from P. stepanovi in the simpler shape of anterior part of ml, larger dimensions and higher numbers of molar roots A.S. Tesakov, Geological Institute, Russian Academy o f Sciences, Pyzhevsky per 7, Moscow 109017, Russia, e-mail: [email protected] Introduction beria (Zazhigin, 1980) and Eastern Siberia (Pre-Baicalian region: Adamenko, 1975, Plio-Pleistocene dipodine (tridactyl) jerboas 1977), and from even older, Late Pliocene were first recorded from Eastern Europe by Khapry faunas (MN17) of Eastern Europe Gromov & Schevtchenko (1961). The new ge (Topachevsky et al., 1979; Skorik, 1983; nus and new species Plioscirtopoda stepanovi Topachevsky & Nesin, 1989), Southern Tran- was described from the Early Pleistocene Allo- surals (Ivakina et al., 1996), and Western Sibe phaiomys fauna of the upper bed of ria (Zazhigin, 1980). In late 80’s and early 90’s Kryzhanovka site near Odessa, the Ukraine. a large amount of small mammal remains was Several molars were collected at that time. collected from the stratified Kryzhanovka lo Gromov & Schevtchenko considered the new cality by an expedition o f Geological Institute form as related to the recent Stylodipus (= Scir- of the USSR Academy of Sciences (Tesakov, topoda) telum. In late 60’s and early 70’s V.A. 1994; Pevzner et al., 1998). Remains of Plios Topachevsky and his group collected and de cirtopoda were obtained from the two succes scribed more material from several localities of sive stratigraphic levels of Kryzhanovka sec the same region. A few molars were added tion. Material from Late Pliocene level 3 un from the type locality and also from the derlying the type level 4 with P. stepanovi is of geologically younger Early Pleistocene Allo- special interest. Morphological differences of phaiomys faunas of Tarkhankut and Nogaisk. Plioscirtopoda from level 3 warrant the de A particularly representative collection of P. scription of a new species ancestral to P stepanovi was described from Tarkhankut, Cri stepanovi. The present paper deals with dental mea. The detailed morphological analysis of P remains; some data on postrcranial morphol stepanovi by Topachevsky (1973) showed that ogy of this genus were published by Topa because of a unique combination of advanced chevsky (1973) and Topachevsky & Skorik and primitive characters this form cannot be a (1977). direct ancestor o f recent Stylodipus species, but Methods. Dental remains of jerboas were is rather a specialized independent branch of drawn with the use of a camera lucida equiped dipodine jerboas. Since that time, scanty re binocular microscopes MBS-1 and MBS-10. mains of Plioscirtopoda were identified and Measurements were taken with the ocular listed from Early Pleistocene deposits of Don measuring scale of the MBS-10 binocular mi Basin (Kazantseva, 1990; Krasnenkov et al., croscope. The ocular scale was calibrated 1992), Volga area (Sukhov, 1977), Western Si against standard object scale to remove distor- 238 A.S. Tesakov: New data on Plioscirlopoda • ZOOSYST. ROSSICA Vol 9 1 2 2a 3 4 5 Fig. 1. Dental morphology. 1-12, Plioscirlopodastepanovi 1. Gromov & Schevtchenko: 1, 10, 13, ml; 2-4, m2; 2a, m2, anterior side view; 5, m3; 6, 11, Ml; 7-8,12, М2; 9, М3. 1-8, 13-left, 9, 10-12 - right. 1-9: Kryzhanovka 4, EMM-25/1 - 9; 10-12: Tizdar(10-EMM-29/20; 11-12-EMM-10/65-66). 13, Plioscirlopodanovorossicasp. n., Liventsovka3. tions introduced by human vision. All meas exceeding occlusal length. Reentrants deep, not urements are in millimetres. Scale bars in illus forming enamel islets. Anterior and posterior trations correspond to 1 mm. All remains of complications of upper molars present. Cusps Plioscirlopoda are preserved in Geological Insti alternation well-developed. Anteroconid of ml tute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GIN): half-fused with metaconid. Protoflexid of m2 coll. EMM-25 (Kryzhanovka 4), EMM-31,32 reduced. Mental foramen shifted almost to (Kryzhanovka 3), coll. EMM-10,29 (Tizdar). middle part of lateral side of mandible. Dental cusps terminology. The basic ter- minilogy mainly follows that of Shenbrot Plioscirtopoda stepanovi I. Gromov & Schev (1984, 1986) with modifications after Martin tchenko, 1961 (1994). For anterior cusplets in upper molars, (Figs 1: 1-12) anterocon is used instead of anteroconule. For anterior and posterior cusps of lower molars, Plioscirtopoda stepanovi Gromov & Schevtchenko, 1961: anteroconid is used instead of anteroconulid, 976-979, fig. 2; Schevtchenko, 1965: 53-54, fig. 3Sd-e; Topachevsky, 1965: 70-74, fig. 16: 1-4, 17; and hypoconulid instead of posterostylid. Up Topachevsky, 1973: 52-74, fig. 10: 1, 11-14, 15: 1; per case = upper dentition, lower case = lower Topachevsky & Skorik, 1977: 69-70; Sukhov, 1977: dentition. 