Mimomys

In the above-mentioned series of drillings one may easily follow the series of strata known as Upper Villafranchian - Villanyian , as a thin layer corresponding to a phase marked by Mimomys pliocaenicus, all lying at various depths in accordance with the undulating Pannonic surface. 

The so-called hard loess (known as loess durci" in the French literature, containing Mimomys pliocaenicus, sometimes Archidiskodon meridionalis Saint-Vallier, Stranzendorf Viret, 1954 Rabeder, 1971), which have been discovered over the past few decades are not readily identified by means of their vertebrate fauna in the regionally analogous loess of Hungary. Isolated finds of faunistically supported older loess have, however, been reported. 

Apodemus sp. I-Il Cricetinus sp. I-II Baranomys loczyi Kormos Germanomys cf. weileri Heller Mimomys stehlini Kormos—abundant Mimomys sp. div. (incl. Cseria sp.)... 

Mimomys mehelyi-stehlini group—22 Mj Mimomys sp. (large)—2 molars Hypolagus beremendensis (Petenyi)—1 Ochotona sp.—1... 

Mimomys aff. pliocaenicus Major Mimomys fejervdryi Kormos Mimomys hungaricus Kormos Mimomys petenyii Mehely Mimomys pusillus Mehely Kislangia rex (Kormos)... 

Fig. 8. Dentition of the most important index fossil of the Lower Pleistocene, Mimomys plicocaenicus Forsyth-Major.

Mimomys ostramosensis Janossy et Meulen Mimomys hungaricus Kormos Mimomys pitymyoides Janossy et Meulen Mimomys tornensis Jdnossy et Meulen Mimomys pusillus-reidi group Myodes sebaldi Heller ... 

Also, remains of members of the genus Mimomys in such a complete state of preservation have been found (crania fossilized together with the mandibles) that for the first time the taxonomical status of the relevant species can be clarified, partly by describing a number of new forms (Janossy and Meulen, 1975). 

Mimomys petenyii Mehelyi Mimomys hungaricus Kormos ... 

Celtis sp.—10 Gastropoda indet.—ca. 600 Episoriculus gibberodon (Petenyi)—3 Beremendia fissidens (Petenyi)—6 Prospalax priscus (Nehring)—2 Apodemus cf. sylvaticus (L.)—3 Mimomys pitymyoides Janossy et Meulen—-2... 

Apodemus sylvaticus (L.)—2 Cricetus cricetus nanus Schaub—3 Mimomys pusillus group—5 M, Lagurus arankae Kretzoi—34 M, Allophaiomys pliocaenicus Kormos— Clethrionomys sp.—2... 

Cricetus cricetus nanus Schaub Mimomys pusillus group Ungaromys sp. 

Since the supplementary collections planned by Kretzoi (1956) have never been fulfilled and because the locality has since been demolished by quarrying, there is no hope of future supplementation of the overall composition of the fauna. However, the occurrence of a vole species, Mimomys savini, which is characteristic of this phase (the Templomhegyian substage), together with many modem vole species, certainly indicates that most of the animal assemblage belongs here. 

Cricetus cricetus runtonensis Newton Mimomys savini Hinton Mimomys sp. (small species)... 

This very rich fauna, because of the presence of Mimomys savini and Lagurus, can be allocated to the end of the Lower Pleistocene (the Templomhegyian, or rather the Nagyharsdnyhegyian substage). However, the absence of Arvicola finds indicates that it may be somewhat older than the animal assemblage of locality no. 8 of Villdny. 

The animal assemblage is straightforwardly characterized by the last species of Mimomys (in 1965 Kretzoi showed that the valid name for this form is savini). Apart from this, the absolute predominance of ancestors of contemporary water voles (Arvicola), small voles with rootless teeth (Microtus and Pitymys) and locally steppe lemmings (Lagurus pannonicus), can be observed. 

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