Available online http://amq.aiqua.it ISSN (print): 2279-7327, ISSN (online): 2279-7335 Alpine and Mediterranean Quaternary, 34 (1), 2021, 69-74 NEW DATA ON THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE SMALL MAMMAL FAUNA FROM THE HOMO BEARING SITE OF FONTANA RANUCCIO (ANAGNI BASIN, CENTRAL ITALY). Fabio Bona 1 , Flavia Strani 2,3 1 Museo Civico dei Fossili di Besano, Besano, Varese, Italia. 2 Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italia. 3 Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana, Roma, Italia. Corresponding author: Fabio Bona ABSTRACT: The scanty small mammals material of the Middle Pleistocene Fontana Ranuccio site is characterized by the pre- sence of six species belonging to three order: Eulipotyphla, Lagomorpha, and Rodentia. The small mammal fossils evidence from Fontana Ranuccio, instead the scarce number of specimens, indicates that the site is characterized by a warm and wooded envi- ronment with subordinate grassland. Keywords: Systematics, chronological remarks, environmental. 1. INTRODUCTION The aim of this Short Note is to describe for the first time the remains of small mammals, albeit limited to a few often poorly preserved fragments, from the Middle Pleisto- cene Homo bearing site of Fontana Ranuccio (Anagni, Central Italy). The Fontana Ranuccio site is located in the Anagni basin about 90 km southeast of Rome (Fig. 1). The locali- ty was discovered in 1976 during quarry activities for the extraction of “pozzolana” (volcanic ash). Since then, sev- eral excavation campaigns have been carried out by the Italian Institute of Human Paleontology which have al- lowed to unearth a large number of archaeological tools (>100), faunal remains (>25,000) and four human teeth (Segre & Ascenzi, 1984; Ascenzi et al., 1993; Segre Naldini et al., 2009; Rubini et al., 2014; Grimaldi et al., 2020). The fossiliferous layer is located within a succession of pyroclastic deposits which has been dated around 0.4 Ma (Pereira et al., 2018), right after the MIS 12-11 pas- sage which marks the end of the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition with the definitive consolidation of the glacial cycles’ periodicity change from 41 kyr to 100 kyr (the so- called “Mid-Brunhes Event”; Head & Gibbard, 2015). After this event an increase in the amplitude of both glacial and interglacial periods is observed with the MIS 11 represent- ing one of the longest and warmest interglacial recorded after the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition (Weirauch et al., 2008). The Fontana Ranuccio rich vertebrate collection is stored at the Italian Institute of Human Palaeontology (IsIPU) depository (Anagni, Frosinone). Among the large mammals, 1360 specimens have been attributed to 15 taxa: Palaeoloxodon antiquus, Stephanorhinus sp., Equus cf. E. mosbachensis, Hippopotamus amphibius, Dama clactoniana, Cervus elaphus eostephanoceros, Praemeg- aceros sp., Bos primigenius, Sus scrofa ferus, Ursus deningeri, Ursus sp., Panthera sp., Crocuta crocuta, Canis mosbachensis, Macaca sylvanus and Homo sp. (Segre & Ascenzi, 1984; Ascenzi et al., 1993; Rubini et al., 2014: Conti et al., 2021). Artiodactyla is the best-represented order (68% of faunal remains) of which 69% belong to cervids and 25% to bovids (Strani et al., 2018). Fig. 1 - Geographical position of Fontana Ranuccio (modified from Strani et al., 2018). https://doi.org/10.26382/AMQ.2021.01 70 Bona F., Strani F. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS The studied material was collected during past field excavations starting from 1976 to today (Tab.1). The measurements of long bones and skulls pre- sented in this paper were taken according to von den Driesch (1976). The measurements of the Lower first molar of Microtus (Terricola) sp. were taken, using a digi- tal micrometer Parker Hannifin-decadal, according to Sala et al. (1994). The length of the tooth row were taken on the buccal side from the first root of the p4 to the last of the m3. The fossils were compared, where necessary, with the comparison collection of one of the authors (FB). 