We studied the peculiarities of molar hypsodonty development in different zokor lineages. For this purpose, we examined specimens from 21 localities dated to the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene via morphometric analysis and computed tomography. In these localities, we identified two zokor lineages (Western Siberian and Mongolian) in which the characteristics of the euhypsodont transition vary with respect to heterochronic processes. For the western lineage, we describe a new genus, Sibirosiphneus gen. nov., and a new species, Sibirosiphneus obensis sp. nov. In the localities of the Northern Baikal region, we identified the Western Siberian species Sb. razdoleanensis . This enables us to hypothesize an expansion of the Western Siberian steppe fauna into East Siberia at the end of the Early Pleistocene. Within the Mongolian lineage, we describe two new species, Episiphneus pentasolenis sp. nov. and Episiphneus orkhonensis sp. nov. Until the end of the Gelasian age, both lineages had prolonged different growth phases on the buccal or lingual sides of the molars. During the euhypsodont transition at the end of the Early Pleistocene, asymmetry increased in the Western Siberian lineage but disappeared in the Mongolian lineage. Thus, enamel‐band type hypsodonty of molars prevailed in the Western Siberian lineage during the Plio‐Pleistocene, whereas the enamel‐band type changed to sidewall hypsodonty in the Mongolian lineage.

Recent studies of zokor evolution in Chinese territory have shown that the main divergence of lineages of this family occurred at the boundary of the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene. However, the question of how the divergence of this family occurred in the territory of North Asia has persisted. In this study, the evolutionary history of Myospalacidae in the region is presented on the basis of zokor remains from 12 localities dated to the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene. From the Upper Miocene of Western Siberia, the species Prosiphneus murinus was identified. At the end of the Early Pliocene, an endemic form, which we described as a new species, Sibirosiphneus ingenuus sp. nov., appeared in Western Siberia. On the basis of this species, we define the origin of the genus Sibirosiphneus. We describe the more hypsodont Late Pliocene form of this genus as Sibirosiphneus seletiensis sp. nov. Two species are identified from North Mongolian localities dated to the first half of the Early Pliocene: Prosiphneus eriksoni and Pliosiphneus antiquus. During the second half of the Early Pliocene, Pr. eriksoni disappears from the corresponding faunal associations of Northern Mongolia, but Pl. antiquus remains, which is mostly uncommon for synchronous localities from the territory of China. Thus, in the Late Miocene, there was a single ancestral range of zokors in North Asia, which split during the Early Pliocene. We consider such a shift as evidence of fragmentation of one large ecological zone.https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:52DBF1BA-3448-4D62-AA03-39E6145C4ACF

According to the concept proposed by the authors of dividing modern rootless zokors and their ancestral Pleistocene rootless forms into the genera Myospalax, Siphneus, and Eospalax, Manchurian and Daurian zokors were assigned to the genus Siphneus. In this paper details of the morphological differences of the genus Siphneus and analysis of the evolutionary lineages among the genus are presented. A new phylogenetic scheme is proposed, in which a new species S. tolaensis sp. nov. ancestral to the Daurian zokors is described on the basis of remains from the Nalaikha locality (Mongolia, late Early–early Middle Pleistocene).

Zokors (Myospalacinae) continue to be the center of systematics discussions. Phylogenetic schemes based on molecular data do not always agree with each other, nor can phylogenetic schemes based on paleontological material be complete due to the only-partial description of West Siberian zokors. This paper tries to fill this gap and presents a description of the West Siberian lineage from the late early Pleistocene to the present, together with an analysis of molar development in other zokor lineages. We describe two new species and one subspecies ( Myospalax myospalax krukoveri n. ssp., Myospalax convexus n. sp., Prosiphneus razdoleanensis n. sp.) ancestral to the extant Myospalax myospalax Laxmann, 1769. We also reveal differences in the ontogeny of molars of modern species that were not previously detailed. These differences, together with paleontological data, indicate that in the West Siberian lineage, peramorphosis occurred in the structure of the chewing surface (with the exception of the lower m1), whereas in all other zokor lineages, there was pedomorphosis. On the basis of these results, we suggest a new view on the systematics of Myospalacinae. UUID: http://zoobank.org/b06d6c99-1648-454b-9b95-4d869bfe8bdc

