Remains of cave hyenas Crocuta spelaea (Hyaenidae) from Late Pleistocene cave and alluvial localities in southern Western Siberia

S.K. Vasiliev and N.D. Ovodov

Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 2024, 328(3): 454–485 · https://doi.org/10.31610/trudyzin/2024.328.3.454

Full text

Abstract

The results of studying 562 bone remains of Crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) from 12 cave sites in Khakassia and Altai and 4 alluvial sites in the upper Ob River are presented. In the Fanatics cave in Khakassia, 3 almost complete skeletons of cave hyenas and one partially preserved were found. In this trap cave, 37–42 thousand years ago, hyenas died falling into a deep karst well. Morphometric analysis of the skulls and bones of the postcranial skeleton showed that the cave hyenas of the Late Pleistocene of southern Western Siberia did not differ in body size from the hyenas of Western Europe. In the alluvial localities of the Upper Ob region, the remains of C. spelaea are extremely rare, averaging 0.07% of the number of megafauna remains, which is several times less than that of the cave lion. In the Altai and Khakassia mountains, the relative abundance of cave hyenas may not have been inferior to that of Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810). During the glaciation periods, when cold and arid mountain-steppe landscapes dominated here, inhabited by diverse and numerous megafauna, the abundance of C. spelaea was the highest. During the interglacial period, against the background of widespread forest vegetation, the abundance of herd-hoofed animals decreased, which led to a several-fold decrease in the number of cave hyena populations. The most recent remains of C. spelaea from the Chik River are dated to the age of 33.4 thousand years ago.

Key words

bone remains, cave hyena, cave and alluvial localities, Pleistocene

Submitted February 19, 2024 · Accepted June 19, 2024 · Published online September 23, 2024

References

Ageeva E.A., Grichan Yu.V. and Ovodov N.D. 1978. Pleistocene hyena in a stone trap. Priroda, 3: 114–115. [In Russian].

Alekseeva E.V. 1980. Mammals of the Pleistocene of the southeast of Western Siberia. Nauka, Moscow, 188 p. [In Russian].

Anyonge W. 1993. Body mass in large extant and extinct carnivores. Journal of Zoology, 231: 339–350. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1993.tb01922.x

Baryshnikov G.F. 1992. Pleistocene predators (Carnivora) of the Volga fauna from the collection of Kazan University. In: I.S. Muravyev and M.G. Solodukho (Eds). Volga's fauna of Pleistocene mammals in the Geological and Mineralogical Museum of Kazan University. Kazan University, Kazan: 107–139. [In Russian].

Baryshnikov G.F. 1995. Cave hyena, Crocuta spelaea (Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from Paleolithic fauna of the Crimea. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 263: 3–45. [In Russian].

Baryshnikov G.F. 1999. Chronological and geographical variability of Crocuta spelaea (Carnivora, Hyaenidae) from the Pleistocene of Russia. Deinsea, 6: 155–174.

Baryshnikov G.F. 2014. Late Pleistocene hyena Crocuta ultima ussurica (Mammalia: Carnivora: Hyaenidae) from the Paleolithic site in Geographical Society cave in the Russian Far East. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 318(3): 197–225. https://doi.org/10.31610/trudyzin/2014.318.3.197

Baryshnikov G.F. and Vereshchagin N.K. 1996. A brief review of Quaternary hyenas (Hyaenidae) of Russia and adjoining regions. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 270: 7–65. [In Russian].

Boeskorov G.G. and Baryshnikov G.F. 2013. Late Quaternary Carnivora of Yakutia. Nauka, Saint Petersburg, 199 p. [In Russian].

Bolikhovskaya N.S., Kozlikin M.B. and Shunkov M.V. 2016. Preliminary results of palynological analysis of Pleistocene layers 12–17 in the eastern gallery of Denisova Cave. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 22: 12–14. [In Russian].

Christiansen P. 1999. What size were Arctodus simus and Ursus spelaeus (Carnivora: Ursidae)? Annales Zoologici Fennici, 36: 93–102.

