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The ecological, physiological and species-specific characteristics of the leukocyte profile of two species of cyclomorphic rodents, the bank vole Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780) and the pygmy wood mouse Apodemus uralensis (Pallas, 1811), were studied for the first time in the adjacent territories of the Kologriv and Kostroma districts of the Kostroma Oblast. It was established that the leukocyte profiles of the studied rodents are different in different species and vary significantly among individuals inhabiting the Kologrivsky Forest Reserve and the Kostroma Forestry. Multivariate analysis of variance showed that the white blood cell differential parameters largely correlate with the following factors: “location of capture,” “taxonomic species,” “gender,” “stage of the population cycle,” and “year of study.” The relatively high degree of deviation of the splenic index in the studied species indicates the heterogeneity of populations for this trait. At the same time, no reliable association was found between the risk of developing splenomegaly in mouse-like rodents, and the characteristics of their reproductive strategy and susceptibility to invasions.

Rodents are maintenance hosts of numerous pathogens, and both their density and the pathogen prevalence determine the risk they pose to other animals or humans. However, density is often overlooked. We investigated a capture‐mark‐recapture‐sampling strategy to study introduced mice (Mus musculus) and Leptospira as a model and demonstrate the advantages of a combined approach. We estimated population density and Leptospira prevalence in mice in a replicated longitudinal survey conducted between 2016 and 2018. Capture‐mark‐recapture sessions were undertaken at two sites in Spring and Autumn and blood and kidney samples were collected at the end of each session. Mouse density and areas of activity were estimated using spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) models and both were compared between Leptospira positive and negative mice. Leptospira exposure and shedding status were estimated using Microscopic Agglutination Test, and a combination of culture and lipL32 PCR on kidneys. Leptospira prevalence was higher in spring (83%–86%) than in autumn (31%–37%) and mouse densities simultaneously varied from 3.6 to 55.9/ha. However, despite these variations in prevalence and density, the density of infected animals remained relatively constant over time (3–8/ha). Shedding or being seropositive was also associated with the activity of mice. Shedding or seropositive mice had a larger activity area, and seropositive mice were trapped on average 1 day earlier than seronegative mice. Synthesis and applications: Our results show how understanding the population dynamics of pathogen‐carrying rodents is critical in epidemiology. The wider movement patterns and easier encounters of positive mice highlight the possibility of biases in classical prevalence surveys and have implications for disease transmission within and between species. Importantly, and quite counter‐intuitively, Leptospira prevalence was negatively associated with mouse density, resulting in a constant density of shedders that contradicts the conventional view of higher exposure risk at high rodent density. More broadly, such sampling designs can improve animal and disease control policies and better inform modelling studies by providing more parameter estimates than classical prevalence surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa) provides an important fossil record of the evolutionary history of PlioPleistocene hominins. Cooper's Cave deposits have yielded a rich fossil faunal assemblage, as well as six remains attributed to Paranthropus robustus. This study provides the first taxonomic, taphonomic and palaeoecological description of the micromammal material from the 1.4 Ma assemblage of Cooper's D. The taphonomic signature of the assemblage indicates an accumulation by tytonid owls (probably Tyto alba) and advanced postdepositional disturbance probably related to trampling by the occupants of the cave, sorting of the bones along slope, and burying. The taxonomic analysis undertaken here at genus level describes at least 22 taxa of small mammals, including one extinct genus Proodontomys. This assemblage is dominated by Mystromys and Otomys, two rodent genera adapted to grassland habitats which are among the most common among pliopleistocene micromammal faunas from the region. The palaeoecological analysis suggests an open landscape with a predominance of grassland and savanna vegetation, and the proximity of rocky outcrops and a perennial river. These results support previous indications of a shift in the African climate and vegetation towards more open habitats during the Early Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than half a century, the question remained unresolved why the closely located sequences of fluvial sands overlying Middle Pleistocene diamicton in the lower reaches of the Ob River near the village of Khashgort contain micromammal faunas of different evolutionary levels: Late Quaternary (430 km from the Ob River mouth) and Middle Quaternary (442 (440) km from the Ob River mouth). This was in contradiction with generally accepted ideas, according to which the absence of Middle Quaternary alluvium was assumed in this area and called into question either geological or paleontological interpretations of the Pleistocene history of north of Western Siberia. This paper presents the results of correlating two geological sections based on both geological and paleontological methods and suggests an updated biostratigraphic interpretation of the materials relevant to the Karginian and Tazovian horizons of Western Siberia collected in the 1980s and 2016–2022. It was established that the Late Quaternary assemblage of micromammals from the sections at kilometer 430 of the Ob River is confined to alluvium of the second terrace above the river floodplain, while the Middle Quaternary assemblage at kilometer 442 (the Khashgort locality, kilometer 440 of the Bolshaya Ob River) is associated with fluvioglacial sands showing signs of close redeposition of small mammal remains in the megaclasts contained in Middle Quaternary Khashgort boulder-bearing sandy aleuropelites. Thus, the study makes it possible to harmonize the geological and paleontological data that were in conflict for more than half a century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fourteen micromammal species have been identified. • A Late Pleistocene (MIS 2–4) age is suggested for the micromammalian fauna. • A relatively arid, steppe-like plain with sparsely-wooded patches palaeoenvironment is inferred. • The site was most likely located near a permanent or temporary water body. • The palaeoclimate was colder than nowadays, but rather warm compared to more northern parts of Europe. The Late Pleistocene small mammal fauna from Agios Georgios Cave (Kilkis, Central Macedonia, Greece) is examined, resulting in the identification of 14 species of Chiroptera, Rodentia and Lagomorpha. The palaeoenvironment of the area around the cave seems to have been a relatively arid, steppe-like plain with sparsely-wooded patches. There was also a permanent or temporary water body near the cave. The palaeoclimate of the region was colder than today, but rather warm compared to more northern parts of Europe, which were strongly affected by the Last Glacial Maximum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild small rodents are considered the natural reservoirs of Mycobacterium microti, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) that can cause tuberculosis (TB) in humans and animals, as well as interfere with current tuberculosis eradication plans in livestock. