Revised taxonomy and ecology of the Late Miocene Erinaceinae (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from Kohfidisch, Austria

Abstract

The scarcity of Miocene material attributed to Erinaceinae (Erinaceidae, Eulipotyphla) is a major limitation to the understanding of the whole fossil history of this subfamily. The present study describes the Late Miocene (MN11) hedgehogs of Kohfidisch (eastern Austria) based on a new material attributed to Postpalerinaceus cf. vireti, Atelerix cf. steensmai and Atelerix sp. Additionally, we support the presence of Atelerix cf. steensmai in the MN12 Moldovan locality of Čimišlija. Our findings confirm a pan-European diversity pattern in the Turolian, characterised by the spread of a few large erinacein forms showing a wide dietary spectrum. This pattern coincides with the establishment of marked seasonality and periods of drought in Europe. Based on actualistic observations, we hypothesise that durophagous dietary behaviour was a key survival strategy for Erinaceinae which had to rely on hard-bodied ‘fallback’ food. The selection of this behaviour likely contributed to the success and wide range of habitats of modern hedgehogs.