Kastykhtakh mammoth from Taimyr (Russia)

Abstract

Taimyr Peninsula is a unique region of Northern Russia, with spectacular outstanding finds of complete mammoth skeletons and carcasses. In 2008, a skeleton of a small female mammoth was found in the Upper Karga deposits of Kastykhtakh River valley. The animal lived during the Middle Valdai megainterstage (Weichselian, Denekamp Interstadial) about 32070–30565 BP. The skeleton contains 104 bones. The individual shows several peculiar features, including skeletal malformations, such as the fissure in the atlas’ neural arch, several fractures of ribs having been broken independently, sigmoid contact between lower molars m2 and m3, and a notable displacement of m2 relative to the axis of the mandible.