Insectivorous In. Goat Zhaizhong Pleistocene Its Animals, Geographical And Environmental Changes

The mammalian fauna with clear characteristics of transitional region has been found in the Shanyangzhai cave of the Qinhuangdao area where the three Chinese zoogeographical regions (the Northeast region, the North region and the Meng-xin region) join. Abundant fossils mainly are small mammals. The fauna includes typical species derived from three zoogeographical regions and can be compared with the middle Pleistocene faunas found in both the Zhoukoudian (the North region) and the Jinniushan (Northeast region) faunas. Of53kinds of mammals identified at the site,38kinds can be seen on the list of the middle Pleistocene Zhoukoudian and the Jinniushan faunas, of which29kinds are the same as those in the Zhoukoudian fauna and25are in the Jinniushan fauna,7in the Salawusu fauna and account for76%,66%and18%of the total, respectively. It is suggested based on the consistence of the constitution of the fauna and its recent zoogeographic division that the three regions in north China could be initially formed during the middle Pleistocene.Remains of insectivora in this fauna have been systematic studied. They belong to three family, five genera and12species, and including729fossil specimens. There are one new species(Scaptochirus minor sp. nov.), two first fossil records(Sorex minutissimus and S. mirabilis), six new fossil record(Erinaceus europaeus, Crociclura wongi, Sorex araneus, S. minutus, Neomys bohlini, and Scaptochirus moschatus) of the insectivora.①The morphological character of the Erinaceus fossil species ranges between E. olgae and E. europaeus but is closer to the latter. The E. olgae may be the ancestor species of modern E. europaeus. About the taxonomic, we think that the hedgehog classification problem of China is still needs more supportes on research results, now too soon to tell. Before no exact morphological research, to carefully and convenient, the author of this paper is still using the hedgehog(Erinaceus europaeus) as the only species name of China hedgehog.②The Sorex fossils from this site have been described, and compared with the others of China. The red shrew fossils contain the Sorex araneus, S. minutus, S. minutissimus and S. mirabilis. The fossil S. araneus has been recorded previously only in Jinniushan and Xinglongdong. Both Sorex sp. from the Danangou of Nihewan and Localities3at Zhoukoudian can be classified into S. araneus, and extension its geological distribution from the early Pleistocene to recent. The S. minutus is first reported from middle Pleistocene in China, which not only size is small compared with the S. araneus, moreover its nearly equilateral triangle of condylar shape also has obvious difference. The S. minutissimus fossils is first reported in China, which distinguish from the S. minutus by different position of the mental foramen, so the correlation specimen from the sites in Haimao and Jianshi can be classified as this species. The S. mirabilis is the first fossil record of this species.③The Neomys bohlini fossil has been described and discussesed, which is the one recovered in China after the Zhoukoudian locality in nearly one century.④The fossil white-toothed shrew, Crocidura is included C. wongi and three C. sp.. Analysis the meaning and using situation of the three shrews name of Crocidura shantungensis,C. ilensis and C. suaveolens, and discuss the inappropriate use or incorrect interpretation of C. shantungensis and C. ilensis. We advise to use the Crocidura suaveolens as exclusive specific name of the Lesser White-toothed shrew in order to avoid unnecessary confusion.⑤The minimum Desman in north China, Scaptochirus minor sp. nov. has be recovered and its fossil claw is first described. The distribution on the geologic and geographical of all above in China is drawn.Based on fine study in the geologic period of geographical distribution in China of insectivorous animals from Shanyangzhai fauna, it is found that the Erinaceus is spread, the Sorex (red tooth shrews) and Crocidura (white tooth shrews) is migration, the Neomys (water shrews) and the Scaptochirus moschatus are moved to the north or north west direction obviously offset since the Pleistocene epoch. And all of this point to one of the same background:that is the warm-dry trend of the living environment. This may be the new evidence of weather get dry and warming, environmental differences further widening between eastern and western of China.