Contents: Volume 3 (2) 2004 (Printed 30 June 2005)

Gambaryan P.P ., Averianov A.O., Maschenko E.N., Leshchinskiy S.V.

P. 51-58

A distal humerus fragment from the Early Cretaceous Shestakovo locality in Kemerovo Province, West Siberia is described and referred to “Symmetrodonta”. This humerus is characterized by relatively narrow distal epiphysis, large entepicondylar foramen, globular radial condyle, ellipsoidal ulnar condyle, coalesced articular surfaces of both condyles, and a unique additional articular platform for the radius laterally to the radial condyle. This structure of the elbow joint is structurally intermediate between cynodonts, morganucodontids, and multituberculates on the one hand and crown Theria on the other. Among mammals with the similar structure of the elbow joint the humerus from Shestakovo is most similar with the humerus of the Early Cretaceous “symmetrodont” Zhangheotherium from China, and it might belong to a new tinodontid “symmetrodont” being described from the same locality on dental remains.

Dokuchaev N.E.

P. 59-61

In summer 2003 the harvest mouse (Micromysminutus Pallas) for the first time was caught in the territory of Magadan Province. This species was not registered in Magadan Province and on the Sea of Okhotsk coast previously.

Abramson N.I., Smirnov N.G., Tikhonova E.P.

P. 63-70

The variation of molar patterns and lower jaw of collared lemmings from the Bolshevik Island is analyzed. In all teeth except m2 the morphotype henseli is dominant. Morphotype simplicior is the second most common morphotype in M3. Such type of dentition was typical for the lemmings of the Late Pleistocene and within the recent collared lemmings of Palaearctic was not recorded until now. Morphotype variation in the sample from Bolshevik Island is most similar to that in the sample from the Late Pleistocene Betovo site (36 thousand years BP). By the structure of the lower jaw lemmings from Bolshevik Island differ both from all recent subspecies of the genus, known karyomorphs, mtDNA phylogroups, and lemmings from Betovo.

Baryshnikov G.F., Boeskorov G.G.

P. 71-75

A skull of the robust brown bear found in the mouth of Ulakhan-Orto-Stan River in the north of Yakutia has been examined. Its morphometrical characteristics referred the specimen to the subspecies U.arctospriscus Goldfuss, 1818 recorded in the later Middle and Late Pleistocene of Europe. This find revealed the wider distributional range for U.a.priscus, extending eastward as far as the northern part of East Siberia.

Baryshnikov G.F., Mano T., Masuda R.

P. 77-88

The comparative analysis of the skull and teeth of the brown bear from Hokkaido was carried out for three geographical groups previously established on the basis of mitochondrial DNA analysis (Matsuhashi etal., 1999). As a result of morphometrical testing, the isolation of the bears from Eastern group, which possess smallest cheek teeth, has been ascertained. While morphometrical characters of males belonging to Central group and Southern group was similar, females of these groups demonstrated reliable differences. In spite of the differentiation of Eastern group approaches to the subspecific level, all the brown bears from Hokkaido and southern Kuril Islands are referred to the subspecies U. arctosferox Temminck, 1844.

Kapitanova D.V., Lopatin A.V., Subbotin A.E., Wall W.A.

P. 89-106

A partial revision of the subspecies taxonomy of argali Ovisammon was done on the basis of cranial features using the modern statistical methods (discriminant analysis, cluster analysis, multidimensional scaling). Skulls of mature males from different populations of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia were studied. A system of measurements and characters was developed for the thorough description of the skull and its bones. Three discrete cranial types were distinguished: Nuratau (O.a.severtzovi), Kyrgyz-Kazakhstan (O.a.nigrimontana, O.a.polii, and O.a.karelini) and Mongolian (O.a.ammon and O.a.darwini). A clear isolation of O.a.severtzovi from other argalis was noted, as well as from moufflons and urials. Differences between O.a.collium and O.a.karelini do not attain the subspecies level; therefore, these forms are combined into the subspecies O.a.karelini. O.a.ammon and O.a.darwini form a group isolated from other argalis and differentiated into two subspecies based on the discriminant analysis.