Moles (Talpidae, Mammalia) from Early Oligocene karstic fissure fillings in South Germany

The moles from twelve early Oligocene fissure fillings from Liptingen, Herrlingen and Ehrenstein on the Swabian Alb, and from Haag and Möhren on the Franconian Alb are described. The samples correlate with the early Oligocene standard levels of Soumailles (Paleogene mammal unit MP 21) and Villebramar (MP 22). They include the earliest record of the genus Geotrypus and the new species Geotrypus minor. The slender humerus with its short teres tubercle and shallow brachialis fossa suggests that its burrowing abilities were less developed than in later species of the genus. Myxomygale vauclusensis from Möhren 13 is the largest known sample of the species. The smaller Myxomygale species is closely related to the early Miocene M. minor. With four to five species the samples from Ehrenstein 12 and Möhren 13 are the most diverse talpid associations described to date in the early Oligocene.