A review of Oligocene and early Miocene European Cricetidae (Mammalia)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the contents of several genera of European Oligocene and early Miocene Cricetidae, their distinguishing characters, and their stratigraphic distribution. The genera discussed are Atavocricetodon, Eucricetodon, Pseudocricetodon, and Allocricetodon. Several groups are distinguished within the genus Eucricetodon and any of these may constitute a separate (sub)genus. Our results also suggest that Atavocricetodon and Eucricetodon should be retained as separated genera. We restrict our analysis to the European forms because we don’t know the Asiatic species