Orzesznice (Muscardinus spp.) i popieliczka Glirulus pusillus z późnoplioceńskiego stanowiska Węże 2 (Wyżyna Wieluńska)

In addition to Glis minor and G. sackdillingensis (the remains of which have been already described), three more species belonging to the Gliridae have been found in the fossil assemblage of the Węże 2 site (2.9–2.6 Ma, Late Pliocene). These include Muscardinus pliocaenicus, M. dacicus and Glirulus pusillus. The presence of M. pliocaenicus at the site has been already preliminary noted, although the material from Węże 2 belonging to this species has not yet been scrupulously described. It seems that the occurrences of M. dacicus and G. pusillus in Węże 2 have not yet been recorded. M. pliocaenicus is considered to be the direct ancestor of the extant hazel dormouse (M. avellanarius). Specimens assigned to M. dacicus may be conspecific with M. avellanarius or represent a sister taxon to the M. pliocaenicus – M. avellanarius evolutionary lineage.