We explore the environments of the Sibiryachikha Neanderthals, who had migrated to the Altai at the end of MIS 4. Given that the territory was already populated by Denisovans, the key question is whether the choice of habitat was random (i.e., the immigrants occupied vacant ecological niches) or motivated by other factors. On the basis of published results relating to the study of small-mammal fauna and pollen analysis, the environments of Chagyrskaya and Okladnikov Caves during the Neanderthal habitation are reconstructed. Species of small mammals are viewed as biome members. To reconstruct the episodic transfer of mammalian remains between stratigraphic units, we used ordination statistics and compared the results with those of micromorphological and stratigraphic analyses of Chagyrskaya Cave. It was found that late Neanderthals of the Altai lived in similar environments, dominated by steppe and forest steppe landscapes. The choice of caves for habitation depended on several factors, the key ones being the availability of game and high-quality raw material for manufacturing tools. On the basis of the statistical analysis of small-mammal fauna and the stratigraphic and micromorphological analyses, we conclude that post-sedimentation processes in caves can include vertical transfer of animal remains, affecting environmental reconstructions.

The shrews of the Anourosoricini tribe (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) were a broadly represented group of the subfamily Soricinae in the Neogene of Palaearctica and show high taxonomic diversity, up to now mostly in Europe. In the current study, the generic diversity of northern Asian anourosoricin is expanded to four: Crusafontina, Ishimos-orex gen. nov., Paranourosorex and Anourosorex. Our investigation of original material from 22 Russian and Kazakh localities allowed us to describe fossil material for two endemic northern Asian genera, Ishimosorex gen. nov and Paranourosorex. Based on the dental features and stratigraphic position, we consider early Ishimosorex gen. nov. and later Paranourosorex to represent a single evolutionary lineage. The Ishimosorex-Paranourosorex lineage existed from the Late Miocene (late Vallesian, MN 10) to early Pliocene (Ruscinian, MN 15) over a broad geographic range in northern Asia from southwestern Siberia to the Inner Mongolia region and consists of five species: Ishimo-sorex ishimiensis gen. et sp. nov., P. seletiensis, P. inexspectatus, Paranourosorex intermedius sp. nov. and P. gigas.

This note represents actual information on the composition of currently investigated Neogene and Pleistocene collections of soricid shrews permanently stored in collections of the Geological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GIN, Russia, Moscow), clarification of the collection catalogue numbers of the keeping specimens and short collectors information.At present, most shrew type specimens (e.g., Shargainosorex angustirostris) and some other specimens (n = 36) from the GIN fossil collection, which were investigated from 2016 to 2021, have 3D digital image stacks (preliminary data sets) that had been obtained using computed microtomography.All of the 3D digital image stacks of the GIN specimens are keeping in the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ZIN, Russia, Saint Petersburg) digital repository.The paper represents technical information on each digitized item.

A stag-moose Cervalces sp. (Cervidae) skull with antler beams of substantially different lengths has been analyzed. This skull was found in the lower reaches of the Yana River along with the lower jaw and four vertebrae. Its geological age has been assigned to the range from the very end of Eopleistocene to the first half of the early Neopleistocene. The unequal lengths of the beams in the individual analyzed was reproduced during each antler regeneration throughout the animal's life. This may be indicative of the genetic nature of the phenomenon, even though a nongenetic cause of this disproportion is also possible, as many field observations and experimental data demonstrated frequent asymmetric disturbances in antler growth in modern deer due to injuries, especially forelimb injuries. If the genetic hypothesis is true, such an anomaly may be a manifestation of intensive form genesis, a putative adaptive reaction to the first substantial cooling of the climate in the Pleistocene. Antler beam proportions are the most valuable criterion for species and subspecies taxonomy and diagnosis of fossil moose. The case described by us does not render this trait useless, since the case is exceptionally rare. However, this genetic anomaly may be indicative of an increase in evolutionary trait variability during periods of significant climate change, which should be borne in mind when the morphology of animals that lived during such epochs is interpreted.

