NATURAL SCIENCES

Journal of fundamental
and
applied researches

The ecological and morphometric analysis of a taxonomical varietyof Bison priscus in the middle and the upper neopleistocenein the valley of the bottom Volga

2013. №2, pp. 28-35

Golovachev Mikhail V.  - post-graduate student, Astrakhan State University, 1 Shaumyan Sq., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Federation, golovacheva.7114@mail.ru

Lozovskaya Marina V.  - D.Sc. (Biology), Professor, Head of Chair, Astrakhan State University, 1 Shaumyan Sq., Astrakhan, 414000, Russian Federation, loza65@mail.ru

Assessment of possiblity of subspecific and infrasubspecific variety of Bison priscus in the valley of the Bottom Volga in the Middle and the Upper Neopleistocene on base of fossiles from a paleontologic collection of the Astrakhan memorial estate. The subspecific structure of Bison priscus is specified on the basis of the ecological and morphometric analysis of the fossils coming from various stratigraphic layers. The taxonomical variety of Bison priscus for the Middle and the Upper Neopleistocene of the valley of the Bottom Volga is presented by two subspecies: Bison priscus cf. gigas and Bison priscus cf.priscus, it is established on fossil skulls of bisons from a collection of the Astrakhan memorial estate. The ecological and morphometric analysis allowed to allocate early and late types for each subspecies. Early long-horned forms had forest-steppe and steppe focuses. There is a tendency of decreasing horns and common dimensions of late forms. Degradation of the steppe and the forest-steppe led to extinction of steppe forms and made forest-steppe forms to return to a forest way of life.

Key words: middle neopleistocene,upper neopleistocene,valley of the Bottom Volga,fossil,Bison priscus gigas,Bison priscus priscus,horn piths,sexual dimorphism,steppe forms,forest-steppe forms