Quaternary Hystrix (Rodentia, Mammalia) from North China: Taxonomy, stratigraphy and zoogeography, with discussions on the distribution of Hystrix in Palearctic Eurasia

Today, Hystrix is a genus that only occurs in warm areas. However, during the Pleistocene and even the early Holocene, this species frequently appeared in the northern part of China, which belongs to the Palearctic Region. A total of 22 fossil Hystrix-bearing localities have been reported in North China, the time span of which covers almost all the stages of Quaternary Period. Among those localities, Tianyuan Cave, a recently discovered locality near Zhoukoudian, contains abundant Hystrix materials. This is the latest Hystrix record in North China. Currently, two Hystrix species have been recognized in North China, Hystrix subcristata and Hystrix lagrelii. The small porcupine from the Zhoukoudian area should be referred to H. lagrelii instead of Atherurus as previously proposed by other authors, and therefore the occurrence of Atherurus in the Palearctic Region is denied. Based on both fossil and extant records, it seems that Hystrix can be generally used as indicator of warm climate.