Diedrich C.G. 2011. A clan of Late Pleistocene hyenas, Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823), from the Rösenbeck Cave (Germany) and a contribution to cranial shape variability. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 103: 191–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01632.x

Diedrich C.G. 2012. Europe’s first Upper Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) skeleton from the Koneprusy Caves: a hyena cave prey depot site in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic). Historical Biology, 24(1): 63–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2011.552718

Diedrich C.G. 2014. Palaeopopulations of Late Pleistocene top predators in Europe: Ice Age spotted hyenas and steppe lions in battle and competition about prey. Paleontology Journal, 2014: 106203. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/106203

Diedrich C.G. 2017. Late Pleistocene hyena skeleton remains of a communal / prey depot cave den in the Bohemian Mountains (Czech Republic) – its osteology, taphonomy and palaeoecology. Acta Zoologica, 98: 66–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12152

Diedrich C.G. 2021. Top predators at war – Ice Age lions versus competing spotted hyenas. Acta Zoologica, 102: 365–385. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12345

Diedrich C.G. 2022. Thick skin cutters of Siberian frozen mummies—The coevolutionary adaptation of Eurasian Ice Age spotted hyenas. Acta Zoologica, 103: 220–241. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.12366

Diedrich C.G. and Žak K. 2006. Prey deposits and den sites of the Upper Pleistocene hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) in horizontal and vertical caves of the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic). Bulletin of Geosciences, 81(4): 237–276. https://doi.org/10.3140/bull.geosci.2006.04.237

Driesch A. von den. 1976. A guide to the measurement of animal bones from archaeological sites. Peabody Museum Bulletin, 1: 1–136.

Drozdov N.I., Laukhin S.A., Chekha V.P., Koltsova V.G., Bokarev A.A. and Vikulov A.A. 1990. Kurtak archaeological district. In: Geology and archaeology of the Trifonovsky and Kurtaksky sites. Vol. 1. Sibir, Krasnoyarsk: 1–88. [In Russian].

Galkina L.I. and Ovodov N.D. 1975. Anthropogenic theriofauna of the Western Altai caves. In: B.S. Yudin (Ed.). Systematics, fauna, zoogeography of mammals and their parasites. Nauka, Novosibirsk: 165–180. [In Russian].

Jacobs Z., Li B., Shunkov M.V., Kozlikin M.B., Bolikhovskaya N.S., Agadjanian A.K., Uliyanov V.A., Vasiliev S.K., O’Gorman K., Derevianko A.P. and Roberts R.G. 2019. Timing of archaic hominin occupation of Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. Nature, 565(7741): 594–599. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0843-2

Kalmykov N.P. and Kobylkin D.V. 2017. The first find of the cave hyena (Crocuta crocuta spelaea) on the Oka plateau (Eastern Sayan). Doklady Earth Sciences, 477: 1247–1250. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X17110010

Lobachev Yu.V., Vasiliev S.K., Zolnikov I.D. and Kuzmin Ya.V. 2011. Large location of Pleistocene fauna on the Chik River (Novosibirsk region). Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 17: 72–77. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D. 2009. Ancient animals of Khakasia. In: V.E. Larichev (Ed.). Astroarchaeology – the natural sciences instrument of cognizing protosciences and astral religions of priesthood of ancient cultures of Khakasia. Izdatelstvo “Gorod”, Krasnoyarsk: 189–199. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D. and Martynovich N.V. 2000. Cannibalism of Siberian populations of cave hyena. In: Paleogeography of the Stone Age. Correlation of natural events and archaeological cultures of the Paleolithic of North Asia and neighboring territories. Materials of the international conference. Krasnoyarsk: 102–104. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D. and Martynovich N.V. 2004. Okladnikov Cave in Altai. Preliminary taphonomic assessment. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 10(2): 175–184. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D. and Martynovich N.V. 2005. “Oddities” in the behavior of cave hyenas (Crocuta spelaea Goldf.). Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 11(1): 181–183. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D., Muratov V.M., Panychev V.A. and Orlova L.A. 1992. New data on the geology and theriofauna of the Proskuryakov grotto (Khakasia). Abstracts of the Russian scientific conference: Petr Alekseevich Kropotkin: humanist, scientist, revolutionary. Chitinskiy Pedagogicheskiy Institut, Chita: 43–45. [In Russian].

