Taxonomic revision of bears from the locality Šandalja i (Croatia) and its biostratigraphic consequences

Abstract

Šandalja I palaeocave ("fossil"cave), situated in the southern part of the Istrian peninsula (Croatia), is a well-known locality due to the abundant fossil remains extracted from the bone breccia. It is broadly accepted that the fauna is Middle Villafranchian in age. Since the beginning, the taxonomic status of bear remains has caused controversy and, as a consequence, different authors listed between one to three bear species from this site. Detailed revision of dental material confirmed the presence of two bear species - Ursus thibetanus and U. deningeri. On the other hand, the previously reported presence of U. etruscus was refuted. Subsequently, based on the presence of these two bear taxa, the age of the whole faunal assemblage was re-evaluated and determined as Middle Pleistocene (Toringian).