New surprises from the Gargano Late Miocene small mammals, a neverending story.

Apatodemus degiulii n. gen. et sp. (Rodentia, Muridae), a hitherto undescribed endemite from the Terre Rosse of Gargano (Late Miocene, Southeastern Italy)

The taxonomy of the murid that had been ascribed to the genus Apodemus from the late Miocene insular faunal assemblages of Gargano (Southeastern Italy) is revised. Morphological and odontometric analyses of important new dental characters were undertaken. Our investigations revealed substantial morphological differences from Apodemus. The rodent is therefore assigned to a new genus and species, Apatodemus degiulii. The new species is characterised by a combination of advanced and primitive characters: moderately brachyodont teeth, t7 present in all M1–2s, elongated and distally located t1 in M1, t1 often twinned in M1–2, and narrow labial cingulid in lower molars associated to a well-develo…