The Sciuridae (Rodentia) From Sansan.

The Sciuridae (Rodentia) from Sansan. Seven sciurids are present at Sansan. Two species are arboreal and belong to the Pteromyini: Albanensia sansaniensis and Blackia miocaenica. Albanensia sansaniensis is known from a maxilla and a mandible with dentitions and about 40 isolated teeth. This is a species similar in size to the largest modern flying squirrels; it is compared to the younger Albanensia albanensis from La Grive, and was recovered from Turkey (Candir). The second species, Blackia miocaenica, is smaller in size. The stratigraphical distribution of this species (from MN2 to MN15) is the longest among fossil rodents. Four additional, terrestrial species belong to the Xerini (Heteroxerus grivensis) and the Marmotini (Palaeosciurus sp. cf. P. ultimus, Spermophilinus bredai and Tamias minutus). Spermophilinus bredai is the most abundant species with a hundred of teeth. It is identical to the later form from La Grive. Tamias minutus is known from 5 teeth; this is a very small-sized species with simple teeth. A seventh, indeterminate species indicates the presence of a very large-sized squirrel at Sansan. In Sansan, sciurids remain scarce relatively to other rodents, and only the species of Spermophilinus is relatively frequent. Despite this scarcity, 7 species are identified. This richness suggests a relatively open environment, with some tall trees where lived the flying squirrels. The morphological silmilarity of the Sciuridae from Sansan with modern taxa from South-East Asia indicate warm and humid climate for Sansan.