Middle Pleistocene Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Thrace (Turkey)
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122-148 Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 55 Hannover 2005 22 Abb., 2 Tab. Middle Pleistocene bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from the Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Thrace (Turkey) C L*) Keywords: Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae, Vespertil- Kurzfassung: Die Yarimburgaz-Höhle am Bosporus ionidae, Middle Pleistocene, Turkey, Turkish Trace, ist die wichtigste Fundstelle für die mittelpleistozäne Yarimburgaz Cave Archäologie und Paläontologie im nordöstlichen Mittelmeerraum und beinhaltet in diesem Zeitraum Abstract: Th e Yarimburgaz Cave near Bosporus is die reichste Fledermausfauna der Region. Aus der an important Middle Pleistocene fossil site both in Lokalität werden hier die Chiropteren anhand von terms of Archeology and Paleontology in the north- Crania, Mandibulae und Humeri untersucht. Es east Mediterranean, containing the richest bat fauna sind mindestens 14, eventuell bis zu 16 Arten aus of that time. den Gattungen Rhinolophus, Myotis, Miniopterus Th ere are at least 14 and possibly as many as 16 spe- und Plecotus vorhanden, wodurch die bisherige Fos- cies of the genera Rhinolophus, Myotis, Plecotus, and silfauna um weitere neun bis elf Arten ergänzt wird. Miniopterus present in this locality. Th e identifi ca- Von den drei Sedimentationszyklen enthält der tion is based on the morphology of skulls, jaws, and älteste, Zyklus I, die meisten Fledermausfunde. Un- humeri. Th e cave contains three sedimentary cycles. ter den acht verschiedenen Arten sind Rhinolophus Cycle I is the oldest unit and produces most of the mehelyi und Myotis blythii am häufi gsten vertreten species, eight, with Rhinolophus mehelyi and Myotis und weisen auf mediterranes Klima mit kühlen, reg- blythii the most frequent. Th e presence of these nerischen Wintern und heißen, trockenen Sommern species suggests a Mediterranean climate with cool, hin (K V 2001). Aus Sedimen- rainy winters and hot, moderately dry summers tationszyklus II sind außer einer Mandibel von R. (K V 2001). In cycle II very few mehelyi keine weiteren Funde überliefert. Zyklus III fossils were found. Cycle III contains fewer individu- beinhaltet mit insgesamt sechs Taxa wesentlich weni- als than cycle I with only six taxa represented. Myotis ger Funde als Zyklus I. Darunter sind Myotis blythii blythii and Miniopterus schreibersi are the dominat- und Miniopterus schreibersi die dominierenden Ar- ing species. Given the presence of the rodents and ten. Verglichen mit den Rodentia und Lagomorpha lagomorphs of the Yarimburgaz Cave, a heterogene- aus der Yarimburgaz-Höhle, die als Einwanderer ous climate with changing colder, dryer, but also des südrussischen Steppengürtels mehrere kältean- warmer phases which are indicated by the bats, can gepaßte Arten umfassen und rezent nicht mehr in be supposed. Th razien vorkommen, kann ein inhomogenes Klima angenommen werden, mit wechselweise kühleren, [Mittelpleistozäne Chiroptera (Mammalia) aus trockeneren, aber auch wärmeren Phasen, welche der Yarimburgaz-Höhle in Türkisch Th razien durch die Fledermäuse angedeutet werden. (Türkei)] * Anschrift des Verfassers: Dipl.-Geol. C 1 Introduction L, Institut für Paläontologie, Universität Bonn, Nussallee 8, D-53115 Bonn, c.lindenau@uni- Intensive excavations in the Yarimburgaz Cave bonn.de yielded more than 1600 artifacts from the Mid- Middle Pleistocene bats from the Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Th race (Turkey) 123 dle Pleistocene, predominantly from the upper were established during 1964-1965. In 1986 two meters of sediments from the entrance M. Ö made a systematic survey in the area of the lower cave (H A upper cave. During 1988-1990 C. H and ; K ). Large mammals are also G. A carried out the main excavations excavated with the cave bear Ursus deningeri in the lower chamber, producing the bat fauna being the most frequent. Within the carnivores described here. All excavations were pursued in Vulpes, Canis, Panthera, Felis, and Crocuta are the entrance area. also present. Th e herbivores contain Equus, Th e sediments fi lling the lower cave were exca- Sus, Dama, Cervus, Megaloceros, Capreolus, Bos/ vated in various unconnected trenches (P-90, S- Bison, Gazella, and Capra (S ). Th is 89, T-89, A-71 & V-88, Y-88, U-88, R-90, and fauna may represent the hunting activity of Z-88) roughly following the midline of the cave Early man, but others species like the cave bear from north to south (fi g. 1; 2). Th ese trenches most probably used the cave for hibernation. were designated with a capital letter followed Th e small mammal fauna is not as rich and rep- by the number of the year the excavation took resented by some Insectivora, Rodentia (i.a. Sci- place, except for trench A-71, which was exca- oridae, Murinae, Cricetinae, Arvicolinae), and vated by Ö in 1986. Th e letters Q, W, Lagomorpha (S K ). and X do not occur because they do not exist in Bats make up the biggest portion within the Turkish (F MM 1997). small