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Catalan Pyrenees (Iberian Peninsula) in an area where M. microti was previously isolated from wild boars, to evaluate the role of micromammals in the epidemiology of this outbreak. A total of 350 wild rodents were necropsied (306 Murinae and 44 Arvicolinae) in spring and autumn during two consecutive natural years. Tissues were analyzed by histopathology to look for TB-like lesions and by qPCR and culture to detect MTBC. Sera were analyzed by MTBC-specific ELISA. No evidence of TB infection in wild rodents was confirmed. Results suggest that small rodents did not play a role in the epidemiology of M. microti in the area. The source of this mycobacterium remains unknown, but previous detections of M. microti in various species in southern France suggest the movements of wild boars across the French Pyrenees as the most likely origin of the outbreak detected in the Iberian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Pleistocene environmental history of the north of West Siberia is very incomplete. Only a few poorly preserved paleoarchives are known so far in this huge part of Eurasia encompassing up to one million square kilometers. Here we present new data (micromammals, insects, plant macrofossils and luminescence dating) from the lower reaches of the Ob' and Irtysh Rivers. We reconstruct the circumstances of the formation of the fossil-bearing sites Bolshaya Ob 440 km – Khashgort (BOB440) and Gornopravdinsk 2 (GP2) and compare the results with the current state of knowledge of the environmental change in this area. The combined evidence suggests that the fossil-bearing unit known as the Khashgort diagonal sands at BOB440 yields 1) a late Middle Pleistocene complex of fauna and flora of a cold terrestrial environment with tundra-like vegetation, 2) a Middle Pleistocene flora of interglacial environment with temperate vegetation, and 3) reworked fossils form the Late Cretaceous – Oligocene. Geochronometric data suggest that the Khashgort sand unit at BOB440 might have been formed during the Middle/Late Pleistocene transition. However, because of a high variation in results obtained on repeated samples from the same strata, some uncertainty of the luminescence dating remains, which requires further verification. The fossil-bearing fluvial sequence at GP2 represents the lower part of the Chembakchino Formation and encompasses the lower part of the Tobolian Horizon (correlated with Holsteinian). The micromammal complex comprises Dicrostonyx simplicior (intermediate morphological stage S2 sensu Smirnov et al., 1997), Lasiopodomys gregalis , Microtus nivaloides lidiae and other taxa, which are characteristic of the early evolutionary stage of late Middle Pleistocene faunas in the north of West Siberia. The paleoecological analysis of plant and animal remains at GP2 suggests an environmental change from cold, tundra-like landscapes at the Shaitanian/Tobolian transition (MIS 12 – MIS 11) to non-analogous open patchy landscapes with highly productive moss and herbaceous vegetation during the early Tobolian time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grey voles Microtus sensu lato represent one of the youngest and most successful radiations of rodents in the Holarctic that gave rise to several genera and over 60 living species. Despite abundant fossil record encompassing up to one million years, the early stages of Microtus' evolution remain poorly understood. We describe Microtus voles from fluvial deposits (Tobolsky Horizon, the Late Middle Pleistocene) found in 2019–2020 in Gornopravdinsk 2, West Siberia. Based on linear measurements, m1 morphotypes, and configuration of mandibular masseteric crests, we identify the sample as a new taxon M. nivaloides lidiae ssp. nov. It appears more advanced than type specimens of M. nivaloides sensu stricto from West Runton Freshwater Bed (the Early Middle Pleistocene, Great Britain), and falls within the range of m1 variability of M. nivaloides sensu lato from the Middle Pleistocene of Eastern Europe. M. n. lidiae is found in a non-analogue faunal assemblage with Lemmus sibiricus, Dicrostonyx simplicior, Alexandromys oeconomus, Lasiopodomys gregalis, rare Clethrionomys cf. glareolus, Alexandromys aut Microtus cf. malei, Lagurus sp. We hypothesise that M. n. lidiae was a meadow-steppe element in the Middle Pleistocene communities and a terminal taxon in the 'nivaloides' clade that became extinct with no descendants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present our dataset containing up-to-date information about occurrences of trematodes in small mammals in the Middle Volga region (European Russia). The dataset summarizes micromammals' trematode occurrences obtained by long-term field helminthological studies of soricomorphs, erinaceomorphs, bats and rodents during a period of more than 20 years (1999–2022). Our studies of trematodes in micromammals were conducted using the method of complete helminthological necropsy. The dataset includes 7470 records of trematode occurrences in micromammals with 4483 digenean records in Samara Oblast, 2986 records in Republic of Mordovia and one trematode record in Ulyanovsk Oblast. Our dataset presents the data on 43 trematode species from 21 genera and 9 families found in the region studied. The data on trematodes from 28 species of micromammals belonging to 14 genera are presented. In total, the number of collected trematode specimens in our dataset is 153,050. Each occurrence record contains the trematode species name, basis of record, locality of finding, host species, site in host, date and authors of the record and species identification. All occurrence records are georeferenced. The dataset is based on the research of the staff of the Institute of Ecology of the Volga River basin of RAS and the Joint Directorate of the Mordovia Nature Reserve and National Park "Smolny". The distribution and diversity of trematodes of small mammals in the Middle Volga region has not been completely studied, and further investigation may reveal both new occurrences of trematodes and new host records. Dataset:  https://doi.org/10.15468/gmt9ct. Dataset License: Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postes Cave in SW Spain (Extremadura) displays a Holocene archaeostratigraphic sequence radiocarbon-dated to between c. 8.5–4 cal kyr BP (Mesolithic-Chalcolithic). The sediments collected at two areas within the cave yielded small mammal remains belonging to eleven species of rodents, 'insectivores', lagomorphs and chiropterans. This small mammal fossil assemblage is one of the few known to date in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Preliminary taphonomic analysis and previously published data suggest that the remains were accumulated by the predatory activity of Eurasian eagle owls and small to medium-sized carnivores such as red foxes. The palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic reconstructions performed show stable conditions with slight variations during its time span, suggesting an initial scenario of open forested habitats during the Mesolithic and Neolithic which progressively decreased in favour of more open habitats during the Chalcolithic coinciding with human-induced changes of the landscape and with the aridification trend of this period. The presence of Microtus cabrerae and Crocidura suaveolens in the assemblage is noteworthy since they are now extinct in this region. The plausible causes and the processes of these extirpations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although antibiotic resistance is a major issue for both human and animal health, very few studies have investigated the role of the bacterial host spectrum in its dissemination within natural ecosystems. Here, we assessed the prevalence of methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from humans, non-human primates (NHPs), micromammals and bats in a primatology center located in southeast Gabon, and evaluated the plausibility of four main predictions regarding the acquisition of antibiotic resistance in this ecosystem. MRSA strain prevalence was much higher in exposed species (i.e., humans and NHPs which receive antibiotic treatment) than in unexposed species (micromammals and bats), and in NHP species living in enclosures than those in captivity—supporting the assumption that antibiotic pressure is a risk factor in the acquisition of MRSA that is reinforced by the irregularity of drug treatment. In the two unexposed groups of species, resistance prevalence was high in the generalist strains that infect humans or NHPs, supporting the hypothesis that MRSA strains diffuse to wild species through interspecific transmission of a generalist strain. Strikingly, the generalist strains that were not found in humans showed a higher proportion of MRSA strains than specialist strains, suggesting that generalist strains present a greater potential for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance