Geologicheskii Vestnik

In this article the data on the change in the morphotype composition m1 of root voles during the Neopleistocene on the territory of the Southern Fore-Urals is summarized for the first time. The morphological method was used for the analysis. The fossil remains of root voles (Microtus ex gr. oeconomus и Microtus oeconomus) from four sites of different ages were studied: Chui-Atasevo (Early Neopleistocene), Krasny Yar, Klimovka (Middle Neopleistocene) and Gornova (Late Neopleistocene). It was established that m1 Microtus ex gr. oeconomus from Chui-Atasevo site are related to the size of small Early-Midneopleistocene form of root vole from the territory of Russian plain and Western Siberia. The Chui-Atasevo m1 root voles have a signi cant proportion of m1 with a rattocypoid structure of the anterior loop, which is most characteristic of Early Pleistocene populations of voles close to root voles. The first lower molars of Late Neopleistocene root voles from the territory of the Southern Fore-Urals had sizes close to m1 of modern root voles of steppe and forest-steppe populations. The Late Neopleistocene root vole from Gornovo site and modern root vole are dominated by m1 of typical structure (morphotypes II and III), with m1 of type III structure being more numerous.

Early Neopleistocene, Middle Neopleistocene, Late Neopleistocene, root vole, Microtus oeconomus Pallas; 1776, Southern Fore-Urals

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