中国长江流域沿岸的洞穴和裂隙堆积物中常含有属种丰富的更新世哺乳动物群, 其中小哺乳动物化石由于标本数量多且演化速率快, 因此在第四纪生物地层对比方面具有重要的作用。本文系统研究了产自长江下游南岸的安徽繁昌癞痢山东裂隙的鼠科化石, 包括: Apodemus cf. A. asianicus、Micromys minutus、Chiropodomys cf. C. primitivus、Vandeleuria sp.、Niviventer cf. N. preconfucianus、Leopoldamys sp.、Berylmys cf. B. bowersi 和 Rattus sp., 共计 8 属 8 种, 其中绝灭种和现生种的比例分别为 37.5%和 25%。依据化石属种的形态差异和演化水平, 东裂隙鼠科动物群的性质比安徽繁昌人字洞和重庆巫山龙骨坡都要明显进步, 比湖北建始龙骨洞的鼠科组合也显得稍进步, 兼具早—中更新世的特点, 但更偏向早更新世, 其地质时代很可能为早更新世晚期。此外, 本文还初步建立了长江流域早更新世鼠科动物群的层序, 从早到晚依次为: 安徽繁昌人字洞(距今约 220–256 万年)和重庆巫山龙骨坡(距今约 220–250 万年)—湖北建始龙骨洞(距今约 120–160 万年)—安徽繁昌癞痢山东裂隙(估计距今约 78–120 万年)。

Abundant Pleistocene mammalian faunas have been unearthed from the cave deposits and fissure-fillings along the Yangtze River Basin in China. The micro-mammalian faunas are characterized by the large number of specimens and rapid evolutionary rates. Therefore, these fossil assemblages play an important role in Quaternary biostratigraphic correlations. The new murid rodents from the East Fissure-fillings at Laili Hill, Fanchang, Anhui, on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, eastern China, are described in this study. This fossil assemblage includes Apodemus cf. A. asianicus, Micromys minutus, Chiropodomys cf. C. primitivus, Vandeleuriasp., Niviventer cf. N. preconfucianus, Leopoldamys sp., Berylmys cf. B. bowersi and Rattus sp. Eight species in eight genera are identified, of which three species (37.5%) are extinct, two species (25%) are extant, and the other three species (37.5%) are undetermined. Based on the morphological differences and evolutionary levels of the fossil species, the murid fauna from the East Fissure-fillings is obviously more advanced than those from the Renzidong Cave of Fanchang in Anhui and Longgupo site of Wushan in Chongqing, and slightly more advanced than that from the Longgudong Cave of Jianshi in Hubei. The geological age of the East Fissure Fauna is estimated to be late early Pleistocene. In addition, the initial stratigraphic sequence (in chronological order) of the early Pleistocene murid faunas from the Yangtze River Basin is also proposed: Rezidong Fauna (2.20–2.56 Ma BP) and Longgupo Fauna (2.20–2.50 Ma BP)—Longgudong Fauna (1.20–1.60 Ma BP)—East Fissure Fauna (estimated at 0.78–1.20 Ma BP).

中国科学院战略性先导科技专项(B类) (编号:XDB26000000)、安徽繁昌人字洞遗址的发掘和综合研究项目(安徽省芜湖市繁昌区人民政府横向科研项目)和现代古生物学和地层学国家重点实验室开放基金(183122)联合资助