Biostratigraphic importance of the Early Pleistocene fauna from Żabia Cave (Poland) in Central Europe

Abstract

The fossil-bearing deposits of Żabia Cave (Częstochowa Upland, Poland) yielded a diverse vertebrate fauna (75 taxa in total) of middle Early Pleistocene age. The assemblage comprises 5 amphibian, 10 reptilian and 6 bird taxa. Small mammals are represented by13 insectivorous species, 6 taxa of bats, 2 lagomorphs and 18 rodents. Large mammals include 15 species of carnivores, an unidentified horse, and 3 even-toed ungulates. The assemblage contains few Pliocene relict forms (e.g. Mioproteus wezei, Asoriculus gibberodon, Beremendia fissidens, Mimomys pitymyoides, Pannonictis ardea) and numerous Early Pleistocene newcomers (e.g. Sorex runtonensis, Ochotona zabiensis, Prolagurus ternopolitanus, early Microtus, Gulo schlosseri, Lutra simplicidens, Cervalces carnutorum). The assemblage documents migration of species associated with cool climate into Central Europe in the middle Early Pleistocene.