Selevinia Belosludov and Bazhanov 1939

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Gliridae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 819-840 : 838

Selevinia Belosludov and Bazhanov 1939

Selevinia Belosludov and Bazhanov 1939 , Uchen. Zap. Kaz. Univ. Alma-Ata, 1 (1): 81.

Type Species: Selevinia betpakdalaensis Belosludov and Bazhanov 1939

Synonyms: Salevinia Argyropulo and Vinogradov 1939 .

Species and subspecies: 1 species:

Species Selevinia betpakdalaensis Belosludov and Bazhanov 1939

Discussion: Belosludov and Bazhanov (1939) recognized Selevinia as a new genus of murids, and subsequently as the only member of a separate family of rodents seemingly allied to glirids ( Bazhanov and Belosludov, 1941). Based upon a suite of morphological characters, Ognev (1947) hypothesized that Selevinia was a highly differentiated dormouse most closely related to Myomimus . Because of its distinct dental formula and structure, Ognev (1947) listed Selevinia in a separate subfamily, a hypothesis independantly suggested by Ellerman (1949 a). Published descriptions and figures of Selevinia included derived character states that allowed Wahlert et al. (1993) to tentatively place this genus within Myomimini, supporting Ognev's (1947) hypothesis. Though the nearest extant relative of Selevinia is proposed to be Myomimus , its closest relative may be Plioselevinia , from early Pliocene breccia of Poland ( McKenna and Bell, 1997). Reviewed by Gromov and Erbajeva (1995). For further taxonomic discussion see comments under Leithiinae and Myomimus , and references therein.