The Late Miocene Plesiosoricidae and Soricidae (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from the Pannonian region, Slovakia

Soricidae is the most species-rich eulipotyphlan family since the
Pliocene. Numerous Late Miocene soricids and plesiosoricids are well-known
from southern Europe. Localities from central Europe, despite being rare,
have historically yielded better-preserved material that reveals a great
diversity. We here add to this existing record with the description of
eight species from MN9-MN12-aged localities of Slovakia (Paenelimnoecus
repenningi, Paenesorex bicuspis, Isterlestes aenigmaticus nov. gen. nov.
sp., Crusafontina endemica, Crusafontina kormosi, Amblycoptus jessiae,
Asoriculus gibberodon, Petenyia dubia), alongside one species of
Plesiosoricidae (Plesiosorex evolutus). The early occurrence of A.
gibberodon and A. jessiae, the occurrence of Paenesorex, and the
identification of Isterlestes aenigmaticus nov. gen. nov. sp. reinforce
the hypothesis that the Pannonian region (south-eastern central Europe)
was a source area for several soricid taxa (Allosoricinae, Anourosoricini,
Soricini) during the Late Miocene.