Investigation of the Miocene Rodentia Order of Anatolia

Small mammals are generally adaptable to all kinds of habitats and are one of the most important mammal groups that rapidly evolve according to the changing geography. Therefore, it is extremely important to study Rodentia fauna in order to make sense of paleobiogeography and paleochronology. Small mammals are species specific to the habitats in which they create their Rodentia order niches and can be used as ecological indicators. By following the change in the Rodentia fauna, we can make sense of the ecological changes that have occurred from the Miocene to the present. To interpret the paleobiogeography and paleoecology of Anatolia from the Miocene to the present day, based on the records published in the databases based on the Rodentia fossils obtained from paleontological excavations in Anatolia and determining the list of the fossil Rodentia fauna based on all the Rodentia records studied and published in Anatolia to date intended. Since the Rodentia team is involved in this study, the predominance of Ciricetidae, Muridae, Gliridae and Sciuridae families respectively in the Early Miocene of Anatolia indicates that the rate of humidity is high. In the Middle Miocene, a tropical or semi-tropical climate prevailed. Towards the end of this period, changes in ecology caused a complex formation in the biogeography of micromammals such as macromammals. Severe 65% decrease in Muridae family in Middle Miocene, emergence of Eomyidae family and serious increase in Spalacidae family are indicators of climatic change. However, the fact that it reached the maximum level again in the Muridae family in the Late Miocene and it was the busiest family may indicate that there was an increase in the humidity rate of this period. The prevalence of Eomyidae and Castoridae species in this period is again thoughtprovoking about the aquatic environment and humidity. The diversity of the current Rodentia fauna shows that Anatolia has a complex ecology. Likewise, the diversity of Rodentia fauna in the Miocene may indicate how different environments the paleoecology had. It may be more correct to say that it has a more closed and tropical ecology in places, rather than saying that it has a completely closed and humid ecology from the Early Miocene to the end of the Middle Miocene.