First record of Karydomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the German part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin

Karydomys , a rare genus of cricetid rodents from the Middle Miocene of central Europe, had previously been reported only from the Swiss part of the North Alpine Foreland basin; documented evidence from the German part was lacking. This paper describes several new specimens of Karydomys from the German localities Höll and Laimering 3. A correlation of both localities to the Bavarian local biostratigraphic scale OSM F is proposed. Taxonomically, the fossils are most probably linked to K. wigharti from Hambach 6C (north-west Germany), and thus assigned to K. cf. wigharti . In spite of the scarcity of Karydomys fossils in the Upper Freshwatermolasse, the taxon is an important biostratigraphical marker because of its short stratigraphical range.