Abstract
Based
on study of a series of early generations' teeth DP4/dp4 – M1/m1 of
elephants from the Late Villafranchian–Early Galerian locality Sinyaya
Balka/Bogatyri (Taman peninsula, Russia) the variability of their
characteristics is established. There is no clear normal distribution of
main diagnostic dental parameters in the sample. This confirms the
assumption of the possible presence of two elephant taxa in the
structure of Taman Faunistic complex from south Eastern Europe, which
was made earlier on the basis of the M3 teeth. The main part of the
collection is represented by remains of the late meridionaloid elephant
subspecies Archidiskodon meridionalis tamanensis, typical for
late Early Pleistocene of Eastern Europe and neighboring regions.
Individual specimens of the sample may refer to other form of elephants
with similar morphological teeth characteristics, probably to Phanogoroloxodon mammonthoides.
Though the lesser diagnosticity of early generation teeth in comparison
with the M3/m3, it was found that they can be used when determining the
taxonomic forms of elephants, even for the meridionaloid elephant
subspecies.
Keywords
- Early Pleistocene;
- Taman Faunistic complex;
- Archidiskodon;
- Dental characteristics;
- Variability
Abbreviations
- AMZ, Azov historical, archeological and paleontological museum-reserve, Azov, Russia;
- GGM, State geological museum of V.I. Vernadskiy, Moscow, Russia;
- GIN, Geological institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia;
- IPG, Institute of paleobiology, Tbilisi, Georgia;
- KM, Krasnodar state historical and archeological museum-reserve of E.D. Felicyn, Krasnodar, Russia;
- NMC, Don Cossacks' history museum, Novocherkassk, Russia;
- PIN, Paleontological museum of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia;
- PKM, Pyatigorsk regional museum, Pyatigorsk, Russia;
- PRKM, Primorsk regional museum, Primorsk, Ukraine;
- ROMK, Rostov-on-Don Regional museum, Rostov-on-Don, Russia;
- SMZ, Stavropol state museum-reserve, Stavropol, Russia;
- SSC, Southern Scientific centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, Rostov-on-Don, Russia;
- TM, Taganrog regional museum, Taganrog, Russia;
- ZIN, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
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