than specialist strains. The host spectrum is thus a major component of the issue of antibiotic resistance in ecosystems where humans apply strong antibiotic pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the new vertebrate site of La Piquera (Duero Basin, central Iberian Peninsula), provide a detailed description of the lithostratigraphy and present a preliminary faunal list. The fossil vertebrate association includes amphibians (with representatives of the families Salamandridae, Alytidae, Pelodytidae, and Bufonidae), squamate reptiles (with members of the families Agamidae, Lacertidae, Anguidae, Scincidae, Blanidae, 'Erycidae, and Colubridae/Psammophiidae), and mammals (with representatives of the families Soricidae, Erinaceidae, Muridae, Cricetidae, Gerbillidae, Gliridae, Sciuridae, Vespertilionidae, Rhinolophidae, Miniopteridae, Megadermatidae, Leporidae, Prolagidae, and Bovidae). The association indicates an intermediate biostratigraphic position between the southern Iberian sites of Sifón-413 (at about 5.33-5.23 Ma) and Botardo-D (between 4.79 and 4.63 Ma), the new locality being correlated with the earliest Ruscinian (lower part of the MN14 unit). The ecological affinities of the identified small vertebrates suggest the presence of a landscape dominated by open herbaceous meadows in the surroundings of the fossil-site during the earliest Pliocene, with the occasional presence of woodland patches and stable water bodies under relatively dry and warm environmental conditions. La Piquera therefore enhances our knowledge on the vertebrate community recorded in central Iberian Peninsula during the earliest Pliocene. With more than 1200 remains, La Piquera becomes a key locality for the Early Pliocene of southwestern Europe, central Spain, where this time-span is poorly represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to answer the question on the possibility of using the data on arvicoline rodent occurrence for revealing large-scale gradients of humidity in the central part of Northern Eurasia. We classify all arvicoline species known in the study area since the Late Pleistocene into 5 groups based on the vegetation type and moisture balance of breeding and survival habitats of their extant representatives and assign habitat moisture preference rates from 1 to 5 to the species associated with xero-, mesoxero-, meso- mesohygro- and hygrophytic vegetation. The obtained ordinal variable called relative humidity of arvicoline habitats (RHA) is estimated for paleontological and neontological datasets subdivided into geographical segments. In the Southern, Middle and Northern segments of the Ural Mountains, the relative humidity of arvicoline habitats increased northwards and increased over time from the Late Pleistocene to the Late Holocene. During the Late Pleistocene—Holocene, the species of xeric habitats were less frequent on the western slope of the Ural Mointains than on the eastern slope. However, the differences between the slopes are not detected in the neontological dataset. The data on arvicoline habitat humidity reveal the increased gradual mesophytization of the communities in all geographical segments of the study area from the Late Pleistocene to the Late Holocene. Arvicolines associated with mesophytic vegetation predominate on the western slope of the Southern, Middle, and Northern Urals and on the eastern slope of the Middle Urals since the Early Holocene. On the eastern slope of the Southern Urals, the arvicolines of mesic habitats predominate since the Late Holocene. The results suggest that arvicoline rodents may be successfully used for reconstruction of spatiotemporal environmental gradients using the data on relative humidity of their habitats. Suggested approach may contribute to multi-proxy paleoenvironmental reconstructions for the Late Quaternary and appears to be important for paleoarchives comprising no reliable paleobotanic data (e.g., numerous karst caves of the Ural Mountains). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various predators are known to have ubiquitously contributed to the accumulation of fossil microvertebrate assemblages in Quaternary depositional settings. Deciphering the taxonomic identity of the predator responsible for each such assemblage through detailed taphonomic analysis has become a prerequisite for paleoecological research to gain insight into their prey and foraging habitat preferences. However, this flourishing field of research builds on the assumption that the pristine taxon-specific taphonomic signal of various predators could have become preserved in the fossil record, unbiased or only negligibly biased by a wide array of destructive post-depositional processes, which could introduce noise into the preservational system. Here we evaluate the likelihood that the predator taphonomic imprint could have been entirely obliterated by such post-depositional action within an especially large assemblage of the remains of micromammals (Rodentia, Eulipotyphla, and Chiroptera; N = 25,810) from Middle Paleolithic Layer C of Tabun Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel. The microfauna from this major stratigraphic unit (c. 2.5 m thick; uniquely yielding the fossils of both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals), with a mean chronometric age of c. 165 ka, has no contemporary analogues in the regional record, indicating exceptional paleoecological conditions for its timespan. We took advantage of the fact that Layer C (aka a major stratigraphic unit) was subdivided in more recent excavations into as many as 26 separate layers (aka beds), featuring relatively nuanced differences in sedimentary, diagenetic, and anthropogenic characteristics, to both independently assess the possibility that Layer C as a whole is isotaphonomic and evaluate the extent of taphonomic variation from bed to bed within it. While substantial variation and bias were revealed in a broad array of standard taphonomic indices of skeletal element fragmentation and differential representation, one index—the grading of digested molars according to the severity of digestion—proved robust against post-depositional distortions of the predatory signal. We discuss the implications of these findings for reliable taphonomic and paleoecological assessment in research with microvertebrate fossil remains. • Taphonomy of a large assemblage of Middle Paleolithic microvertebrates analyzed. • Variation in multiple taphonomic indices evaluated through one thick layer. • Most taphonomic indices demonstrated wide error ranges and low diagnostic value. • Molar digestion grading proved robust for identifying the accumulating predator. • Reliable and economic taphonomic assessment of microvertebrate remains discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, we present our dataset containing up-to-date information about occurrences of trematodes in small mammals in the Middle Volga region (European Russia). The dataset summarizes micromammals’ trematode occurrences obtained by long-term field helminthological studies of soricomorphs, erinaceomorphs, bats and rodents during a period of more than 20 years (1999–2022). Our studies of trematodes in micromammals were conducted using the method of complete helminthological necropsy. The dataset includes 7470 records of trematode occurrences in micromammals with 4483 digenean records in Samara Oblast, 2986 records in Republic of Mordovia and one trematode record in Ulyanovsk Oblast. Our dataset presents the data on 43 trematode species from 21 genera and 9 families found in the region studied. The data on trematodes from 28 species of micromammals belonging to 14 genera are presented. In total, the number of collected trematode specimens in our dataset is 153,050. Each occurrence record contains the trematode species name, basis of record, locality of finding, host species, site in host, date and authors of the record and species identification. All occurrence records are georeferenced. The dataset is based on the research of the staff of the Institute of Ecology of the Volga River basin of RAS and the Joint Directorate of the Mordovia Nature Reserve and National Park “Smolny”. The distribution and diversity of trematodes of small mammals in the Middle Volga region has not been completely studied, and further investigation may reveal both new occurrences of trematodes and new host records.

