ARTYKUŁY INFORMACYJNE Szczątki nosorożca (Stephanorhinus sp.) oraz daniela (Dama dama) odkryte w osadach kopalnego jeziora eemskiego na Równinie Gorzowskiej

Abstract

Remains of rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus sp.) and fallow deer (Dama dama) discovered in Eemian lake sediments in the Gorzów Plain (NW Poland).A b s t r a c t. Erthwork during rebuilding of the S3 route in Gorzów Wielkopolski exposed sediments of a palaeolake. The thickness of the sediment complex reaches 11 m. Two gyttja layers are separated by peats and fluvial sands and muds. The sequence reflects a multiphase development of the lake. Lacustrine sediments overlie Odranian (Saalian) (MOIS 6) glaciofluvial deposits and are covered by Vistulian glacial sediments (MOIS 2). At present, the stratigraphic position of the palaeolake is dated to the Eemian (MOIS 5e), with a probable continuation of the deposition into the early Vistulian (MOIS 5d–4). Rhinoceros bones (more than 100 pieces), including a skull with 24 well-preserved teeth, were discovered in the lower part of the palaeolake sediments. The preliminary expertise report, based mainly on the teeth analysis, allows assigning the rhinoceros remains into the genus Stephanorhinus. The finding of so many pieces of the skeleton of Stephanorhinus sp. in situ is unique on the scale of European scale. Apart from the rhinoceros remains, a single metacarpal bone of fallow deer (Dama dama) was found in the site. This is the first record of extant fallow deer in the Pleistocene of Poland. The palaeolake sediments were sampled and multidisciplinary research is planned to reconstruct the history of the development of this basin. The relationship between the rhinoceros and fallow deer remains with the palaeoenvironment will make it possible to ascertain the conditions in which those animals lived at higher latitudes during the Eemian Interglacial.