Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 64. (Budapest 1972)

Jánossy, D.: Middle Pliocene microvertebrate fauna from the Osztramos Loc. 1. (Northern Hungary)

Description of new species and subspecies: Soricidae Amblycoptus KORMOS, 1926 Amblycoptus topali sp. n. (see Plate III. Fig. 6-10). Derivatio nominis : topali, from Dr. GYÖROY TOPÁL, my constant collaborator, discoverer of the first remains of this species. Stratum locusque typicus : vertical karstic fissure in the SSW part of the easternmost quarry (Nr. XI) of the hill Osztramos, at about 350 m a.s.l. (Locality No. L), on the confines of the villages Tornaszentandrás, Bódvaszilas and Bódvarákó (NE Hungary, 50 km north of Miskolc). Age: Middle Pliocene („Postpannonian Pliocene"), Lower Astian-Levantinian in older literature. Diagnosis : An evolved form of the genus Amblycoptus, with an allometrically different M

x from the only known species (A. oligodon) and more reduced first antemolar and M

2

. Holotype : Right mandible with the incisor, two antemolars, M

L and the alveoli of M

2 - without the coronoid process (Inv. Number V. 71. 49 Nat. Hist. Mus. Budapest). Paratype: Fragment of the middle of a skull with the second antemolar, P

4 and M

1 (see description below). Referred specimens : Locality 1/c : 6 right and 2 left mandible fragments (all without the incisor, three with ascending ramus), 7 upper and 6 lower incisor fragments, 2 upper unicuspids, three P

4 and one M

1

, and a maxillar fragm. with P

4

—M

1

, fragments of humeri. - Loc. 1/b : lower incisor, 2 maxillar fragments : 1 with two unicuspids, the other one with M

1

. Description : A large shrew species with the generic features of Amblycoptus, Beyond the diagnostic features, the followings should be added : as mentioned above, there is a middle part of a well preserved skull fragment present. The intermaxiUar part is broken before the second antemolar, as well as before the brain case (neurocranium) up to the sphenoid bone (os sphenoides). As far as I know, this is the first record of a skull of this peculiar shrew. Despite the very fragmentary condition some observations can still be made : in comparison with shrew skulls of nearly the same size (e. g. Blarina brevicauda) the cranium must have been much more heavier (broader and higher). There is a strong sagittal crest on the anterior part - quite unusual in Soricids. The infraorbital foramen does not lie above M

1

, as in other Soricids, but above P

4 (this feature agrees with the type-material of A. oligodon KORMOS, 1926; see Taf. III. Fig. 1/b). The palatine i. e. the maxilla is narrow between the upper teeth (measurring about 2.1 mm ; between the two P

4

) the pair of the ossa sphenoidea is very strongly built. The choana is also narrow, the width averaging 1.3 mm. The upper premolar and molar agree with those of A. oligodon, excepting a greater emphasis of the parastyle in M

1 and the stronger built of the second antemolar. with the dental formula