Early Miocene rodents from the Aktau mountains (South-Eastern Kazakhstan)

  • Elena G. Kordikova*
  • , Hans de Bruijn
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The rodent assemblage from the Middle Members of the Chul'adyr Formation contains seven species that belong to six (sub)families. The dominant Cricetidae are represented by a new genus and species: Aktaumys dzhungaricus and by a new species of Karydomys: K. dzerzhinskii. Each of the other rodent species: ?Sinosminthus gen. et sp. indet., Sayimys aff. obliquidens, Asiacastor aff. baschanovi and Tachyoryctoidinae gen. A, sp. 1, is represented by a few cheek teeth only (altogether 8% of the specimens). The composition of the assemblage resembles Oligo-Miocene material from Anatolia, but the closest relatives of most of the species are found in Central Asia. The stage of evolution of Karydomys dzerzhinskii, Sayimys aff. obliquidens and the tachyoryctoidine suggests an Early Miocene (MN4 rather than MN3) age for the assemblage.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)391-405
Number of pages15
JournalSenckenbergiana Lethaea
Volume81
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001

Funding

The field assistance of M. R. DE BRUIJN and A.E. DE BRUIJN-DUDAKV AN HEEL is appreciated. Mr. W. A. oeN HAR-TOG made the S.E.M. photos, Mr. J. LUTEIJN retouched the photos and drew the dipodid teeth and Mrs. M. J. W. VAN WIJK (Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Utrecht) typed and edited the manuscript. This study was partly supported by the DAAD grant.

Funders
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst

    Keywords

    • Aktau Mts.
    • Cricetidae
    • Early Miocene
    • Kazakhstan
    • Mammalia
    • Rodents
    • Tertiary

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Early Miocene rodents from the Aktau mountains (South-Eastern Kazakhstan)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this