Taxonomic and palaeoecological studies on the Lower Pleistocene Beremendia fissidens (Mammalia, Soricidae) remains from the Somssich Hill 2 locality (Villány Hills)

Abstract

The detailed taxonomic and morphological description of the remains of a rodent — that is, the shrew Beremendia fissidens — from the Somssich Hill 2 locality is given in the present article. Comparison of this species with the material of the Osztramos 7 locality provided an opportunity to work out the exact differential diagnosis between B. fissidens and its relative, B. minor. There were 169 specimens, with a minimum number of 61 individual examples identified from the 50 excavated layers of the site. The relatively large number of specimens gave a chance to take exact measurements on the teeth of this species. The presence of the species in most of the layers indicates the occurrence of an open-water body in the surroundings of the site. Beremendia used a special ’nutrition strategy’ which contributed significantly to its survival in this ecotype. This strategy was one in which it could envenom its prey with its grooved lower incisors. The storing of the paralyzed victims allowed Beremendia to survive the unstable climatic periods.