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The eomyid rodents (Mammalia) from the Oligocene and Miocene of the Valley of Lakes (Central Mongolia)

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Abstract

We report new discoveries of eomyid rodents from the Valley of Lakes (Central Mongolia) yielded by diverse layers ranging in age from the Early Oligocene (local biozone A) to the Late Miocene (local biozone E). The remains of eomyid rodents are relatively rare compared to other groups of fossil rodents found in the same region. All together, eight taxa have been identified: Eomys cf. orientalis (biozone A), Eomys aff. orientalis and Eomys sp. (biozone B), cf. Asianeomys bolligeri (biozone C), Asianeomys dangheensis (biozones C1 and D), Eomyops/Leptodontomys sp. and Keramidomys sp. (biozone D1/2), and Omboomys builstynensis gen. nov., sp. nov. (biozone E). A progressive change of dental morphology and size indicates that the genus Asianeomys represents a local evolution of the genus Eomys in Asia, but also suggests the possible existence of a lineage including Eomys cf. orientalis, Eomys aff. orientalis, cf. Asianeomys bolligeri, and Asianeomys dangheensis.

Kurzfassung

Vorgestellt werden neue fossile Funde von Eomyiden aus dem “Valley of Lakes„ der zentralen Mongolei. Sie stammen aus unterschiedlich alten Fundschichten, deren Alter vom Unteroligozän (lokale Biozone A) bis in das Obermiozän (lokale Biozone E) reicht. Im Verhältnis zu der restlichen, fossilen Nagetierfauna aus dieser Region sind die Eomyiden mengenmäßig vergleichsweise spärlich belegt. Insgesamt sind acht Taxa nachgewiesen: Eomys cf. orientalis (Biozone A), Eomys aff. orientalis and Eomys sp. (Biozone B), cf. Asianeomys bolligeri (Biozone C), Asianeomys dangheensis (Biozonen C1 and D), Eomyops/Leptodontomys sp. und Keramidomys sp. (Biozone D1/2) und Omboomys builstynensis gen. nov., sp. nov. (Biozone E). Die nachgewiesenen fortschreitenden Veränderungen in der Zahnmorphologie und –größe legt nahe, dass sich die Gattung Asianeomys in Asien aus der Gattung Eomys entwickelt hat und lässt eine mögliche evolutive Linie von Eomys cf. orientalis über Eomys aff. orientalis und cf. Asianeomys bolligeri bis hin zu Asianeomys dangheensis erkennen.

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Acknowledgments

The O.M.’s research is supported by a Lise Meitner Fellowship (FWF-M1375-B17) from the Austrian Science Fund. The field work was supported by Special Research Programs from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF- P-10505-GEO, P-15724-N06 and P-23061-N19) to G. D.-H. We acknowledge our Mongolian project partners R. Barsbold and Yo. Khand. Special thanks to the Mongolian field-team (Y. Sodov†, B. Bayarmaa, Yo. Radnaa, the nomad families L. Olzibaataar and Ch. Tomurbaataar) who organized and carried out fieldwork, washed and sorted samples, and finally produced these rare and interesting fossils from the Valley of Lakes. We also thank D. Topa (Natural History Museum Vienna) for assistance in taking SEM pictures. We also thank two referees L.J. Flynn (Peabody Museum Harvard) and J. Prieto (University Tübingen) who contributed to this work through instructive discussions and comments on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Olivier Maridet.

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List of all eomyid specimens including the collection number, the systematic name, the type of element, the locality, the layer, and the age.

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Maridet, O., Daxner-Höck, G., Badamgarav, D. et al. The eomyid rodents (Mammalia) from the Oligocene and Miocene of the Valley of Lakes (Central Mongolia). Paläontol Z 89, 207–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-014-0224-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-014-0224-6

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