Erinaceus europaeus fossils (Erinaceidae, Insectivora) from the Middle Pleistocene cave site of Shanyangzhai, Hebei Province, China

Abstract

Abstract The Shanyangzhai Cave is located in Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province, and has yielded abundant Middle Pleistocene mammalian fossils. This is a report on the Erinaceus fossils found from this cave. The morphological character of the Erinaceus fossil species ranges between Erinaceus olgae and Erinaceus europaeus but is closer to the latter. Its p4 paraconid, located in the front of the crown, is thick and tall. The protoconid is behind and linked with the metaconid to form a horizontal ridge (protocristid). The entoconid is linked with the hypoconid by a basal ridge. The protocristid does not occur in the fossil species as E. olgae , while it is evident in the present species. The fossil species from Shanyangzhai have different protocristid from the modern E. europaeus as well. The fossil species E. europaeus should be placed between the extinct species E. olgae and the modern E. europaeus . The E. olgae may be the ancestor species of modern E. europaeus .