New rodents from the late Oligocene site of Gözükızıllı in Anatolia (Turkey)

Abstract

The Oligocene rodent assemblage from Gözükızıllı (Anatolia, Turkey) is described. The assemblage is relatively small, but it contains the new large and hypsodont baluchimyine Daxneria fragilis nov. gen. nov. sp. In addition, the ctenodactyline Sayimys, two new species of Eucricetodon: E. ruber nov. sp. and E. oculatus nov. sp. are present. Rare are the glirids Bransatoglis and Peridyromys/Microdyromys and a dipodid that could not be classified. The assemblage contains Asian and some European elements and is dated as early part of the late Oligocene (29–26 Ma). The small fauna from Gözükızıllı is important because only a few Paleogene rodent faunas are known from Asia Minor.