Microsoft Word - 00_indice_LM04.docx Il Quaternario IT ISSN 039-3356 Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences 24 (1), 2011 - 131-140 FIRST DATA ON THE LATEST PLEISTOCENE MAMMALS FROM MORA CAVORSO CAVE (JENNE, LATIUM, CENTRAL ITALY) Leonardo Salari1, Daria Passacantando2 & Mario F. Rolfo3 1 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Rome Sapienza, Rome 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome 3 Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome Correspondent author: L. Salari ABSTRACT: Salari L., Passacantando D. & Rolfo M.F., First data on the latest Pleistocene Mammals from Mora Cavorso Cave (Jenne, Latium, Central Italy). Since 2006 the Mora Cavorso Cave has been object of archaeological investigations, and archaeological and faunal finds have been recorded referable, with some discontinuities, to an interval of time lasting over 13,000 years. The most ancient testimonies till now in- vestigated are referable to the terminal phases of the Late Pleistocene and are followed by various Holocene layers between the Meso- lithic and the Middle Age. In this paper the preliminary data related to the large Mammals, together with the hare and the greats Rodents, attributed to the latest Pleistocene are described. Nine taxa of fossil mammals in the “Dig B2” of the room 1 and ascribed to a late Upper Paleolithic cultural horizon (final Epigravettian) have been found: Lepus sp., Marmota marmota, Vulpes vulpes, Mustela nivalis, Sus scrofa, Cervus elaphus, Capreolus capreolus, Ru- picapra sp. and Capra ibex. From other places of the cave (the perturbed ground of the room 1 and the “Sinkhole”) the fossil remains of Lepus sp., Lepus corsicanus, Castor fiber, M. marmota, Canis lupus, Ursus arctos, Equus ferus, E. hydruntinus, S. scrofa, C. elaphus, C. capreolus and C. ibex have been also found and these too are referable to the latest Pleistocene. The marmot and the ibex are the most significant species, but is even important the red deer presence, and a particular attention deserves also European beaver, till now not signaled in lateglacial mammal assemblages of central Italy, and the sure evidence of the Italic hare. The ecological requirements of the present taxa allow reconstructing the environment of the Simbruini Mounts and the tall of the Aniene River valley during such period colder than today, outlining a composite landscape with forests and woods alternated with grasslands, rocky bands and scree slopes, and wetlands. RIASSUNTO: Salari L., Passacantando D. & Rolfo M.F., Primi dati sui Mammiferi tardopleistocenici della Grotta Mora Cavorso (Jenne, Lazio, Italia centrale). La Grotta Mora Cavorso è oggetto d’indagini archeologiche dal 2006 ed ha restituito reperti archeologici e faunistici che coprono, con qualche discontinuità, un intervallo di tempo di oltre 13.000 anni. Le più antiche testimonianze finora indagate sono riferibili alle fasi ter- minali del Pleistocene Superiore e sono seguite da vari livelli olocenici compresi tra il Mesolitico e il Medio Evo. Nella presente nota sono esposti i dati preliminari relativi ai grandi Mammiferi, cui sono stati aggregati la lepre e i grossi Roditori, rinvenuti nel “Saggio B2” della sala 1 e attribuiti al tardo Pleistocene Superiore; altri resti di vertebrati tardopleistocenici sono stati recuperati in diversi luoghi della grotta (terreno rimaneggiato della sala1 e “Inghiottitoio”). Le specie maggiormente significative sono marmotta e stambecco, ma è altresì im- portante la presenza del cervo e meritano una menzione particolare anche il castoro, finora non segnalato tra le faune tardoglaciali dell’Italia centrale, e l’individuazione certa della lepre italica. Le esigenze ecologiche dei taxa presenti permettono di ricostruire l’ambiente dei Monti Simbruini e dell’alta valle dell’Aniene durante tale periodo più freddo rispetto ad oggi, delineando un paesaggio composito, con foreste e boschi intervallati da praterie, fasce rocciose e aree a pietraia e zone umide. Key Words: Vertebrates, Mammals, Late Pleistocene, Epigravettian, Palaeoecology. Parole-chiave: Vertebrati, Mammiferi, Pleistocene Superiore, Epigravettiano, Paleoecologia. 1. INTRODUCTION The cave locally called Mora Cavorso opens to 720 m a.s.l. in the locality Palo Montano near Jenne (Rome, Latium, Central Italy); it leans out on the right slope of the upper Aniene River valley inside the Sim- bruini Mounts Regional Natural Park (Fig. 1A). This karst cavity is carved in the “Calcilutiti e Cal- careniti del Conaciano-Campaniano” formation (C9- 11/38, Upper Cretaceous) (DAMIANI et al., 1998). The cave has a succession of rooms and ducts. The room 1 (medium dimensions, about 20 x 10 m) is closed to- wards outside by a recent stone wall and open directly on the slope, on the bottom it is open a passage that leads to a natural duct with slight slope, partially filled by a recent Holocene deposit. At the end of the duct the room 2 opens, the first in the interior (about 6 x 4 m), it is paved by a stalagmite crust and below an archaeolog- ical deposit is present. On the north wall a second natu- ral duct starts, horizontal, strongly concretioned, about 