Comparative morphology of the first lower molar of present-day and fossil populations of ground voles in Italy (Rodentia, Arvicolidae)

Abstract

The fossil records of Microtus (Terricola) are abundant in Italy, but their identification has been visual only. In this paper eigth fossil populations from five Late Pleistocene sites are compared, using statistical analyses, to present populations of Terricola, and to the fossil type-population of M. (T.) tarentina from Villa Castelli (Apulia). The studied populations are ascribed to M. (T.) savii and M. (T.) multiplex. The intermediate characters of the ground voles from the Broin cave, between the Mid-European group subterraneus-multiplex and the recent M. (T.) savii, suggest that the simplex type M3/ may be a derived character of M. (T.) savii, convergent with that of the Western Mediterranean group M. (T.) duodecimcostatus, and not a primitive character.