Author(s): Pazonyi, P., Trembeczki, M., Mészáros, L. & Szentesi, Z.
Title: Preliminary report on the Early Pleistocene vertebrate sites of Beremend Crystal Cave (Beremend 16, South Hungary) and on their palaeoecological importance
Year: 2019
Volume: 36
Pages: 115-140.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17111/FragmPalHung.2019.36.115
Abstract: Formerly, the Early Pleistocene vertebrate material collected independently from 15
diff erent sampling sites of Beremend Crystal Cave were merged together and treated as a whole,
under the name of Beremend 16. However, the thorough analysis of the fauna of each separate
sampling site revealed considerable taxonomic, palaeoecological and stratigraphic differences,
which render the aforementioned unifi cation unjustifi ed. Diverse and sparse assemblages were
recognized based on the fossil richness and taxonomic composition of the samples. Some of the
assemblages contain only bats, whereas others consist of further small mammals besides the bats
as well as herpetofaunal elements. The compositional dissimilarities suggest taphonomical or age
diff erences comparing the sites. Based on our environmental reconstruction, a water body varying
in size was always present in the vicinity of the cave during the studied time period, which was
surrounded by an open or a more closed vegetation depending on the slight climatic changes. Our
stratigraphic analysis showed that most of the sites can be dated between 1.5 and 1.2 Ma. In the case
of two sites, it was possible to make a more precise age estimation (1.2 Ma) based on the appearance
of the white-toothed shrew, Crocidura obtusa. With 4 figures and 4 tables.Keywords: palaeoecology, stratigraphy, Early Pleistocene, Beremend, small vertebrates
Journal: Fragmenta Palaeontologica HungaricaJournal abbreviation: Fragm. Palaeont. Hung.ISSN: 1586-930XPublisher: Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum, BudapestEditor(s): Dulai, A.