Baranomys longidens (Cricetidae: Baranomyinae) w późnoplioceńskiej faunie z Wężów 2 (Wyżyna Wieluńska)

At the site of Węże 2 (2.9–2.6 Ma, Late Pliocene) relatively numerous isolated teeth and fragmentary jaws of the hamster-like rodent Baranomys (Cricetidae) were found. A thorough examination of the specimens and a morphometric analysis confirm that the fossil material from Węże 2 represents the same species as the Baranomys material from the nearby site of Węże 1 (3.4–3.3 Ma, Late Pliocene) which is the type site of the species B. longidens. As it is considered that the fossil fauna of Węże 2 belongs to the MN 16 zone in the biostratigraphy of land sediments of the Neogene period, the presence of B. longidens at this site contradicts the idea of this species being confined to the MN 15 zone (4.2–3.2 Ma). It remains an open question if B. longidens (Kowalski, 1960) is not a junior synonym of B. loczyi Kormos, 1933 and if the generic name Baranomys Kormos, 1933 itself is not a junior synonym of the name Microtodon Miller, 1928.