ZAPOVEDNAYA CAVE - THE NEW LOCATION OF PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE MAMMALS FAUNA IN MINUSINSK DEPRESSION (SOUTHERN SIBERIA)

A new cave location of fossil mammals in the Minusinsk depression has been found and studied. The Zapovednaya cave is located in the northwestern part of the South Minusinsk basin, in the Ust-Abakany district of the Republic of Khakassia. Zapovednaya cave is the second cave location of Pleistocene mammals in the South Minusinsk basin. An exploration pit made in the cave, exposing cave deposits containing faunal remains. The two faunal groups was found in this locality: Pleistocene and Holocene. The association of Holocene remains dates from the Subboreal period of Holocene. The Pleistocene fauna of the cave can be dated to the first half of the Sartanian age, perhaps some of the materials are older and have a Karginian age. The age of both faunas is confirmed by radiocarbon dating from mammalian bones and wood. During the Pleistocene and Holocene, the cave was probably used by foxes and badgers as dwellings. In the Pleistocene, sometimes the cave was used by cave hyenas, and in the Holocene, people. As a result of the activity of predators and humans, the remains of 6 species of Holocene and 13 species of Pleistocene mammals have accumulated in the cave. The Holocene fauna is represented by gophers, marmots, foxes, horses, cattle and small cattle. The Pleistocene fauna is represented by Spermophilus undulatus, Marmota baibacina, Vulpes vulpes, Ursus arctos, Martes zibellina, Mustela sp., Meles leucurus, Crocuta spelaea, Equus sp., Megaloceros giganteus, Bison priscus, Saiga tatarica and Capra sibirica. In both the Pleistocene and Holocene complexes, the largest number of remains belongs to the marmot, this fact confirms that the foxes lived in this cave. Of greatest interest are Ursus arctos, Martes zibellina, Meles leucurus, and Megaloceros giganteus whose remains are practically not found in the Pleistocene localities of the region. Radiocarbon dating from the antler of a giant deer confirms its distribution in the region during the end of the Late Pleistocene. The Pleistocene fauna of the Zapovednaya cave is most similar to the fauna from the Arheologicheskaya and Fanatikov caves. Both the Holocene and Pleistocene fauna of this cave are represented mainly by steppe mammals - marmot, saiga antelope and horse. In addition to steppe species, there are forest (Martes zibellina) and rocky (Capra sibirica) species, but their remains are represented by single bones. Thus, the faunal data make it possible to reconstruct the predominantly open biomes in the vicinity of the Zapovednaya cave in the Late Pleistocene.