mammals. Ecological conclusions will be Th e level numbers in each trench were assigned drawn on the basis of recent exponents ecology. by the excavators independently of those in the Here we aim to interpret the paleoclimatic con- other trenches, except for trenches S-89 and T- ditions present and these will be compared with 89, which were dug simultaneously (F the ecological data derived from the Rodentia & MM 1997). Th erefore a correlation of and Lagomorpha S K the diff erent levels was not possible and there () described from the same locality. Th is are no data about the thickness of the levels. will allow us to test if both faunal groups indi- However, the excavation levels were grouped by cate the same climatic conditions. As bats are F & MM (1997) into lithostrati- rare in the fossil record this Middle Pleistocene graphic units designated Stratum R through is a highly signifi cant location. Stratum Z (from bottom to top) from three sedimentary cycles (fi g. 2, tab. 1). In this case, additional letters W and Z were used, so one has to be certain the letter used for classifi cation 2 Locality are correctly assigned to either the excavation square or to a stratigraphic unit. Only square U Th e Yarimburgaz Cave is located 20 km west of could not be correlated because it was very shal- Istanbul in Turkish Th race and belongs to a vast low, over bedrock and its stratigraphy was not complex developed in Middle Eocene of Lute- informative (F & MM 1997). tian limestone. Th e cave system contains two Th e deepest trench, A-71 & V-88, was dug fi ve chambers, the lower one continues for about meters below the surface without reaching bed- 500 m the other for some 50 m. Th ese two rock. However below two meters no artifacts chambers are connected through a ramp like or bones were found (F MM passage but each has its own entrance (fi g. 1). 1997). For a long time part of the cave was used for Depending on the position of the square there various purposes. First scientifi c explorations variations can be found in the composition of 124 C L Fig. 1: Map of the entrance area of Yarimburgaz Cave with openings to the upper and lower chamber inclu- ding the squares (after F MM ). Abb. 1: Karte des Eingangsbereiches der Yarimburgaz-Höhle mit den Öff nungen zur oberen und unteren Kammer und Grabungsquadraten (nach F MM ). Middle Pleistocene bats from the Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Th Turkish in Cave Yarimburgaz the batsfrom Pleistocene Middle race (Turkey) race Fig. 2: Longitudinal section through the lower chamber of the Yarimburgaz Cave, approximately 43 m long. Th e stratigraphic units R-Z are marked between the squares (after F MM ). Abb. 2: Längschnitt durch die untere Kammer der Yarimburgaz-Höhle, ca. 43 m lang. Die stratigraphischen Einheiten R-Z sind zwischen den 125 jeweiligen Grabungsquadraten dargestellt (nach F MM ). 126 C L Tab. 1: Correlation of the excavation levels grouped Tab. 2: Systematic classifi cation of the identifi ed into lithostratigraphic units designated Stratum R chiropterans based on MK B (). through Stratum Z (from bottom to top) from three sedimentary cycles. Tab. 2: Systematische Gliederung der untersuchten Chiropteren nach MK B (2000). Tab. 1: Korrelation der Horizonte der einzelnen Grabungsquadrate in die stratigraphischen Einhei- ten Schicht R bis Schicht Z (vom Liegenden zum Hangenden) aus drei Sedimentationszyklen. clay, cemented layers, and rocks. Furthermore, many boundaries are diff use. Th e cave sediments contain deposits from Lower Paleolithic to Byzantine times, but the lower chamber was disturbed by illicit exca- vators so that Middle/Upper Paleolithic and Chalcolithic are missing, although present in the upper cave. cave have been previously described by S K (1998). 3 The bat fauna Th e rodents were accumulated most probably by owl pellets, whereas the bats may have used Th ere are few fossil localities providing Pleis- the cave as a day roost. Th erefore the tapho- tocene bats from the Mediterranean. Fossil bats genesis is caused by either accumulation by are known from some islands, but there are very predators and natural death in the cave. De- few species and within these most are endemic pending on function, diff erent dwellings can be (S ). As megachiropterans (fl ying distinguished: roosts which are used daily or as foxes) are distributed only in tropical and sub- a transient roost, mating roost, maternity roost tropical regions of the Old World and missing and winter roost (G ; S in America, this fossil record contains exclusive- G 1998). Generally, the fi rst three ly bats (S G ). are called summer roosts and can be in tree hol- Th e excavations from Yarimburgaz Cave in lows or caves, whereas hibernating bats are nor- Turkish Th race provided chiropterans from mally found in caves. Some of the chiropterans three cycles (tab. 1). Other small mammals (in- may have used the cave seasonally, only in sum- sectivores, rodents and lagomorphs) from this mer, whereas others may have used the cave to Middle Pleistocene bats from the Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkish Th race (Turkey) 127 Fig.