Carnivores from the Borsuka Cave (Southern Poland) As an Example of Changes in Carnivore Assemblages During MIS 2 and MIS 1
Acta zoologica cracoviensia, 60(2) 2017 ISSN 2299-6060, e-ISSN 2300-0163 Kraków, 29 December, 2017 https://doi.org/10.3409/azc.60_2.105 Proceedings of the 22nd ICBS International Cave Bear Symposium 21-25.09.2016, Kletno, Poland Carnivores from the Borsuka Cave (southern Poland) as an example of changes in carnivore assemblages during MIS 2 and MIS 1 Adrian MARCISZAK, Grzegorz LIPECKI, Wiktoria GORNIG, and Jaros³aw WILCZYÑSKI Received: 29 August 2017. Accepted: 20 November 2017. Available online: 29 December 2017. MARCISZAK A., LIPECKI G., GORNIG W., WILCZYÑSKI J. 2017. Carnivores from the Borsuka Cave (southern Poland) as an example of changes in carnivore assemblages dur- ing MIS 2 and MIS 1. Acta zool. cracov., 60(2): 105-146. Abstract. Two faunal assemblages were identified in the fossil material of carnivores from the Borsuka Cave. The older one, of Late Pleistocene age, found in layers V-VII and dated as the end of MIS 3 and MIS 2, included nine species: Vulpes lagopus, Vulpes sp., Ursus arctos arctos, Gulo gulo, Meles meles, Martes martes, Mustela erminea, Mustela nivalis and Lynx lynx. The younger assemblage, dated as MIS 1 and found in layers I-IV, com- prised six species: Vulpes vulpes, Ursus arctos arctos, Meles meles, Martes martes, Mus- tela ex. gr. eversmanii-putorius and Felis silvestris. The carnivore material was represented by almost all skeletal elements, with the majority constituted by cranial bones, isolated teeth, vertebrae, metacarpals and metatarsals. Remains of Vulpes vulpes and Meles meles were the most abundant; the presence of young individuals of both spe- cies confirmed that they used the cave as a shelter and to raise cubs.
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