20 m length, at the end two paths (upper room and low- er room) with anthropological remains open (ROLFO et al., 2009; 2010). Following the discovery of human bones inside the cave, by the members of “Shaka Zulu” Speleological Club of Subiaco, the archaeological investigations in the L. Salari, D. Passacantando & Rolfo M.F. 132 cave in 2006 started. The digs initially fo- cused the areas of the Neolithic human remains outcrop and subsequently in more stratigraphical digs in the most external rooms to the purpose of investigating the stratigraphical sequence of the deposit (Fig. 1B). In particular, in the dig B2 (a trench about 4 x 3 m behind the stone wall, in the eastern sector of the front of room 1), just below a perturbed surface layer, the Stratigraphic Units 109, 110, 120, 135, 254 and 255 (= “Dig B2”) are characterized by a compact reddish-brown silty ground with limestone clasts with sharp edges, where a moderate quantity of lithic artifacts refera- ble to a late Upper Paleolithic cultural hori- zon (final Epigravettian) and numerous fossil remains of vertebrate animals have been recovered. The calcareous floor of the cave has not yet been reached. In this paper the first data on the large Mammals, together with the hare and the greats Rodents, recorded in “Dig B2” and attributed to the latest Pleistocene are presented. Other mammal remains refera- ble to the latest Pleistocene and that have been also found from the filling of an sink- hole that partially opens on the right side of the entry of the cave (= “Sinkhole”) and from the perturbed ground of the room 1 are also described. 2. STRATIGRAPHIC NOTES The synthetic stratigraphy of the var- ious areas of the cave shows a variously articulated deposit (Fig. 2) that develops from the deepest layer till now investi- gated, referred to the latest Pleistocene, up to the superficial level of historical age (ROLFO et al., 2010). The “Dig B2” is the most ancient layer investigated with stratigraphical me- thodology and it has been intercepted in the room 1, below the altered surface layer with micromammal and bird remains and several fossil bones of great wild mammals together with numerous finds of prehistoric and recent domestic mammals. The “Dig B2” is a compact reddish-brown silty ground with limes- tone clasts with sharp edges that vary in diameter from few millimeters to the centimeter, and with a thickness of about 20-30 cm. In this layer many fossil remains of ver- tebrate have been found together with a moderate num- ber of lithic artifacts referable to final Epigravettian, such as a frontal scraper on a retouched blade of jaspered flint, three fragments of backed blade lets, a fragment of backed point and a multiple burin. A radiometric dating1 performed on a marmot mandible from this layer, has provided the age of 13,460±50 years BP (calibrated 14,175 - 13,910 BC 1σ) and agrees well with the attribu- tion of the “Dig B2” lithic artifacts to a final Epigravettian cultural horizon. The “Sinkole” instead is the filling of a sinkhole that partially opens on the right side of the en- try of the cave. This include a pinkish-gray silty sand ground with coarse limestone breccias with sharp edges, and a small level with reddish slimy soil, and there some bone remains of vertebrate referable to the latest Pleistocene have been also found. 1 All the radiometric dating have been performed by the “Centre de Datation par le Radiocarbone - CNRS”, Lyon (France), except that on a mesolithic red deer tooth, performed by the “Beta Analytic Inc.”, Miami (U.S.A.). Fig. 1 - Mora Cavorso Cave: A) location of the site; B) longitudinal section (up) and plan (down) of the cave. Grotta Mora Cavorso: A) ubicazione del sito; B) sezione (in alto) e pianta (in basso) della grotta First data on the latest Pleistocene Mammals from Mora Cavorso Cave… 133 A layer from the inferior room which can be attri- buted to early Holocene (Mesolithic cultural phase) fol- lows; it is rich of Cervus elaphus bones in partially arti- culated (SALARI et al., 2009; ROLFO et al., 2010). Also for this level have been made two radiometric dating, one on a red deer tooth (8,770 ± 60 years BP, calibrated 7,950 - 7,790 BC 1σ), and the other on a charcoal frag- ment (8,805 ± 45 years BP, calibrated 8,197 - 7,729 BC 1σ). In this layer, except a moderate number of charcoal fragments and various ashes spots, no other evidence of human presence has been discovered. This level un- derlies a layer dated to the ancient Neolithic characte- rized by the noticeable presence of abundant human remains referable at least 21 individuals (PASSACAN- TANDO, 2009), concerning partly disturbed burials (in the upper and lower room). Archaeological finds have also been recovered and are pertinent to the various funeral outfits (ROLFO et al., 2009; 2010), together with bones and teeth primarily of domestic fauna, above all Ovis vel Capra (SALARI et al., 2009). As well in this case two ra- diometric dating are been performed, the first one on human bone (6,405 ± 35 years BP, calibrated 5,472 - 5,314 BC 1σ), the second on a charcoal fragment (6,275 ± 45 years BP, calibrated 5,322 - 5,084 BC 1σ). A layer from the room 2 (dig C) has to be referred to the Neolithic final phase; it is characterized by a level rich of charcoal and ashes. In the deeper part of the room 1 (dig B1) the arc- haeological sequence is superficially cov- ered by a layer very rich of pottery (frag- ments and a whole bowl) shed anywhere, and human bones, referable to disturbed burials dated to the middle Bronze age (first half of II millennium BC). Rare but noticeable it is the pottery referable to the historical age (VIII-X century AD) recov- ered in the dig A, in the external dig, and on the ground of the upper level of the dig B1 of the room 1 (ROLFO et al., 2010). 