3. SYSTEMATIC The scanty small mammals material of the Middle Pleistocene Fontana Ranuccio site is characterized by the presence of six species belonging to three orders: Eulipo- typhla, Lagomorpha and Rodentia. The rodents are repre- sented by seven specimens, only four of those are deter- mined at least to the generic level. The Eulipotyphla are represented by two remains attributed one to a talpid and the second to a hedgehog. Three specimens are referred to a leporid. Order Rodentia Bowdich, 1821 Family Cricetidae Fischer, 1817 Genus Microtus Schrank, 1798 Microtus (Terricola) sp. Material: 1 Left hemi-mandible with m1 and m2 (FR SD-171) (Fig. 1,2). Measure: Tab. 2. The m1 of FR SD-171 shows a posterior loop, T1, T2 and T3 alternate, T4 and T5 are extremely confluent, forming a “pitymyoid” rhombus useful to attribute the specimen to subgenus Terricola, and T6 and T7 are con- fluent with AC3. BSA3 and LSA4 are aligned similar in shape to the extant M. (T.) gr. multiplex-subterraneus. BRA4 and LRA5 are well developed. The tooth axis is rectilinear with a slight concavity to the buccal side. The tooth enamel shows a positive thickness (Microtus-type) differentiation. The lingual triangles are larger than the buccal ones. The cement is present in the re-entrant an- gles. The current taxonomic situation of the vole of the subgenus Terricola of the so-called "savii" group of Cen- tral-South Italy, in accordance with genetic data, sees the attestation of different species of the classic Italian en- demic Savi’s pine vole (Microtus (T.) savii) as described by Toschi (1965). Specifically, the species Microtus (T.) brachycercus is the most typical of Southern Italy. Micro- tus (T.) brachycercus was primarily defined at the genetic level and secondarily for some morphological characteris- tics defined as a member of the “Mediterranean” group; in fact, it is probably related, for the morphometric analysis of m1, to species like Microtus (T.) duodecimcostatus and Microtus (T.) lusitanicus of the Iberian peninsula (Contoli et al., 2008). According to data on extant Savi’s pine vole group, which underline the great level of variation in the Italian peninsula, is not possible with only one specimen to attrib- ute FR SD-171 to a specific level. Family Gliridae Muirhead in Brewster, 1819 Genus Eliomys Wagner, 1840 Eliomys sp. Material: 1 second left hemi-mandible (FR SD-172) without teeth. Measure: Length of the tooth row p4-m3: 6 mm. According to the shape of the radical surface (Niethammer & Krapp, 1978), reflecting the presence of the roots of the fourth premolar and of the three molars, and to the dimensions (Fig. 2, 3) FR SD-172 is attributed to Eliomys sp. The complete radical surface of FR SD-172 meas- ured 6 mm, it is smaller than genus Sciurus, that usually reached 9-11 mm (Toschi, 1965) and larger for the genus Dryomys, that usually reached 3-4 mm (Toschi, 1965). Tab. 1 - Commented list of the collected small mammals. Tab. 2 - Measures of First lower molar of FR SD-171 (measures in mm). 71 Genus Glis Brisson, 1762 cf. Glis sp. Material: 1 left incomplete femur (FR SD-177/1). The direct comparison of FR SD-177/1 with speci- mens of the comparative collection allows to tentatively attribute the fossil to cf. Glis sp. Order Lagomorpha Brandt, 1855 Family Leporidae Fischer de Waldheim, 1817 Genus Lepus Linnaeus, 1758 Lepus sp. Material: 1 upper left fourth premolar or first/second molar (FR SD-173); 1 distal fragment of left humerus (FR SD-163); 1 right distal fragment of tibia (Inv. 56572). Measure: FR SD-173, Bd (breadth of distal end): 11.8 mm; Inv. 56572, Bd (breadth of distal end): 14.1 mm. FR SD-173 is characterized by a not deep coronoid fossa and a wide supratrochlear hole and by a deep trochlea and small humeral capital (Fig. 3A). Inv. 56572, although a small fragment, presents a sub-rectangular distal articular surface and a well-developed malleulus lateralis (Fig. 3B). The three