Late Miocene Erinaceinae from the Teruel Basin (Spain)

Abstract

Classifying fossil teeth of Erinaceinae (spiny hedgehogs) is a challenging task, because of their scanty record and systematic treatment that heavily relies on skull characteristics. In this paper we describe the complete set of isolated dental elements of Erinaceinae from the upper Miocene sediments of the Teruel Basin (eastern Central Spain). Four different species were recognized: Postpalerinaceus cf. vireti, Atelerix aff. depereti, Atelerix steensmai nov. sp., and a form classified as Erinaceinae genus and species indet. All four are relatively derived in showing multi-purpose dentitions, not showing only adaptations to insectivory, but also to carnivory, herbivory and possibly durophagy/malacophagy. The temporal occurrence of spiny hedgehogs during the middle to late Miocene in the Teruel Basin and neighboring Calatayud-Montalbán Basin peaks within periods of relative aridity, a correlation consistent with modern geographic distribution. Messinian cooling is the best candidate for explaining a remarkable demise of Erinaceinae at 7 Ma.