Cricetodon is present in the early Miocene of Greece in six assemblages, Cricetodon aliveriensis Klein Hofmeijer and de Bruijn, 1988 in Aliveri and Karydia (both MN4) and Cricetodon meini Freudenthal, 1963 in the MN5 localities of Thymiana A and C, Antonios and Komotini. The two MN4 small mammal assemblages in Aliveri (Euboea island) and Karydia (Northern Greece) have several species in common and Cricetodon aliveriensis is one of them. The aim of this paper is to record and describe this species, the most abundant rodent in the Karydia assemblage, to compare the morphological variation and to discuss the differences in size between the material of Karydia and Aliveri. The results of this study indicate that we deal with one Cricetodon species in Karydia, although more advanced than Cricetodon aliveriensis from Aliveri. This study highlights the importance of a detailed morphological description to the size range of a species. The Karydia material shows a large range in length and width measurements that may indicate heterogeneity of samples. However, the morphological similarity and the normal distribution of the Cricetodon values support the assignment to only one species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Iranian Zagros is a remarkable zone to study Middle and Upper Palaeolithic human occupations and Tang-e Shikan (Arsanjan) is a strategic cave site which archaeological evidence can be taken as a proxy for the southeast portion. Micromammals have been extensively used as palaeoecological indicators and here we use the assemblage from Tang-e Shikan to infer the landscape and environment that framed and arguably triggered cultural change. A thorough taphonomic analysis was undertaken prior to any interpretation. Fourteen taxa have been identified: two "insectivores" s.l., nine rodents, two lagomorphs, and unidentified chiropterans. The remains would be the digestion by-products of a category 5 opportunistic predator: either an avian raptor or a mammalian carnivore. Our results show that shrubland and grassland dominated the distribution of habitats in the area during the Middle Palaeolithic (MP), followed by moderate rocky, desert, and steppe components, and sparse patches of woodland. The younger period of the MP occupation (NMP: ∼55-45 ka BP) would be somewhat wetter than the older period (OMP: ∼70-55 ka BP). Within a general environmental stability, slight changes between OMP and NMP are reasonably correlated with a shift in certain cultural patterns, as the use of a water reservoir and a stone drainage system during the OMP or the increase of hunting and moderate change in lithic technology and raw material acquisition during the NMP. Our environmental inferences are further supported by palynological data and match a regional trend towards wetter habitats in moving from the MP to the present. • Micromammals used as palaeoecological proxies of Tang-e Shikan Cave in Iranian Zagros. • Taphonomic analyses show remains are digestion by-products of a category 5 predator. • Shrubland and grassland dominated the habitats during the Middle Palaeolithic. • Slight landscape and environmental changes arguably triggered cultural change. • Palynological data supports our small-mammal-based environmental inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although antibiotic resistance is a major issue for both human and animal health, very few studies have investigated the role of the bacterial host spectrum in its dissemination within natural ecosystems. Here, we assessed the prevalence of methicillin resistance among Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from humans, non-human primates (NHPs), micromammals and bats in a primatology center located in southeast Gabon, and evaluated the plausibility of four main predictions regarding the acquisition of antibiotic resistance in this ecosystem. MRSA strain prevalence was much higher in exposed species (i.e., humans and NHPs which receive antibiotic treatment) than in unexposed species (micromammals and bats), and in NHP species living in enclosures than those in captivity—supporting the assumption that antibiotic pressure is a risk factor in the acquisition of MRSA that is reinforced by the irregularity of drug treatment. In the two unexposed groups of species, resistance prevalence was high in the generalist strains that infect humans or NHPs, supporting the hypothesis that MRSA strains diffuse to wild species through interspecific transmission of a generalist strain. Strikingly, the generalist strains that were not found in humans showed a higher proportion of MRSA strains than specialist strains, suggesting that generalist strains present a greater potential for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance than specialist strains. The host spectrum is thus a major component of the issue of antibiotic resistance in ecosystems where humans apply strong antibiotic pressure.