Beremendiini is an extinct group of soricine shrews that were widely distributed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Their occurrence in China has been investigated, but their presence in northern Asian regions has remained poorly studied. This paper analyzes 56 fossil remains of Beremendiini collected from 16 early Pliocene to early Pleistocene localities in Russia (Siberia), Kazakhstan, and Mongolia and shows the presence of two beremendiin species: Beremendia fissidens (Petenyi, 1864) and Beremendia minor Rzebik-Kowalska, 1976. Northern Asian Beremendia considerably vary in size and qualitative characteristics, although most of the different states have been identified in European or Chinese specimens. Through the application of geometric morphometric techniques, mandibular shape analyses reveal similarities between the members of the beremendiin genera Peisorex Kowalski and Li, 1963, Beremendia Kormos, 1934, and Lunanosorex Jin and Kawamura, 1996. Shape analyses and comparisons of mandibular characteristics reveal 'trophic' analogies between Beremendia and Blarina spp. and a new model of 'Mandible Swinging and Sliding' (MSS-model) accounting for the similarities in mandibular morphology with implications for the understanding of the diet of Beremendia.

Soricid (Lipotyphla: Soricidae) inner tooth structures have been described for the first time using high-resolution X-ray computed micro-tomography. The endodontic morphology of shrews is complex and according to our results can be used (i) for the description of additional odontological features, (ii) for phylogenetic investigations on a morphological basis, and (iii) for determining the homology of the tooth elements. The results of the original analysis revealed a gradual process of dentine formation and, correspondingly, decreasing pulp volume in immature and mature specimens of Sorex mirabilis. However, analysis of the age-related changes also revealed an irregularity in the dentine deposition within different parts of a pulp cavity. We named this irregularity “selective pulp overgrowth”. This process was confirmed by the analyses of specimens of Sorex minutissimus, Neomys fodiens and Blarina brevicauda. Attempts to explain selective overgrowth led us to consider the functions of tooth pulp. According to dentistry investigations, one of the several functions of pulp is dentine innervation. We assume that dentine innervation is a significant feature of soricid teeth. A list of twelve characters displays the possible application of pulp endocast morphology to phylogenetic investigations. We suggest that pulp endocast analysis be added to the analysis of the tooth surface to achieve the broadest and most productive use of tooth morphology.

The pigment of tooth enamel is an important odontological character for character for assessing Soricidae taxonomy and phylogeny. This paper describes the original observations of ‘pigment patterns’ (PPt) and ‘visible pigment’ (VPg) in fossil beremendiin shrews in light of the “differential pigmentation” found using UV detection and EDX analysis. The term “differential pigmentation” was used to describe the irregular pigmentation on the teeth of extinct Nesiotites (Neomyini). Our analysis of fossil and recent specimens reveals different reasons for differential pigmentation formation. The first reason is related to fossilization, namely, the chemical alterations of the buried specimen. The second reason is related to a developmental disorder, namely, the enamel organ disorder, which locally stops forming the twin enamel layer. Our original results and published data from EDX analysis of the enamel elemental content and SEM-image analysis of the enamel microstructure again raise the question of a relationship between ferruginous pigmentation and enamel microstructure. Further studies of the enamel structure and pigment chemical composition of red-toothed shrews compared to white-toothed shrews are required.

