According to F. M. Catzefliset al. (Trends Ecol. Evol.7, 122–126, 1992), comparative dating of the oldest dichotomy in the muroid group (Spalacinae-other Muridae) by molecular and paleontological time scales produces conflicting results. For the earliest Spalacinae they refer to a date of 25–37 Ma; however, it has been demonstrated thatRhizospalax is not a muroid rodent, and a review of the record of fossil Spalacinae suggests that paleontological and molecular dating produces a comparable age (±19 Ma).