Abstract
The fossil remains of lemmings (Dicrostonyx sp.) have been discovered for the first time in Croatia. The small sample of 11 teeth (M1-3 and M1) originate from the Late Pleistocene/?Holocene sediments from the Romuald's Cave (western Istria). The resemblance has been observed in morphological data, while some metrical parameters differ slightly in comparison to the findings from some other European localities, for example from Poland and Austria. The lenght of M1s from Croatian sample is bigger than from Austrian ones (Nixloch and Merkenstein Caves), while is the same like in specimens from Polish Late Glacial, but smaller than the Polish Holocene findings, respectively. The differences in A/L and C/W1 indices have been also observed between samples from the Romuald's Cave and Polish samples of the Late Glacial and Holocene age. As good indicator of cold and dry climate, the lemmings from the Romuald's Cave give support to the conclusion that this part of Europe was refugial region for this and some other small mammal species during the expansions of the ice cover, and reflect Quaternary environmental fluctuations, which were frequent and pronounced at the end of this period.
Highlights
In many areas of the European continent, lemmings (Dicrostonyx sp.), as extremely boreal taxa, had disappeared during the last interglacial (Riss-Würm) period, and in two waves recolonized central and southern Europe from the Scandinavian region
Results of morphometric analyses of Dicrostonyx teeth are presented here. This taxon is determined in the Late Pleistocene sediments of the Romualdova pećina (Romualdo’s or Lomardo’s Cave, in further text Romualdova) locality for the first time
The cave is situated on the southern side of the Limski (Lim) Channel near Rovinj in western Istria (Fig. 1), and has been an interesting palaeontological site since the1960s (MALEZ, 1962, 1968, 1978; KOMŠO, 2011)
Summary
In many areas of the European continent, lemmings (Dicrostonyx sp.), as extremely boreal taxa, had disappeared during the last interglacial (Riss-Würm) period, and in two waves recolonized central and southern Europe from the Scandinavian region. 20 ka BP), lemmings migrated farther south, in the Carpathian basin and southern parts of western Europe, respectively (KORDOS, 1990). The first recolonization occured around 40 ka BP, when they reached the Alps, Carpathians and Caucasus Mts., while during the second widening of their areas During these areal expansions, Dicrostonyx inhabited the region of present day western Croatia
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