Zelceina sp.

Rzebik-Kowalska, Barbara & Rekovets, Leonid I., 2016, New data on Eulipotyphla (Insectivora, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pleistocene of Ukraine, Palaeontologia Electronica 12 (1), pp. 1-31 : 24

Zelceina sp.

Figure 10.5

Material. Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 ( MN 11/ MN 12), left M1-M2. MNI = 1. Catalogue number 29/2/16.

Description. The teeth, M1 and M2 ( Figure 10.5 ) are of middle size, massive and quadratic in occlusal view. They are characterized by small, more or less tetrahedral hypocones, considerable metalophs and deep hypoconal flanges.

Measurements. See Table 12.

Systematic Position. The teeth described above in many respects resemble M1 and M2 of Petenyia and Zelceina . However, more detailed observation shows that they are more similar to upper molars of Zelceina because M1 and M2 of Petenyia have smaller hypocones or lack them altogether, shallower hypoconal flanges, lower metalophs and slighter posterior emargination. Moreover the size of Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 teeth also agrees with the size of known Zelceina species (see Table 12).

Two species of this genus are known so far from Europe: Zelceina soriculoides ( Sulimski, 1959) ; and Z. podlesicensis Rzebik-Kowalska, 1990 . The M1–M2 from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 are more similar to those of Z. soriculoides because they are more massive than molars of Z. podlesicensis . Because the three converging ridges in the hypoconal region of M1 and M2 (typical for Zelceina species) are less distinct than in all known forms, and the posterior emargination is slightly more distinct, the specimen from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 has been tentatively described as Zelceina sp.

So far Zelceina cf. podlesicensis was cited from the Ukrainian locality Mikhailovka 2 (MN11). Unfortunately, it was described on the basis of lower teeth and a comparison with the specimen discussed here is impossible ( Rzebik-Kowalska and Nesin, 2010).

Figures

FIGURE 10. 1, Beremendia fissidens from Popovo 1, right I1, in anterior view (c.n. 29/I/12/1); 2, cf. Beremendia minor from Verkhnya Krynitsa 1, fragment of left mandible with proximal part of i1 in buccal view (c.n. 29/1/13/1); Petenyia dubia from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2 (3) and Lobkove (4): 3, left condyloid process, posterior view (c.n. 29/2/14/1); 4, left M1, occlusal view (c.n. 29/3/14/1). 5, Zelceina sp. from Verkhnya Krynitsa 2, fragment of left maxillae with M1-M2, occlusal view (c.n. 29/2/16/1).