Early Pliocene ochotonids (Mammalia, Lagomorpha) from Southern Ukraine

ČČermák S. & Rekovets L. I. 2010. — Early Pliocene ochotonids (Mammalia, Lagomorpha) from Southern Ukraine. Geodiversitas 32 (1): 107-120. The aim of this paper is to enlarge knowledge about poorly known ochotonids from the Early Pliocene (Ruscinian, MN 14) from southern Ukraine. The abundant new material of Ochotona antiquaArgyropulo & Pidoplichko, 1939 from Novopetrovka (type locality) and Frunzovka-1 is analyzed in detail and compared with the type material. The results are expressed in a redescription of the taxon and evaluation of its intraspecific variation, including the outlying and/or aberrant forms closely related to it. Pseudobellatona relictaTopachevsky, Nesin & Topachevsky, 1993 confined to the type locality Krasnopol is redescribed and considered herein as a taxon incertae sedis within the Ochotonidae clade. Specificities of the Early Pliocene taxa from the Kuchurganian sedimentary series are discussed in the context of phylogeny and systematics of Eurasian ochotonids.