A new middle Miocene lineage based on taxonomic revision of the large and rare cricetid-rodent genus Lartetomys

Large-sized cricetid rodents (Cricetodotontini) immigrated to Central Europe at the beginning of the Middle Miocene Climate Transition at ca. 15 My and are thus of great value for biostratigraphic and palaeoecologic purposes. An important fossil material belonging to a relatively small species of Mixocricetodon from the North Alpine Foreland Basin is described. It is a rare component in faunas of equivalent age, and the new material confirms the synonymy with the genus Lartetomys. The lineage L. mirabilis-L dehmi is documented in its chronostratigraphic framework, and the origin of the genus is discussed but remains uncertain.