Meles (genus) theorized that they were an ancestral species from which these two modern species diverged. Another extinct species from Europe is "Meles hollitzeri" from the Early Pleistocene, remains of which were found in Deutsch-Altenburg, in northeastern Austria, and Untermassfeld, in southeastern Germany. Meles (genus) Meles is a genus of badgers containing three living species, the Japanese badger ("Meles anakuma"), Asian badger ("Meles leucurus"), and European badger ("Meles meles"). In an older categorization, they were seen as a single species with three subspecies ("Meles meles anakuma", "Meles meles leucurus" and "Meles meles meles"). There are also several extinct members of the genus.
River Meles once a large pool, all of which is known under the general name of Halkapınar ("meaning, the Circular Springs"). The pond embraces today İzmir's industrial neighborhood of the same name and is highly polluted nowadays, fouled especially on its way to the sea, although, until barely a few decades ago, it was a popular summer resort from where an important part of İzmir's drinking water was also provided. The discovery in the 19th century of one complete statue and the head of another, which were thought to represent Artemis, gave way to the name "Diana's Baths" attached to it, while