Wonderwerk Cave, in South Africa, is an exceptional site that has yielded a large collection of small mammal fossils in a stratigraphic sequence reaching back ca. 2 million years. Taphonomic studies undertaken to date, show that Tytonidae (likely Tyto alba) was the dominant predator during the Earlier Stone Age. They produced masses of pellets that formed a dense carpet-like surface that covered the cave floor at intervals throughout the sequence. This paper compares the taphonomic signatures of five different Earlier Stone Age small mammal assemblages from Wonderwerk Cave, including assemblages not studied before, as well as a modern pellet assemblage collected from inside the cave. These samples were examined using taphonomic signatures, bone density and spatial distribution which confirm that the main predator in all periods of cave occupation were members of the Family Tytonidae, most likely Barn owls. The Wonderwerk small mammals have enabled us to clarify site formation processes and confirm that there was no transport or mixing of fossils, neither spatially (re-sedimentation) nor chronologically (reworking). This has confirmed the integrity of the stratigraphic sequence in the cave, reinforcing interpretations of palaeoecology, and elucidating intensity of occupation by hominins versus predators, and the behaviour of the predators vis a vis their prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This preliminary report concerns the micromammalian remains recovered from the Pleistocene strata in Excavation 1 at Wonderwerk Cave by Peter B. Beaumont during the 1980s and early 1990s. Because of the large size of the samples (170 656 specimens representing a minimum of 71 304 individuals), identification has so far only been taken to the generic level. Remains belonging to 34, and possibly 36, genera in five Orders have been identified, and there could be as many as 48 species represented. The uneven horizontal distribution of material throughout the excavation indicates probable roost or nest sites of Barn owls (Tyto alba), which is the most likely predator responsible for their accumulation. There is also considerable vertical variation in the amount of material in the different levels, which indicates that the predators were not consistently present in the area throughout the period represented by the deposits. In the majority of the samples, Gerbillinae (Gerbillis c us , gerbils) are best represented when supra-generic groupings are used. This suggests that conditions were reasonably arid during the periods represented by the samples but not necessarily throughout the entire period spanned by the deposits. When original groupings (genus and above) are considered, Otomyinae (Otomys spp., vlei rats) predominate in nearly half the samples. Secondarily important prey taxa are shrews (Soricidae), rats and mice (Murinae) and elephant shrews (Macroscelididae). This implies some variation in environmental conditions over time but more detailed interpretations must await further analysis. In particular it is imperative to identify the species of Gerbilliscus and Otomys before progress can be made. A range of techniques is now available to assist with interpreting the samples to their full potential once this has been done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As micromammals are highly sensitive to changes in their habitat, variations in species representation are often used to reconstruct local environmental conditions. However, taphonomic aspects of micromammals are often overlooked, despite the fact that they can provide important information for our understanding of archaeological sites. La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire, is a major archaeological site for our understanding of the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition inWestern Europe. Clearly documenting site formation processes, the post-depositional reworking of deposits and the sequence of human occupations is fundamental for providing a secure archaeostratigraphic context of the site. The exceptionally large accumulation of micromammals from recently excavated stratigraphic units at the site makes it possible to track variations in the density of micromammals across the stratigraphic sequence. The taphonomic analysis of micromammals demonstrates these variations are not related to a change in the main accumulation agent or post-depositional phenomena. A negative correlation between small mammal remains and archaeological material suggests that peaks in micromammal densities can potentially be correlated with periods when the site was abandoned or when human occupation was less intense, and therefore provide new data for interpreting the Saint-Césaire stratigraphic sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in 2016–2017 on three sites in the Belogorye State Nature Reserve (Russia) located in the forest-steppe zone. These sites are 1) «Les na Vorskle», upland oak (Quercus robur) forest; 2) «Ostrasyevy Yary», ravine oak forest, grass-meadow steppe; 3) «Yamskaya Step'», Sury valley, shrublands and forb meadow steppe, Eremkin Log valley, upland oak forest, forb meadow steppe. The small mammals investigated in this present parasitological study were caught using snap traps. These traps were established in lines of 50 or 100 traps per line. In addition, single traps and cone-shape pitfall traps (average length of 30 m) were used. The caught rodents (118 specimens) concern five species: Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Sylvaemus flavicollis, Sylvaemus uralensis, and Apodemus agrarius. The total prevalence by helminthes was 72%. About 91% of the Muridae animals were infected, while the prevalence of infestation was 55.6% among the Cricetidae specimens. We registered 20 helminth taxa belonging to three classes, six orders, and 12 families. Among the trematodes only eurixenous species were found. Among the cestodes, eurixenous species predominated. Among the nematodes, eurixenous and stenoxenous species were present in almost equal proportion. Dominant species are characterised by maximal values of prevalence of infestation. There were Hymenolepis sp. (17%) among Plathelminthes, species of Syphacia (35.6%) and Heligmosomoides (27.1%) among Nematoda, including Syphacia stroma (17%) and Heligmosomoides polygyrus (14.4%). The other helminth species registered in the present study were either small in number (with prevalence of invasion from 2% to 14%) or rare (with prevalence of invasion less than 2%). Platynosomum muris (Trematoda, Dicrocoeliidae) and Pterothominx sadovskoi (Nematoda, Capillariidae) were reported for the first time in the Central Chernozem Region of Russia.

In this paper, we present a case study of the micromammal sequence from Marine Isotope Stage 5 (130,000–71,000 YBP) at Blombos Cave on the southern Cape coast of South Africa. Our analyses of the micromammal assemblage from 100,000 to 76,000 YBP shed light on micromammal taxonomic distributions, local palaeoenvironments, and site formation processes at this renowned Middle Stone Age site. Taphonomic analyses indicate that spotted eagle owls (Bubo africanus) were the main predator species responsible for accumulating the micromammals, but with contributions from barn owls (Tyto alba). In addition, the micromammal bones have been subjected to a range of post-depositional processes, some of which are associated with microbial actions likely resulting from human or animal activities in the cave. We have recorded three species in the archaeological assemblage that do not occur in the Blombos area today. These are the Hottentot golden mole (Amblysomus hottentotus), Duthie's golden mole (Chlorotalpa duthieae), and Laminate vlei rat (Otomys laminatus). The biodiversity indices based on micromammal species suggest that local vegetation consisted of different habitats that could sustain a diverse small mammal population. During MIS 5c/5b, the diversity of species declined, but there was still a mosaic of vegetation habitats present in the local area. On a larger temporal scale, climate conditions were slightly more humid than at present, and winter rainfall was seemingly greater. The amount of winter rainfall would have been similar to locations currently c. 50–150 km further west of Blombos Cave. However, based on micromammal proxies, there were seemingly no major fluctuations visible in climate or vegetation composition during the entire 24,000-year period. We suggest that the explanation could be multifaceted, two potential factors being predator bias derived from the owls' preference for generalist micromammal species or an actual reflection of local stable climatic and environmental conditions