Intraspecific variability and phylogenetic relationships of the Pleistocene shrewSorex runtonensis (Soricidae)

Sorex (Mammalia, Soricidae) remains from the late Early Pleistocene Somssich Hill 2 locality (Villány Hills, Southern Hungary)

“…S. runtonensis appeared at the beginning of the Early Pleistocene (MN 17 zone; Varshets, Bulgaria, Popov 2003) and became extinct by the Late Pleistocene (ca. 33 ka; Obłazowa 2 Cave, Poland, Osipova et al 2006). S. Hence, the late Early Pleistocene age of the Somssich Hill 2 locality is supported by the stratigraphic ranges of the Sorex species occurring here (Fig.…”

“…6). Th e tiny diff erences between the two species recognized by some authors may be the consequences of intraspecifi c variability like in case of S. runtonensis (Osipova et al 2006) or subspecifi c characters. Th ere are only 4 localities where both of the aforementioned Drepanosorex species were described.…”

Sorex bifidus n. sp. and the rich insectivore mammal fauna (Erinaceomorpha, Soricomorpha, Mammalia) from the Early Pleistocene of Żabia Cave in Poland

“…Osipova et al, (2006) it is very similar to the extant Siberian shrew Sorex tundrensis Merriam, 1900. However, a considerable spatial gap between the known ranges of Western Palearctic S. runtonensis and Eastern Palearctic S. tundrensis (boundary of its western range passes from the lower Pechora River in the north to the Western Ural Mountains and Perm Region to Kostanay Region in Kazakhstan in the south, Yudin, 1989) as well as its intraspecific variability (eight subspecies of S. tundrensis have been described from East Siberia, Yudin, 1989) precluded conspecific arrangement (Osipova et al, 2006). However, the more recent discovery of fossil S. runtonensis by Agadzhanyan (2009) (Osipova et al, 2006).…”

“…However, a considerable spatial gap between the known ranges of Western Palearctic S. runtonensis and Eastern Palearctic S. tundrensis (boundary of its western range passes from the lower Pechora River in the north to the Western Ural Mountains and Perm Region to Kostanay Region in Kazakhstan in the south, Yudin, 1989) as well as its intraspecific variability (eight subspecies of S. tundrensis have been described from East Siberia, Yudin, 1989) precluded conspecific arrangement (Osipova et al, 2006). However, the more recent discovery of fossil S. runtonensis by Agadzhanyan (2009) (Osipova et al, 2006). Among the extinct species of this genus Sorex (Drepanosorex) praearaneus (Kormos, 1934) described from Villany 3 in Hungary, a locality dated to the Early Pleistocene (former MN17), is known from several dozen Pleistocene localities of Europe.…”

Micromammals from the 1995 Mammoth Excavation at West Runton, Norfolk, UK: Morphometric data, biostratigraphy and taxonomic reappraisal

“…Remarks: Lower and early Middle Pleistocene 'red-toothed' shrews with the typical articular process of Sorex and intermediate in size between S. araneus Linnaeus, 1758 and S. minutus are commonly referred to as S. runtonensis. The phylogenetic relationship between S. runtonensis and modern Sorex species is controversial, with one school of thought suggesting that it is an ancestor of S. tundrensis Merriam, 1900(Osipova et al, 2006, whereas others suggest that it may be an ancestor of S. caecutiens Millet, 1828 (Parfitt, 1998). Late Pleistocene records attributed to S. runtonensis imply that it became extinct during the Last Cold Stage (Harrison, 1996).…”