The role of the water voles (Arvicola, rodentia) in the Quaternary

• Autores: A. Ruiz
• Localización: Estudios geológicos, ISSN 0367-0449, Vol. 55, Nº 1-2, 1999, págs. 89-96
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Arvicolids are rodents which have molars with a morphology formed by a sequence of enamel folds similar to the curve y = sin f(x). The morphology of the crown of the first lower molar (ml) of living species of Arvicola (large voles) is identified with six criteria, irrespective of tooth size. When rootless arvicolid fossil communities are analysed, it can be seen that the ml morphology of ArvicolaArvicola communities could only be detected in the second half of the Quaternary, when the specimens were comparable to the large size characterizing living species. The existence of communities of small-sized Arvicola at the beginning of the Quaternary implies that the ml of Arvicola undergoes a continuous and accelerated growth throughout the entire Quatemary, which allows representatives the genus to be used as a chronological tool. These data mean that it is necessary to change the concept of the genus Allophaiomys and to formulate a new classification to reflect evolutionary relationships of quaternary arvicolids. is present in those communities represented by specimens of small size at the beginning of the Quatemary. Before this data was known, the presence of