in the Blombos area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For organisms to survive and prosper in a harsh environment, particularly under rapid climate change, poses tremendous challenges. Recent studies have highlighted the continued loss of megafauna in terrestrial ecosystems and the subsequent surge of small mammals, such as rodents, bats, lagomorphs, and insectivores. However, the ecological partitioning of these animals will likely lead to large variation in their responses to environmental change. In the present study, we investigated the evolutionary history and genetic adaptations of white-bellied rats (Niviventer Marshall, 1976), which are widespread in the natural terrestrial ecosystems in Asia but also known as important zoonotic pathogen vectors and transmitters. The southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was inferred as the origin center of this genus, with parallel diversification in temperate and tropical niches. Demographic history analyses from mitochondrial and nuclear sequences of Niviventer demonstrated population size increases and range expansion for species in Southeast Asia, and habitat generalists elsewhere. Unexpectedly, population increases were seen in N. eha , which inhabits the highest elevation among Niviventer species. Genome scans of nuclear exons revealed that among the congeneric species, N. eha has the largest number of positively selected genes. Protein functions of these genes are mainly related to olfaction, taste, and tumor suppression. Extensive genetic modification presents a major strategy in response to global changes in these alpine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called Basque crossroads constitutes a small region disposed on both slopes of the western Pyrenees, with one part on the north of the Iberian Peninsula and another, on the southwest of present-day France. Throughout the Pleistocene, it has been the main path for human populations to transit between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, given that the orography and the presence of a vast frozen steppe in the current region of the Landes set the human mobility through known corridors. On the other hand, in the last two decades, it has been proven that this is the only area of the Cantabrian region with high permeability to other regions of the Iberian Peninsula, such as the Ebro Valley, or the Castile northern Plateau. Both findings require to modify the previous vision of the Upper Palaeolithic in the area. From a geographical and palaeoenvironmental point of view, this characterisation as a crossroads region has relevant implications. Despite its small dimensions, there are numerous climatic nuances between very close areas in space. All this variability increases in exponential terms when we also value a broad range time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The National Park “Smolny” is a large forest area, located in the center of European Russia. The helminth fauna of myomorph rodents was studied for the first time within the National Park in 2018–2020. Rodents were examined by the method of complete helminthological dissection. A total of 30 species of parasites were recorded in 11 rodent species: 6 trematodes, 11 cestodes and 13 nematodes. The trematode Plagiorchis maculosus (Rudolphi, 1802) was found in Clethrionomys glareolus (Schreber, 1780) from the Russian fauna for the first time. Clethrionomys glareolus and Microtus arvalis (Pallas, 1779) are new hosts for P. maculosus and metacestode Versteria mustelae (Gmelin, 1790), respectively. The most widespread and eurybiont rodent species have the most diverse and rich helminth fauna, such as C/ glareolus (14 species), Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771) (12) and Sylvaemus uralensis (Pallas, 1811) (10). The helminth fauna is less diverse in Sylvaemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834), M. arvalis (7 species each), Microtus agrestis (Linnaeus, 1761) (5), Microtus subterraneus (de Selys-Longchamps, 1836) (3), Sicista betulina (Pallas, 1779) (2) and Arvicola amphibius (Linnaeus, 1758) (1). Comparative analysis the helminth fauna of small rodents from the National Park “Smolny” with micromammals from other regions of European Russia revealed that the high similarity with other areas reaches the helminth fauna of M. subterraneus, S. flavicollis, S. uralensis, S. betulina, A. amphibius and M. agrestis.

We report 7 mammalian and 16 pollen species from the top of the Shimagou Formation in Kumkol Basin of northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, whose age is latest Middle Miocene (about 12.5 Ma). We erect a new species of fossil rodent, Spermophilinus kumkolensis sp. nov. The micromammalian fauna from the Kumkol Basin shares high similarities with contemporary faunas from Europe and northern China, indicating the existence of active zoogeographic exchange between Europe and northern Asia. Trees are dominant in pollen fossils, and herbs and shrubs are minorities. Broadleaved Quercus and Fagus predominate in tree pollens. The flora reconstructed by pollens displays a mixture of evergreen broadleaved forest and dry and warm steppe landscape. Compared to the modern vegetation in Yunnan region, the latest Middle Miocene flora in the Kumkol Basin represents a distinct vertical distribution. The ecotypes of the latest Middle Miocene fauna and flora in the Kumkol Basin, as a whole, are markedly different from those of modern animals and vegetation, the past climate being more suitable than today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remains of small mammals from archaeological sites are often used as palaeoenvironmental proxies in the reconstruction of past environments. Yet, identification of micromammals to species-level based on morphological traits is often difficult due to fragmentation of diagnostic skeletal elements. Here we test the potential of Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) as a tool for the taxonomic identification of micromammal remains from Middle Stone Age (MSA) sequences in South Africa. ZooMS peptide markers are first established for 14 extant micromammal species present in the region. These novel peptide markers are then used to identify micromammal bone remains from the MSA levels of Klipdrift Shelter (c. 72–51 ka), De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa. Our study shows that collagen preservation in micromammal bones from MSA contexts is sufficient for successful ZooMS analysis. To our knowledge, these results represent the oldest material successfully analysed with ZooMS from an African context. The peptide markers developed as part of this study can be used to characterize a larger number of micromammal assemblages. This holds significant promise for the future application of ZooMS to prehistoric material in South Africa and elsewhere in the continent. • We develop ZooMS markers for 14 extant micromammal species from South Africa. • These are used to identify micromammal bones from KDS dating to the MSA. • Success rates within the various layers and squares sampled range from 0 to 92%. • ZooMS can be successfully applied to Pleistocene South African faunal assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As micromammals are highly sensitive to changes in their habitat, variations in species representation are often used to reconstruct local environmental conditions. However, taphonomic aspects of micromammals are often overlooked, despite the fact that they can provide important information for our understanding of archaeological sites. La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire, is a major archaeological site for our understanding of the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition in Western Europe. Clearly documenting site formation processes, the post-depositional reworking of deposits and the sequence of human occupations is fundamental for providing a secure archaeostratigraphic context of the site. The exceptionally large accumulation of micromammals from recently excavated stratigraphic units at the site makes it possible to track variations in the density of micromammals across the stratigraphic sequence. The taphonomic analysis of micromammals demonstrates these variations are not related to a change in the main accumulation agent or post-depositional phenomena. A negative correlation between small mammal remains and archaeological material suggests that peaks in micromammal densities can potentially be correlated with periods when the site was abandoned or when human occupation was less intense, and therefore provide new data for interpreting the Saint-Césaire stratigraphic sequence.

