An anomalous tooth of a cave bear (Ursus kanivetz Vereshchagin, 1973) from Pobeda Cave in the Southern Urals
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.