lagomorph specimens, according to the dimensions (larger than the genus Oryctolagus where, for example, specimens from Sicily humerus Bd does not reach 10 mm and tibia Bd does not reach 12 mm, Fig. 3A- B) are attributed to Lepus sp. (Ascenzi et al., 1993). Order Eulipotyphla Waddell et al., 1999 Family Talpidae Fischer de Waldheim, 1817 Genus Talpa Linnaeus, 1758 Talpa sp. Material: 1 incomplete left humerus (FR 86-1). Measure: FR 86-1, SD (smallest breadth of diaphy- sis): 4.4 mm. The morphology permit, without doubts, to attribute FR 86-1 to Talpa sp. (Fig. 2A-B); the large dimensions (Fig. 4B) and the poorly preservation of the humerus does not permit to a clear attribution to one of the two large species of the genus Talpa nowadays present in the area of Fontana Ranuccio: Talpa europaea and Talpa romana. Family Erinaceidae Fischer de Waldheim, 1817 Genus Erinaceus Linnaeus, 1758 Erinaceus sp. Material: 1 proximal fragment left scapula (FR 78-3). Measure: FR 78-3, GLP (greatest length of the pro- cessus articularis): 10.7 mm. The fragment FR 78-3 has been determined on a comparative base to Erinaceus europaeus (Fig. 4A). 4. CHRONOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The association of the large mammals and the geo- chemical dates testified an age for Fontana Ranuccio site of about 400.000 (Middle Galerian) (Pereira et al., 2018). The presence in the scanty small mammal fauna of an evolved form of Microtus vole indicates that the deposit’s age is near to the early Toringian (Sala & Masini, 2007) confirming the data for the large mammal fauna (Sala & Masini, 2007). 5. PALEOECOLOGICAL INFERENCES The small mammal fossils from Fontana Ranuccio, despite the scarce number of specimens (two glirids, a pine vole, a hare, a large mole and a large hedgehog), allow to make some considerations on paleoenvironmen- Fontana Ranuccio small mammal fauna Fig. 2 - Fontana Ranuccio small mammals. 1: FR SD-171 - Microtus (Terricola) sp., left M/1-2 (hemi-mandible); 2: FR 86-1 - Talpa sp., left humerus (a: dorsal, b: ventral); 3: FR SD-172 - Elyomys sp., left hemi-mandible. Scale bars = 1mm. 72 Bona F., Strani F. Fig. 3 - Fontana Ranuccio Lagomorphs. A, left humerus, A1: Oryctolagus cuniculus, modern; A2: FR SD-163; A3: Lepus europaeus, mod- ern. B, right tibia, B1: Oryctolagus cuniculus, modern; B2: Inv. 56572; B3: Lepus europaeus, modern. Scale bars =1mm. 73 Fontana Ranuccio small mammal fauna Fig. 4 - Fontana Ranuccio small mammals. A left scapula, A1: Erinaceus europaeus, modern; A2: FR 78-3, Erinaceus sp., left scapula fragment. B left humerus, B1: Talpa caeca, modern; B2: Fr SD-1; B3: Talpa europaea, modern. Scale bars =1mm. tal conditions of the area during the deposition of fossil beds. The presence of glirids, arvicolids of the subgenus Terricola and large talpids allows to interpreted as the site was characterized by the presence of warm and wooded environment with subordinate grassland and well- developed soils; the presence of beavers (Ascenzi et al. 1993) allow to think about the presence of water stream. This is in accordance with what has been reported by palaeoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on herbivorous ungulates dietary adaptations, where most cervids (the best represented mammal group) display dental wear patterns compatible with a diet based on the consumption of soft plant resources (e.g., leaves and twigs) which are most common in wooded areas and closed canopies (Strani et al., 2018). The abundance of wooded areas is also supported by results obtained by the stable isotopic analysis on E. cf. E. mosbachensis dental material, which suggests that this equid while feeding mostly on abrasive plants occupied less open habitats (e.g. at the edge between grasslands and woodlands) (Strani et al., 2019). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank all the palaeontologists and archaeolo- gists that participated in the excavations and lab activities of Fontana Ranuccio. 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