Ovodov N.D., Vistinghausen V.K. and Vasiliev S.K. 2013. Vertebrates of the Great Kirkylinskaya Cave (Altai). Materials of the international scientific-practical conference: Altai and Finnish geographer Johannes Gabriel Granö (Gavriil Ivanovich Granö) (25–28 June 2013, Gorno-Altaisk). Gorno-Altaisk State University, Russian Geographical Society, Gorno-Altaisk: 112–118. [In Russian].

Panychev V.A. 1979. Radiocarbon chronology of alluvial deposits of the Pre-Altai plain. Nauka, Novosibirsk, 132 p. [In Russian].

Sauqué V., Rabal-Garcés R., Madurell-Malaperia J., Gisbert M., Zamora S., de Torres T., Ortiz J.E. and Cuenca-Bescós G. 2017. Pleistocene cave hyenas in the Iberian Peninsula: new insights from Los Aprendices cave (Moncayo, Zaragoza). Palaeontologia Electronica, 20(1): 11A. https://doi.org/10.26879/622

Shpansky A.V., Svyatko S.V., Reimer P.J. and Titov S.V. 2016. Records of Bison priscus Bojanus (Artiodactyla, Bovidae) skeletons in Western Siberia. Russian Journal of Theriology, 15(2): 100–120. https://doi.org/10.15298/rusjtheriol.15.2.04

Stuart A.J. and Lister A.M. 2014. New radiocarbon evidence on the extirpation of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta (Erxl.)) in northern Eurasia. Quaternary Science Reviews, 96: 108–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.10.010

Vasiliev S.K. 2011. Some results of the study of the Taradanovo location of the Late Pleistocene megafauna. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 17: 20–25. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K. 2021. Large mammals of the Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene of the Novosibirsk Ob Region. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 27: 66–73. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K., Derevianko A.P. and Markin S.V. 2006. Fauna of large mammals of the finale of the Sartan time of Northwestern Altai (based on materials from Kaminnaya cave). Archeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, 2(26): 2–22. [In Russian]. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1563011006020010

Vasiliev S.K., Ovodov N.D. and Martynovich N.V. 2006. New paleotheriological studies of the Hyena’s Lair cave (northwestern Altai). Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 12(1): 43–49. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K., Parkhomchuk E.V., Serednyov M.A., Milutin K.I., Kuzmin Ya.V., Kalinkin P.N. and Rastigeev S.A. 2018. Radiocarbon dating of the remains of rare species of the Pleistocene megafauna in Southern Siberia. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 24: 42–46. [In Russian]. https://doi.org/10.17746/2658-6193.2018.24.042-046

Vasiliev S.K., Parkhomchuk E.V., Serednyov M.A., Milutin K.I., Rastigeev S.A. and Parkhomchuk V.V. 2020. Late Pleistocene megafauna of the South of Western and Central Siberia: new data on radiocarbon dating and new finds from alluvial localities in 2020. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 26: 43–50. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K., Serednyov M.A., Milutin K.I., Panov V.S. and Parkhomchuk V.V. 2016. Collecting of the theriofaunal materials at the rivers Chumysh (Altai region), Chick and Ob near Bibikha village (Novosibirsk region) in 2016. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 22: 23–28. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K., Shunkov M.V. and Kozlikin M.B. 2017. Megafaunal remains from the eastern chamber of Denisova cave and problems of reconstructing Pleistocene environments in the Northwestern Altai. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 23: 60–64. [In Russian].

Vasiliev S.K. and Zenin A.N. 2009. Faunistic remains from the Terrible cave (northwestern Altai) based on excavations in 1988–2008. Problems of Archeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories, 15: 56–62. [In Russian].

Volkov I.A. and Arkhipov S.A. 1978. Quaternary deposits of the Novosibirsk region. Publishing House of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the SB Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Novosibirsk, 90 p. [In Russian].