A new species of Hystrix (Rodentia: Hystricidae) from the Pliocene site of Węże 1 in southern Poland

Abstract

The specific name velunensis is established to encompass porcupine remains ( Hystrix Linnæus, 1758) recovered from the Pliocene site of Węże 1 in southern Poland. The studied specimen was previously assigned either to H. primigenia (Wagner, 1848) or H. depereti Sen, 2001, however it can be distinguished from these species and other fossil Hystricidae by its distinct occlusal morphology, most importantly the presence of an anterolingual flexus dissecting the anteroloph of P4. Hystrix velunensis sp. nov. was probably closely related to H. primigenia and H. depereti. A previously undescribed specimen from the nearby site of Węże 2 most probably belongs to H. refossa Gervais, 1852b, which would be the first known occurrence of this species in Poland.