Djuktai cave is a Paleolithic site located in the south-eastern part of
Yakutia. Bird remains originate from the late Pleistocene (12 000–14 000
BP) and late Holocene (about 740 BP) deposits. Anseriform birds are
represented by 13 species: Anser sp. nov., Anas platyrhynchos, A. crecca,
A. formosa, A...
Djuktai cave is a Paleolithic site located in the south-eastern part of
Yakutia. Bird remains originate from the late Pleistocene (12 000–14 000
BP) and late Holocene (about 740 BP) deposits. Anseriform birds are
represented by 13 species: Anser sp. nov., Anas platyrhynchos, A. crecca,
A. formosa, A. penelope, A. acuta, A. querquedula, A. clypeata, Aythya fuligula,
Melanitta deglandi, Clangula hyemalis, Mergus serrator, Mergellus sp. nov.
The remains of Anseriforms constitute 20 % of all found bones. A. acuta,
A. querquedula, A. clypeata are not found in the late Pleistocene layers,
and the stratigraphic location of the layer with the remains of Melanitta
deglandi is unknown. The remains of A. formosa are the most abundant (20
bones from at least 8 individuals), they originate mainly from the Pleistocene
layers. Nine bones of this species belong to subadult birds. A. crecca
and A. fuligula bones (15 specimens from at least 3 individuals each) are
also numerous, but the remains of the former originate primarily from
the Holocene layers, whereas the latter was found both in the Holocene
and Pleistocene sediments. Three bones of A. fuligula belong to subadult
individuals. The bones of Anseriforms from Djuktai cave are similar to
those of their recent counterparts. An exception is a coracoid of A. crecca,
which is thinner than that of recent specimens examined (n = 3). The
presence of A. strepera and A. anser assumed by preliminary identifi cations
(Mochanov, 1970) is not confi rmed. A. falcata is not only lacking in
sediments of Djuktai cave, but also absent in all other sites of the Far East
and Eastern Siberia. This fact allows us to suppose the recent colonization
of the region by this species. It seems like at least some bones should
be accumulated as a result of Early Human activity, since the cut-marks
on some of the bones of A. fuligula and Anser sp. nov. are visible.
Two new fossil species of Anseriforms were found. A new species
of Goose is represented by the series of bones of the wing and pectoral
girdle. The new species is larger than A. anser. It is morphologically close
to both A. anser and A. fabalis. A new species of Smew is smaller than
M. albellus and differs from it by a few morphological details.
Казарка. 2008. Т. 11. Вып. 1. С. 13-21.