Ratnikov V.YU., Maslova I.V., Omelko V.E., Tiunov M.P.
Amurian zoological journal 2024; 16(3): 763–781
The article provides new data on the findings of reptiles from the four upper lithological layers of sediments (nine conditional horizons) in Medvezhiy Klyk Cave formed over the last 4,000 years. The material is represented by isolated bones totaling 12,422 specimens. Each bone was determined separately. Nine species of squamated reptiles were found: Takydromus amurensis , T. wolteri , Elaphe dione , E. schrenckii , Lycodon sp., Hebius vibakari , Rhabdophis lateralis , Gloydius intermedius, andG. ussuriensis. The dominant species is E. dione, present in all the horizons and accounting for more than half of the remains in each horizon. The codominants are H. vibakari and E. schrenckii. G. intermedius is also present in all the horizons. To reconstruct the paleoenvironment, quantitative relationships between the remains of representatives of various ecological groups of species were identified. From bottom to top along the section, changes were revealed in the ratio of the number of species remains of forest biotopes, that prefer wet biotopes, and attention was also paid to the appearance and disappearance of species that do not currently live in the vicinity of the cave. The species composition of reptiles indicates the existence of forest vegetation in the vicinity of the cave on the northwestern slopes of the ridge during the accumulation of all nine horizons. At the same time, sparse forests are found on southeastern slopes of the ridge, whose distribution has changed over time.
