Upper Pleistocene Soricidae and Muridae from Bhimtal-Bilaspur Deposits, Kumaun Himalaya, India

The first Upper Pleistocene micromammalian assemblage consisting of Soricidae and Muridae in the Indian sub-continent is described from the fluvio-lacustrine sediments of Bhimtal-Bilaspur area of the Kumaun region. North India. Two new species, Sorex reumeri sp. nov. and Mus dhailai sp. nov. are proposed. Considering nearly all the soricid characters, Sorex reumeri sp. nov. is found to be more derived than the Lower Pleistocene Sorex. It is suggested that Mus dhailai sp. nov. does not have any phylogenetic connection with the Plio-Pleistocene Mus so far reported from the subcontinent. The age of the fossil horizon is 730-40 ka.