In this paper, the current state of knowledge of the taphonomic characteristics of micromammal (rodents and marsupials) remains generated by the action of the different predators (avian raptors and carnivore mammals) of South America (particularly of Argentina), known through actualistic studies, is reviewed. The analyzed taphonomic attributes enabled the adjustment, by means of extensive comparisons among different groups of predators and prey, of the modification categories indicated in the original papers. The data herein revised and assessed suggest that the evaluated South American predators may be grouped into four categories of modification: a) Light (Tyto alba, Bubo virginianus, Strix chacoensis and Asio flammeus); b) Moderate (Athene cunicularia, Geranoaetus melanoleucus, Geranoaetus polyosoma and Pseudoscops clamator); c) Heavy (Circus buffoni, Caracara plancus, Elanus leucurus, Didelphis albiventris, Leopardus geoffroyi and Lontra longicaudis); d) Extreme (Milvago chimango, Puma concolor, Puma yagouaroundi, Conepatus chinga and Lycalopex griseus). Finally, the research herein discussed evaluates how these studies were applied in the fossil record of both palaeontological and archaeological sites of South America.

Coxiella burnetii, the causal agent of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis, is a zoonotic infectious bacterium with a complex ecology that results from its ability to replicate in multiple (in)vertebrate host species. Spain notifies the highest number of Q fever cases to the ECDC annually and wildlife plays a relevant role in C. burnetii ecology in the country. However, the whole picture of C. burnetii hosts is incomplete, so this study seeks to better understand the role of micromammals in C. burnetii ecology in the country. Spleen samples from 816 micromammals of 10 species and 130 vaginal swabs from Microtus arvalis were analysed by qPCR to detect C. burnetii infection and shedding, respectively. The 9.7% of the spleen samples were qPCR positive. The highest infection prevalence (10.8%) was found in Microtus arvalis, in which C. burnetii DNA was also detected in 1 of the 130 vaginal swabs (0.8%) analysed. Positive samples were also found in Apodemus sylvaticus (8.7%), Crocidura russula (7.7%) and Rattus rattus (6.4%). Positive samples were genotyped by coupling PCR with reverse line blotting and a genotype II+ strain was identified for the first time in one of the positive samples from M. arvalis, whereas only partial results could be obtained for the rest of the samples. Acute Q fever was diagnosed in one of the researchers that participated in the study, and it was presumably linked to M. arvalis handling. The results of the study are consistent with previous findings suggesting that micromammals can be infected by C. burnetii. Our findings additionally suggest that micromammals may be potential sources to trace back the origin of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis cases in Europe.

There are examples of coexisting species with similar morphology and ecology, in apparent contradiction to competition theory. Shrews (Soricidae) are a paradigmatic example of this because members of this group exhibit a conserved body form, relatively low variability in lifestyle, and, in many cases, a sympatric distribution. Here, we combined geometric morphometrics and ecological niche modeling to test whether diversification of soricid species inhabiting the Iberian Peninsula has been driven by niche divergence or, conversely, whether niche conservatism has played a paramount role in this process. We also examined whether pairwise morphological distances increase as the degree of niche overlap between species becomes greater, as would be expected if interspecific competition promotes morphological differentiation. Our results showed that water shrews (Neomys), white‐toothed shrews (Crocidurinae), and red‐toothed shrews (Soricinae) are clearly differentiated in terms of both skull shape and mandible shape. However, we found a lack of phylogenetic signal in most morphological traits, indicating that closely related species are not more similar than expected by random chance. Notably, water shrews show a more "triangular" or sharp skull than white‐toothed and red‐toothed shrews, probably as an adaptation to their semiaquatic lifestyle. In agreement with the phenotypic data, climatic traits (mean annual temperature and annual precipitation) were highly labile and sister taxa showed extensive differentiation in their realized niche space. Finally, we found that phenotypic distances between species tend to increase as the degree of niche overlap increases, suggesting that interspecific competition is an important factor in determining the level of morphological resemblance among relatives. Overall, our results indicate that the existence of limited morphological disparity in a given group does not necessarily imply the existence of a niche conservatism signature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Abrigo de la Quebrada rock shelter was occupied by Neanderthal groups during the early Upper Pleistocene, yielding evidence for their subsistence practices and local resource exploitation. This paper focuses on the plant macroremains and the micromammals, which provide information about occupation patterns, the surrounding landscape, the use of resources, and the environment. Mountain pine forests and permanent grass formations containing humid zones and open spaces that would have harboured an eurythermal microfauna were the dominant landscape type. Cold-climate pines provided most of the firewood. The data are consistent with a recurrent, seasonal occupation pattern, in which the rock shelter was used for short periods in the context of an annual round characterized by a high degree of mobility. • Abrigo de la Quebrada was occupied by Neanderthals during the early Upper Pleistocene. • Plant macroremains and micromammals analyses combined are presented. • Cryophilous pines provided most of the firewood, revealing cold environmental conditions. • Micromammals support the existence of open forests and suggest a sporadic human occupation. • The shelter was used recurrently and for short periods, supporting a high degree of mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on mammalian faunas provide the contextual basis for understanding evolutionary events in many branches of paleobiology. This paper presents the first blind test of an environmental reconstruction using extant African small mammals. We collected 1216 specimens representing a minimum of 332 individuals from Ngofila 3, Tanzania, then conducted a blind analysis of the taxonomic and community composition. We found agreement between the observed habitat and the predicted habitat along eight aspects of the environment: (1) mean annual precipitation, (2) surface water availability, (3) soil type, (4) vegetation, (5) land use, (6) topography, (7) habitat heterogeneity, (8) temperature. Of these, the first six had high agreement between the observed and predicted descriptions, two (topography and habitat heterogeneity) had moderate agreement and the last, (temperature) was discussed in the observed habitat description but not addressed in the predicted description and could not be compared. The high level of agreement demonstrates that paleoenvironmental reconstruction can accurately portray a known habitat. In addition, we suggest factors that should be considered in a standard method of habitat description, which would improve comparability of results between different analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study was to establish for the very first time the results on the rodent fauna gathered from the ongoing Neolithic excavations at the Tepecik-Çiftlik site in southern Cappadocia (Niğde, Turkey). So far, the fauna being study is represented by species of arvicolines (Microtus cf. arvalis and Arvicola cf. amphibius), murines (Mus cf. musculus), sousliks (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus), hamsters (Mesocricetus brandti) and mole-rats (Spalax xanthodon), and their remains are described in detail. Paleoenvironmental