Sciurid remains from the Late Cenozoic fissure-fillings of Fanchang, Anhui, China

Remains of sciurids from a late Cenozoic fissure in Anhui, China are described. Six texa, including one new genus and two new species, representing five genera and four tribes in the subfamily Sciurinae are recognized. They are Sciurus sp., Tamias sp., Plesiosciurus zhengi sp. nov., Sciurotamias wangi Qiu, 2002, S. teilhardi Zheng, 1993, and Pseudoratufa wanensis gen. et sp. nov. The material described was collected from four levels of the fissure fillings. On the basis of the fossil content and coloration, the collection is considered to be a mixed sample with elements representing a rather long interval, probably ranging from the Early Miocene to the Pleistocene. The assemblage shows similar traits of the late Cenozoic sciurine faunas from central and southern China, and contains an intriguing genus Pseudoratufa. Characters of the latter’s dentition clearly demonstrate that the new-comer of ratufin is a tree squirrel; Pseudoratufa is probably coeval with the Fanchang hominoid, and with Diatomys and beavers found in this fissure. The joint occurrence of these taxa seems to be indicative of existence of forest biotopes once in this district during the earlier Miocene.