Позднеантропогеновая териофауна юго-запада и центра Русской равнины
Late Anthropogenic Fauna of South-Western and Central Russian Plain

Summary/Abstract: A comparative analysis of specific and numerical composition of mammals from Upper Palaeolithic stations of south-western and central regions of the Russian Plain shows not only similarity but also some differences. This is explained both by geographic position of these stations and their belonging to some archaeological culture. The most remarkable similarity in the object of hunting of the Upper Palaeolithic man is noticed in the grotto Brinzeni 1 on the Middle Prut river and stations of the Gorodetskaya archaeological culture (Kostenki 14, layer II and III) on the Middle Don. The stations Lipa 6, layer V and Kostenki 8, layer IV are much related to each other by composition of the teriofauna and a relative number of species. The main game in the south-western region was Equus latipes, rarer Rangifer tarandus and Mammuthus primigenius. In the central Russian Plain on the stations of the Streletskaya archaeological culture predominant were Equus latipes and Mammuthus primigenius, on the stations of Gorodetskaya culture – Equus latipes, Lepus tanaiticus and Canis lupus, on the stations of Spitsynskaya culture - Canis lupus, Equus latipes, Rangifer tarandus. Periodical climatic fluctuations during the late Pleistocene contributing to warming and damping processes caused appearance of remains of typical forest inhabitants on the stations. This refers to a greater extent to the stations of south-western region, where influence of Carpathian forests is more pronounced. The same dependence is noticed in the central Russian Plain, where the forest biotopes were developing first of all in the valley of the old Don.

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