Abstract

An isolated tooth, of morphology unusual for cave bears, is described from Late Pleistocene deposits (MIS 3) of Pobeda Cave (54.1000° N, 56.5100° E) in the Urals. Analysis of ancient DNA showed that it belongs to the Ural cave bear Ursus kanivetz, which was widespread in the Pleistocene in the Urals. The fossil find was identified as an anomalous upper canine tooth, which got its unusual appearance due to a deviation from normal development under the influence of some unknown internal or external causes.

Key words

Abstract

The morphometric variability of the canines and cheek teeth of the fossil and modern dhole (Cuon alpinus) is considered. It was not possible to detect sexual size dimorphism in the species. Geographical variability of dental parameters established two taxon groups: northern, which included two subspecies (C. a. alpinus, C. a. hesperius), and southern, which includes all other recent subspecies. Within the southern group, animals of Southeast Asia (Malacca, Sumatra, and Java) are distinguished by their smaller size. The dhole from the Late Pleistocene of Europe (C. a. europaeus) is close in dental characteristics to representatives of the northern group, and the Late Pleistocene fossil dhole from North America (Mexico) is close to the modern nominotypic subspecies C. a. alpinus. A hypothesis of early, mid-Pleistocene divergence between dholes from the north and north-west of the range and dholes from Southeast Asia is formulated.

Key words