Gliridae (Mammalia, Rodentia) of the European Oligocene: origin of three Miocene genera

Abstract

Populations of advanced Lower to Upper Oligocene Gliridae are studied here. A new species of Glirudinus (G. Antiquus nov.sp.) is described, from Itardies (Lower Oligocene, MP23), showing the early origination of this lineage. Microdyromys praemurinus (de Bruijn, 1966) and Peridyromys murinus (Pomel, 1853) are found together in the Upper Oligocene locality Pech du Fraysse (MP28b), as they were in Saint Victor la Coste (MP 29, Hugueney, 1968). Their relationships, origins and descents are discussed. A new species, unnamed because it is recorded by one specimen only, is described from Pech du Fraysse. Its features show close either to Peridyromys or to Myomimus (Ognev, 1924). The difficulty to distinguish the early stages of advanced Gliridae lineages is underlined, and their distinctive characters are analyzed.