Folia Historico-Naturalia Musei Matraensis - A Mátra Múzeum Természetrajzi Közleményei 12. (1987)
Czájlik, P.: A Talpa romana ehiki n. subsp. leírása, koponya méreteinek biometriai elemzése
A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW TAXONOMY OF TALPA ROMANA, USING BIOGEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS Several authors have dealt with the evolution and taxonomy of Talpa romána (STEIN, 1963, U. ROESLER and G. R. WITTE, 1969, G. R. WITTE, 1965). An alaysis of Talpa romána is given below, using the results of biometrical studies given above, and some new biogeographical view-points. On this basis a new proposal for the taxonomy of Talpa romána is presented. In addition to the results of biometrical analyses, there some more facts to be considered: 1. Talpa genus is not a young one in evolution, so changes might take places much slower, than in younger genera. 2. All the present-day habitats of Talpa romána can be characterized by firm deposit soils, or by redzinas. Near Rome: the alluvial deposit of the River Tevére, Macedonia Vardar region: Pontic marine deposit, Palegonean region: crystalline slate covered by Mesozoic limestone, Southern Italy: Campania:steep limestone slopes and firm slope-deposit soils, Kétpó-Pusztapó: firm marsh soils developed on the deposit of the River Kőrös. 3. The vicinity of every Talpa romána habitat served as refuge during the Pleistocene for the Mediterranean-like flora and fauna of the Pliocene (REINING, 1950, HASSLEIN, 1960, ANT, 1963, 1966, VARGA, 1971, 1976, 1981, BÄBA, 1982, 1986, POP, 1956). Paleobotanical evidences of refuges in the Bihar region and in the Southern Carpathean (Tusnádi iirdô) were given by POP (1932, 1956). The assumed refuges at the time of the greatest glacier is given after B. FRENZEL's (1968) phytogeographical map. According to the results of ROTARIDES (1944) and KR0L0PP (1984), a great proportion of the recent Hungarian fauna existed in the Pliocene as well^ These species are among the Holarctic species with wide distribution (SOUS, 1926, VÄGVÖLGYI, 1954). They evolved to their recent forms in their Pleistocene refuges. "Stacioner Mediterranean oreal species occured in the subalpine region, and they could be most abundant on steep slopes with no wind and high insolation occasionally they occured at very low altitude under good edaphic conditions." (VARGA, 1981). 4.00. It is important, that Spalax leucodon occurs in the habitats of Talpa romána ehiki and Talpa romána stankovici , as well. This species is distributed in SE-Europe, and it requires firm soils. Its ancestor Prospalax priscus is documented from the Hungarian Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene fauna by JANOSSY (1979). But in the Bihar region early pleistocene layers contain Spalax , as well. Since that time Spalax has been a permanent member of the Hungarian fauna. 5.00. Talpa genus has been present in Hungary throughout the whole Pleistocene uptill now (JÁN0SSY, 1979). It is against STEIN's (1963) statement, that Middle European Talpa europaea populations survived the Pleistocene in refuges. The big Talpa fossilis and the small Talpa minor are characteristic of the Hungarian fauna from VILLAFRANKA (Villány 3. layer) to MIN0EL II - III. (Vértesszőllős 1., Uppony 1.6-8 layers) (JÁN0SSY, 1979). Talpa romána seems to be geologically older species, than Talpa europaea . It has much more differentiated polyangular teeth with develoed cingulum. At the beginning of the RISS glacier (Hórvölgy cave): "The big red-toothed Sorex araneus , the medium size whitw-toothed Crocidura leucodon and the big homogeneous Talpa ct. europaea are the indicators of this layer" (JÁN0SSY, 1979). Tetrastes praebonasia is recorded for the first time from layers of the same age, whichmeans that the first invasion of the Siberian fauna reached Hungary in the Middle Pleistocene. It is possible, that Talpa europaea occured for the first time together with loess. This contradict VITTE 's П~969) statement. At that time Talpa fossilis and Talpa minor disappeared. Or it might have survived in refuges in the Bihar region, in the Southern Carpathean and at other places. The recent form of Talpa romána ehiki might have evolved from one of these relic populations. Similar processes might have been characteristic of other parts of Europe. And this was the time, when the ancient (Pliocene) form of Talpa romána withdrew to certain refuges. Recent forms of Talpa romána might have evolved in the refuges, and during the time of expansion. It is possible, that the northern (Hungarian, Macedonian) and the southern (Italian) groups of talpa romána were separated in the second half of the Pliocene, when the climate cooled slowly. As B. FRENZEL (1968) showed at the end of the Pliocene the shore of Ponti and Pannon seas was covered by forests containing Sequoia and other members of Taxodiaceae . These sea-shore habitats were 154