88-89, fig. 1:7-13. Genus Plioscirtopoda I. Gromov & Schev Material examined. Ukraine, Odessa Prov., tchenko, 1961 Kryzhanovka 4: 1 ml, 3 m2, 1 m3, 1 Ml, 2 М2, 1 М3; Russia, Krasnodar Terr., Tizdar: 1 ml, 2 М2. Geological age. Early Pleistocene, Early Biharian, Diagnosis (emend.). Pm4 absent. Molars small mammal associations dominated by Allophaiomys mesodont with height in young specimens not and lagurines. ZOOSYST. ROSSICA Vol. 9 • À.S Tesakov: New data on Plioscirtopoda 239 Diagnosis (emend.). Molars relatively com from Kryzhanovka; the holotype, first upper pressed antero-posteriorly. Anterior part of first molar (Gromov & Schevtchenko, 1961: Fig. lower molar flattened, with subequal meta- 2a), and a paratype, second upper molar with conid and anteroconid. absent anteroexternal reentrant fold (ibid., Fig. Description, m l. Size: 2.34 x 1.85. Two 2b). However, contrary to recent Stylodipus, round roots. Anterior part slightly biloph be M l-2 of Plioscirtopoda never shows complete cause of shallow anterior fold. The fold divides loss of this fold. Therefore, this specimen larger rounded metaconid and smaller cusplet, seems to be an inverted upper molar, likely the anteroconid. Anterior tips o f metaconid and M l. When inverted, the molar shows the ob anteroconid at the same level. Metaconid and tuse anteroexternal fold typical to first upper protoconid broadly communicate. Posterior molars of Plioscirtopoda. Two more molars lobe (hypoconid + hypoconulid) broad. from upper bed of Kryzhanovka (M 1 and М2) m2. Size: 1.92 x 1.51,2.12.x 1.85,2.1 x 1.61. were added by Topachevsky (1973). Another Three roots: two anterior and one posterior, flat close stratigraphic match in Odessa, Zhevak- tened root. Posterior, hypoconid part narrower hova Gora 5, yielded three molars: m l, M l, than anterior part. Metaconid and protoconid al М3 (Topachevsky, 1965, 1973). The new mate ways widely fused. In one specimen (Fig. 1: 2), rial from the type locality, the upper bed of shallow second labial reentrant fold (protoflexid) Kryzhanovka (Fig. 1: 1-9), described in the separates protoconid and metaconid portions. present paper, makes it possible to emphasize m3. Size: 1.12 x 0.98. Two rounded roots. differences between the type form and the well Simple c-shaped form with a single deep labial defined Tatkhankut population. The main dif reentrant, A very shallow anterior fold marks a ference is in the size, the teeth from the Odessa relic of the second labial reentrant (Fig. 1: 5). samples (both from Kryzhanovka 4 and M l. Size: about 1.95 x 1.65. Four roots. A Zhevakhova Gora 5) are noticeably larger than fragmentary molar shows meta-, hypo-, para-, those of the Crimean form. However, given the proto-, and a weekly developed anterocon (Fig. 1 : small sample size these differences are not 6). Anterocon points anterolabially. Hypoflexus considered statistically meaningful, possibly and metaflexus deep and slightly curving posteri except for the lower m2, for which the differ orly (retrovergent). Paraflexus shallow, close to a ence is significant at 10% level. For now, it right angle. may be noted that the teeth from the two sam М2. Size: 1.85 x 1.66,about2.05 x 1.71.Four ples of P. stepanovi from the Upper Kujalnik roots; lingual roots thicker than labial ones. Oc Allophaiomys levels o f the Odessa region seem clusal structure similar to that of MI. First labial to be larger and more robust as compared to reentrant (paraflexus) shallow and forms an acute those of other known Early Pleistocene repre angle. Anterocon points labially. Protocon large. sentatives of the species (Nogaisk, Tizdar, Do- Incipient second lingual flexus present. mashkinskie Vershiny). The early Allo М3. Size: 1.27 x 1.12. Three roots: two ante phaiomys small mammal association of Tizdar rior and one posterior. Posterior root with signs of (Tesakov, 1998; Pevzner et al., 1998) yielded fusion of anterior and posterior roots. Ocllusial three molars of P. stepanovi (Fig. 1: 10-12). structure resembles a smaller version of М2 with These molars are close in dimensions to other simplified posterior part. samples o f this species. Dimensions of Tizdar Hypsodonty. Observed ratio of occlusal specimens are: 1.95 x 1.42 (m l), 1.71 x 1.32 length to crown height varies in two anterior (M l), 1.78 x 1.50 (М2). The ratio of occlusal molars from 74 to 46 (n = 7). length to crown height is rather high: 76 (ml), Notes.