Bats (Chiroptera, Mammalia) from the Turolian of the Ukraine: phylogenetic and biostratigraphic considerations

Abstract

The fossil bats from five riverine and lacustrine localities of the Ukraine are described. The biostratigraphic correlations of the examined faunas are MN 11 and MN 12 (Early Turolian). Six taxa were identified, all belonging to Vespertilionidae. A new species, Pipistrellus semenovi nov. sp., close to basal clades of the extant genus, is described from Altestovo 5 (MN 12). The records of Pipistrellus from Altestovo 5 and Egorovka 1 and 2 (MN 12) are at present the earliest findings of this genus in Europe. The Nyctalus sp. from Palievo (MN 11) is one of the rarest records of this genus in the Neogene of Europe. The records of Vespertilio sp. from Palievo and Egorovka 1 morphologically are similar to Recent V. murinus. Recognition of Eptesicus aff. campanensis from Novoelizavetovka 3 (MN 12) is, at present, the youngest known record of this species. Eptesicus aff. kowalskii from Egorovka 1 and 2 differs from the nominotypical taxon in being smaller and in having a less reduced m3. The bat assemblages from Turolian localities of the Ukraine are most similar to those from Bernardiere, Lobrieu and Dionay (MN 11) of France. The peculiar aggregation of bat taxa in the studied taphocenosis is consistent with avian pellet origin.