The crocidosoricines are a relatively widespread subfamily of shrews with an early Oligocene to late Miocene temporal range, generally known from Europe, and, to a lesser extent, from Asia. A new discovery from the Mongolian middle Miocene locality Sharga 2 (the lower part of the Oshin Suite) added new data to the understanding of Crocidosoricinae arising in Asia, and allowed the description of a new genus and species: Shargainosorex angustirostris gen. et sp. nov. A large number of the fossil remains (more than 200 specimens from 95–100 buried shrews) made it possible to make a detailed description of the morphology of the new species, and even to try to reconstruct the rostrum shape and estimate the size of the skull and body. Morphologically, and apparently adaptively, the Shargain shrew was more similar to the Sorex species, including tooth pigmentation, but also carried a number of white-toothed shrew features (Crocidura, Suncus). Based on these findings, we can assume the spreading of Miosorex sensu lato. from Europe to Asia during the early Miocene, when the group acquired a number of adaptive sorex-like features as a possible result of occupying new trophic niches in this part of the continent.

The Neogene snake fauna from the central and eastern regions of Eurasia is still largely unknown. This paper reports on a unique snake fauna from the late middle Miocene of the Baikadam and Malyi Kalkaman 1 and 2 localities, northeastern Kazakhstan, which represents the best-documented Miocene snake assemblage in Central Asia. Previous studies admitted that snake fauna could be homogeneous over a large part of Eurasia during the Miocene, with the late middle to early late Miocene assemblages similar to snake assemblages that inhabited Europe in the late early and early middle Miocene. This assumption is partially supported by the presence of Texasophis bohemiacus and Coluber cf. hungaricus, as well as vipers of the ?V. aspis? complex. However, the presence of taxa which are (1) probably not related to European representatives (?Colubrinae? A and B), (2) probably never occurred in Central and Western Europe and (3) are closely related to species recently inhabiting southern Siberia (Elaphe aff. dione, Gloydius sp.) indicates that faunal dissimilarity was relatively high within Eurasia during the late middle Miocene. This assumption is in accordance with studies of small mammal assemblages which show a decreasing homogenity in the Eurasia in the course of the middle Miocene.

Background: The present-day amphibian and reptile fauna of Western Siberia are the least diverse of the Palaearctic Realm, as a consequence of the unfavourable climatic conditions that predominate in this region. The origin and emergence of these herpetofaunal groups are poorly understood. Aside from the better-explored European Neogene localities yielding amphibian and reptile fossil remains, the Neogene herpetofauna of Western Asia is understudied. The few available data need critical reviews and new interpretations, taking into account the more recent records of the European herpetofauna. The comparison of this previous data with that of European fossil records would provide data on palaeobiogeographic affiliations of the region as well as on the origin and emergence of the present-day fauna of Western Siberia. An overview of the earliest occurrences of certain amphibian lineages is still needed. In addition, studies that address such knowledge gaps can be useful for molecular biologists in their calibration of molecular clocks.Methods and Results: In this study, we considered critically reviewed available data from amphibian and reptile fauna from over 40 Western Siberian, Russian and Northeastern Kazakhstan localities, ranging from the Middle Miocene to Early Pleistocene. Herein, we provided new interpretations that arose from our assessment of the previously published and new data. More than 50 amphibians and reptile taxa were identified belonging to families Hynobiidae, Cryptobranchidae, Salamandridae, Palaeobatrachidae, Bombinatoridae, Pelobatidae, Hylidae, Bufonidae, Ranidae, Gekkonidae, Lacertidae, and Emydidae. Palaeobiogeographic analyses were performed for these groups and palaeoprecipitation values were estimated for 12 localities, using the bioclimatic analysis of herpetofaunal assemblages.Conclusion: The Neogene assemblage of Western Siberia was found to be dominated by groups of European affinities, such as Palaeobatrachidae, Bombina, Hyla, Bufo bufo, and a small part of this assemblage included Eastern Palaearctic taxa (e.g. Salamandrella, Tylototriton, Bufotes viridis). For several taxa (e.g. Mioproteus, Hyla,Bombina, Rana temporaria), the Western Siberian occurrences represented their most eastern Eurasian records. The most diverse collection of fossil remains was found in the Middle Miocene. Less diversity has been registered towards the Early Pleistocene, potentially due to the progressive cooling of the climate in the Northern Hemisphere. The results of our study showed higher-amplitude changes of precipitation development in Western Siberia from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene, than previously assumed

