The most interesting finds of Late Pleistocene megafauna, Vologda Region (Russia)

摘要

The paleontological collections of museums of northern European Russia include unpredictable finds, such as the tooth of the forest elephant Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus (Falconer) in the collection of the Cherepovets Museum of Nature. The aim of the research is to define more precisely its systematic reference, age, and individual characteristics. The find indicates that the forest zone extended to 59-60°N during the Mikulin (Eemian) interglacial. The paleontological collections of Vologda regional museums include exhibits referred to the Late Pleistocene, namely Mammuthus primigenius, Equus sp., Rangifer tarandus, Bison priscus, and Ovibos pal-lantis. The majority of the finds conform to the transitional periods of warm and cold spells of the middle Valdai. Some Holocene finds of the region indicate the existence of favorable conditions for large-mammal species to inhabit the areas near 60°N.