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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A small moonrat belonging to the Galericini tribe occurs in all the assemblages from the Terre Rosse fissure fillings of the Gargano. It was first mentioned in the pioneering report of Freudenthal and by Butler in his study of the “gigantic”Deinogalerix, and has been quoted with different names several times in faunal lists of the Terre Rosse endemic faunas. Up to date, however, the description of this gymnure has never been achieved. We present here the taxonomical and morphological description of a sample from Fissure Filling F32 that is considered to document the youngest phase of population of the Gargano Paleoarchipelago. The comparisons with genera Galerix, Parasorex and Schizogalerix, show that the Gargano gymnure is well distinct from these three genera, and that it deserves a generic status. The small Galericini is therefore referred to Apulogalerix pusillus nov. gen., nov. sp. The enlarged and swollen premolar series, the small, pointed molars, some details in the morphology of the lower fourth premolar and of the third upper premolar, indicate that Apulogalerix nov. gen. is an endemic taxon, likely derived from a Parasorex ancestor, which specialized in a malacophagous diet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we report the first detailed description of a fairly rich Middle Miocene insectivore assemblage from the Vallès-Penedès Basin (NE Spain). These fossils come from the locality of Barranc de Can Vila 1, which is the type locality of the stem great ape Pierolapithecus catalaunicus. This locality belongs to the Middle Miocene local stratigraphic series of Abocador de Can Mata (els Hostalets de Pierola), and has an estimated age of 11.9Ma (MN7, late Aragonian). Herein, we identify and describe the fossil insectivores, which are the second best represented order of mammals at the site. The studied assemblage includes fossil remains of Parasorex socialis, cf. Galerix exilis, Plesiodimylus chantrei, Talpa minuta, Dinosorex zapfei and two indeterminate Soricidae. This assemblage shows a higher species diversity than other Middle Miocene insectivore assemblages from central Iberian basins, but a lower one when compared with the most representative assemblages from Central Europe. This fact is indicative of some kind of peculiar ecological conditions in northeastern Iberian Peninsula, which precluded the distribution of some of these insectivores to the southwest. Those insectivores absent in the central Spanish localities probably possessed more restrictive ecological requirements. This would be probably also the case of Middle Miocene primates, which are lacking from inner Iberian basins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]