This article presents an example of using the parametrics (Shapiro-Wilk and Jarque-Bera) and non-parametrics (Anderson-Darling) criteria for exploratory analysis on a sample homogeneity hypothesis, and estimate the suitability of metric features for interspecific comparisons. Grubbs and Tukey tests were used for detecting of the outliers of metric features. The analyzed fossil material is represented by bone fragments and isolated teeth (n = 218) of an unknown crocidosoricine shrew †Crocidosoricinae indet. (Lipotyphla: Soricidae) from the middle Miocene Sharga 2 locality (Mongolia), and. Based on the results of the study, three measurements (MRWc, HC and W(m3)) are not recommended for interspecies comparisons while working with Crocidosoricinae indet. In addition, a homogeneity analysis of 25 metric characters of Crocidosoricinae indet. from Sharga 2 locality showed that all remains are likely to belong to a single general sample (local population), remains of which accumulated during relatively short period.

To estimate the age of the glaciation in the New Siberian Islands, fossils of small mammals from the Sana-Balagan site (Faddeevsky Island, Russian Eastern Arctic) have been studied. The evolutionary degree of this fauna, which indicates the age of the sediments underlying the glacial deposits, suggests that the glaciation of the New Siberian Islands began no earlier than 190–210 thousand years ago. The new biochronological data in combination with 230 Th/ 234 U dates show that the geological event in question was synchronous with the Moscow glaciation or the Moscow stage of the Dnieper glaciation (the Vychegda glaciation, the final stage of the Saalian, the final stage of the Riss, the end of the MIS 6, 180–140 thousand years ago).

This article presents the results of multidisciplinary studies conducted at Chagyrskaya – an Upper Pleistocene karst cave in the northwestern Altai where Middle Paleolithic stone tools and fossil remains of Neanderthals were found. Taphonomic aspects of the site are addressed, and results of science-based analyses including radiocarbon and paleomagnetic dating are presented. The deposits are similar to loess-like Upper Pleistocene loams of Western Siberia. Among the Middle Paleolithic industries of the Altai, the Chagyrskaya industry is paralleled only by that of Okladnikov (formerly Sibiryachikha) Cave. Both represent a local Middle Paleolithic Mousteroid facies, named Sibiryachikha after the eponymous site.

For a long time, "spelaeoid" (cave-bear-like) bears, Ursus (Spelearctos) spp., were believed to be almost purely European animals. Their geographic range has recently been extended to the east, in southern Siberia, Transbaikalia, Kirghizia, Mongolia and Korea. Two unexpected new findings, presented here in detail, significantly change existing views on the distribution of cave bears; both were found in North-Eastern Siberia, far beyond the Arctic Circle, more than 1500 km to the north-east of the previously accepted range.One of the fossils is a mandible, found near the town of Cherskiy at 68.73 degrees N, 161.38 degrees E. The analysis of local geology and accompanying mammal fossils suggests that it comes from the Olyorian Fauna (Early to early Middle Pleistocene). Morphologically, the Cherskiy mandible is closest to Ursus savini, a small middle Pleistocene cave bear from the British Cromer Forest-bed Formation, but differs in having a slightly more advanced dentition, and thus it is described as a new subspecies Ursus savini nordostensis. Another newly recognized fossil of the "spelaeoid" bear is an astragalus found at the Oskhordokh site at 67.54 degrees N, 135.67 degrees E, on a large gravel bar on the right bank of the Adycha River. This specimen is attributed to Ursus cf. deningeri.The paper also presents an interesting example of the interaction between classical and "molecular" palaeontology.The new finds significantly change existing ideas on the ecology and evolution of cave bears, some of the most remarkable members of the extinct Pleistocene megafauna. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.