Rodents, lagomorphs and insectivores

ABSTRACT In the context of the present monograph on the late Miocene vertebrate locality of Kucukcekmece, this paper aims to provide a detailed analysis of rodent, lagomorph and insectivore remains. The Kucukcekmece fauna includes three species of rodents (Byzantinia bayraktepensis Unay, 1980, Spalacidae indet. and Chalicomys jaegeri Kaup, 1832), one lagomorph (Ochotona ozansoyi Sen, 2003) and two insectivores (Schizogalerix sp. and Crusafontina cf. endemica Gibert, 1975). This assemblage is far from reflecting the complete spectrum of these groups in the community of the region. Several common late Miocene taxa are not represented in the material, which was collected by hand picking on the outcrops, not by screen washing of sediment. Among the species recovered, B. bayraktepensis and O. ozansoyi are known elsewhere in latest Astaracian (MN8) and early Vallesian (MN9) localities. The other taxa found at Kucukcekmece are common elements of European Vallesian faunas. Abundance of the beaver C. jaegeri sugge...