assumption based on common preferences of the fauna elements indicates, at first sight, a rather dry steppe environment with sparse plant cover or perennial short grasses. On the other hand, the presence of Arvicola cf. amphibius points out streams and marsh-like vegetation cover with bodies of water. The predation or burn marks observed on some specimens and the presence of subterraneous rodents raise questions concerning their taphonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micromammal assemblages are often used in paleoecological reconstructions. However, in studies to date, the environmental variables reconstructed were not shown to drive micromammal community structure before the reconstruction was attempted. Furthermore, the relative abundance data is too often dismissed despite its potential paleoecological value. Here we chose to reconstruct the botanical succession stage known to impact micromammal communities in the Mediterranean zone of Israel. We used weighted averaging partial least squares (WAPLS) regression to model the connection between botanical succession phase and the micromammal faunas as reflected in Tyto alba pellets. In addition to cross-validation, we validated our model using historical T. alba pellet data and contemporary maps. Moreover, we tested the repercussions of misidentifying the owl species in archaeological micromammal assemblages by applying our model to Recent assemblages collected by other owl species. Our WAPLS model differentiated forested environments from garrigue or grassland dominated ones in both the cross-validation and in the reconstructed historical environments. However, urban environments were not well distinguished from grasslands and garrigues, and misidentifying the owl species severely compromised model performance. Our results stress the potential insight deducible from micromammal relative abundance data, given its reliance on empirically tested relationships between fauna, environment, and taphonomic agent (predator). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of a 8-year-long monitoring study of micromammals in the "Holy Mountains" National Nature Park are presented. Data accumulated from 2006 to 2014 within 3 monitoring plots were analized. In sum, during 20 672 trap-days 1111 specimens were collected. Studies mainly concerned the most typical biotopes of the park, namely pine and oak forests. The composition and structure of the micromammal community within the studied area are described. There were 14 micromammal species recorded in NNP “Holy Mountains.” The yellow-necked wood mouse is a dominant species, while the wood mouse and the bank vole are subdominants. The obtained data were analyzed by using the Shannon and Simpson indexes. It was shown that the biodiversity indexes change as a result not only fluctuations in the number of micromammals, but also the anthropogenic transformation of habitats. The lowest values of diversity indexes are in biotopes with the highest abundance of rodents.

It is widely believed that Byzantine agriculture in the Negev Desert (fourth to seventh century Common Era; CE), with widespread construction of terraces and dams, altered local landscapes. However, no direct evidence in archaeological sites yet exists to test this assumption. We uncovered large amounts of small mammalian remains (rodents and insectivores) within agricultural installations built near fields, providing a new line of evidence for reconstructing anthropogenic impact on local habitats. Abandonment layers furnished high abundances of remains, whereas much smaller numbers were retrieved from the period of human use of the structures. Digestion marks are present in low frequencies (20% of long bones and teeth), with a light degree of impact, which indicate the role of owls (e.g. Tyto alba) as the principal means of accumulation. The most common taxa—gerbils (Gerbillus spp.) and jirds (Meriones spp.)—occur in nearly equal frequencies, which do not correspond with any modern Negev communities, where gerbils predominate in sandy low-precipitation environments and jirds in loessial, higher-precipitation ones. Although low-level climate change cannot be ruled out, the results suggest that Byzantine agriculture allowed jirds to colonize sandy anthropogenic habitats with other gerbilids and commensal mice and rats.

Geological surveys were carried out in the Miocene deposits at the place known as “En Solé” east of the village Courrendlin (Delémont Basin, Canton of Jura, Switzerland). This resulted in the discovery of new Miocene small mammal assemblages. The association of the rodents Megacricetodon aff. collongensis and Melissiodon sp. allows to biochronostratigraphically correlate for the first time the so-called “Rote Mergel des Mont Chaibeux” representing the lower part of the Montchaibeux Member of the Bois de Raube Formation to the regional M. collongensis-Keramidomys interval zone (MN 4; early Miocene). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of large numbers of micromammalian remains near the Homo rhodesiensis (now H. heidelbergensis or H. sapiens) type cranium from the Broken Hill Mine near Kabwe was noted when it was discovered. Most of the remains seem to have been lost but a small sample was preserved in the palaeontology collections at the Natural History Museum, London. Over the years, this sample received preliminary inspections that resulted in various published and unpublished reports or identifications, copies of which were kept with the material. The unpublished reports are reproduced to place them on record and to complement the more complete annotated systematic list for the site now given. The present paper collates previous identifications, adds some previously unrecorded taxa and updates the taxonomy to conform to current thinking. The partial nature of the sample prevents a detailed interpretation of environmental conditions at the time of accumulation and there remains no direct dating of the site. However, the micromammals suggest that the environment at the time of deposition was much as it would have been before mining and other human activities altered the vegetation, which may imply interglacial conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of ancient DNA (aDNA) has recently been in a state of exponential growth, largely driven by the uptake of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques. Much of this work has focused on the mammalian megafauna and ancient humans, with comparatively less studies looking at micromammal fauna, despite the potential of these species in testing evolutionary, environmental and taxonomic theories. Several factors make micromammal fauna ideally suited for aDNA extraction and sequencing. Micromammal subfossil assemblages often include the large number of individuals appropriate for population level analyses, and, furthermore, the assemblages are frequently found in cave sites where the constant temperature and sheltered environment provide favourable conditions for DNA preservation. This review looks at studies that include the use of aDNA in molecular analysis of micromammal fauna, in order to examine the wide array of questions that can be answered in the study of small mammals using new palaeogenetic techniques. This study highlights the bias in current aDNA studies and assesses the future use of aDNA as a tool for the study of micromammal fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, important progress has been made in the study of the mammal successions from Hungary and Romania. A critical review of the taxonomy of the published small mammals is provided herein, as well as some new data and an overview of the accompanying vertebrate fauna (excluding fishes) in their stratigraphic context. In addition, the first data regarding the ruminants from Mátraszőlős and Felsőtárkány are presented. This contribution aims to characterize the middle to earliest late Miocene fossil record from these countries, and provide important data for the chrono(bio)stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental studies at the European scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]