Pleistocene Mustelidae (Carnivora) from Paleolithic site in Kudaro Caves in the Caucasus

Baryshnikov G.F.

P. 75-95

Kudaro Paleolithic sites in the Southern Ossetia are found to contain five species of mustelids: Meles meles, Martes foina, Martes martes, Vormela peregusna, and Mustela nivalis. All these species occur in the Caucasus at present time; no difference was revealed in the species composition between faunas of Middle and Late Pleistocene. The fossil and recent populations demonstrate a considerable morphological similarity, except weasel represented by a distinct fossil subspecies M. nivalis kudarensis subsp.n.DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.8.2.02

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