3. METHODOLOGY The proceeding of the analyses of the “Dig B2” faunal remains, referable to a final Epigravettian horizon, were carried on at the same time to archaeological investigations progress. Other mammal remains referable to the latest Pleistocene have been recov- ered from the “Sinkhole” and from a dis- turbed level of the room 1. The examined finds have been com- pared to the osteological material stored in the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Rome “Sapienza”. The bone remains are very fragmentary and general- ly their state of preservation does not allow the individualization of the anatomical por- tion, neither the taxonomic determination. Among the determined remains, neverthe- less, there are also some intact skeletal elements like metapodials, carpal and tar- sal bones, phalanges, isolated teeth and some mandibles. This material has been recovered in different plac- es of the cave, so its description will be carried on taking into account the origin place of the remains. The mam- mal bones recovered in the “Dig B2” originate from a level investigated with stratigraphical methodology, it is well dated both radiometrically and according to the cul- tural chronology and it is therefore possible to effect a numerical analysis. Every taxon is quantified both in number of remains (NR) and in the minimum number of individuals (MNI), calculated according BÖKÖNYI (1970); the fragments of ribs and vertebrae of difficult taxonomi- cal attribution have been counted apart. For the material remainder, instead are listed out the recognized taxa and valued their relative frequency (Tab. 1). 4. FAUNAL DESCRIPTION 4.1. The Mammals remains from the “Dig B2” From the “Dig B2” over 1000 mammal remains have been recorded, 171 of which (17.05%) have been anatomically and taxonomically determined. From the Fig. 2 - Mora Cavorso Cave: Stratigraphic synthesis. Grotta Mora Cavorso: Stratigrafia sintetica. L. Salari, D. Passacantando & M.F. Rolfo 134 Tab. 1, in which the percentages of each taxon are calculated on the total of the de- termined fragments, while the percentages related to the ribs, to the vertebrae, to the undetermined and to the total determined remains are calculated on the general to- tal, the most abundant taxon is Marmota marmota (LINNAEUS, 1758), with more than the half of the determined remains and a third of the individuals. Cervus elaphus LINNAEUS, 1758, Capra ibex LINNAEUS, 1758, Rupicapra sp. and Lepus sp. are present with a certain number of frag- ments, Sus scrofa. LINNAEUS, 1758, Capreolus capreolus (LINNAEUS, 1758) and Vulpes vulpes (LIN- NAEUS, 1758) with few finds, and Mustela nivalis LINNAEUS, 1766 has present only a single fragment of mandible (Fig. 3, n). These finds are accompanied by several Birds bones, few Amphibious bones and abundant micromammal remains above all Rodents, particularly Arvicola amphi- bius (LINNAEUS, 1758), Apodemus sp. and small arvicolids, and scarce bats, Rhinolo- phus ferrumequinum (SCHREBER, 1774) and Myotis bechsteinii (KUHL, 1817). The marmot is represented by bones of the whole skeleton (Fig. 3, b-d), primari- ly mandible mainly fragmentary, isolated teeth, phalanges, metapodials and tarsal bones intact, while the skull and the other postcranial skeleton elements are frag- mented. This fossil material is referable to at least 7 individuals; some deciduous teeth, a tibia with epiphysis not fused and a very small astragalus point out that among these at least one is a cub. The hare is present with some isolated teeth, metapodials and phalanges than at least two individuals; the scarcity of diagnostic morphological characters (see PALACIOS, 1996) does not allowed a sure attribution of such finds to Lepus europaeus PALLAS, 1778 or Lepus corsicanus DE WINTON, 1808. The fox is present with some meta- podials and calcaneum (Fig. 3, l) of an adult. The wild boar is present with an inferior molar, a third metacar- pus (Fig. 4, d), a metapodial with distal epiphysis not fused, a carpal bone and a first lateral phalanx con- cerning a fully grown and a young individual. The red deer is represented by isolated teeth, humerus, femur, tibia (Fig. 4, i), carpal and tarsal bones, phalanges (some with the proximal epiphysis not fused) and se- samoids belonging a fully grown and a young individu- al. The roe deer is present with a mandibular branch fragment, some isolated teeth, two of which deciduous, and a phalanx referable to a young individual and an adult. The ibex is represented by isolated teeth, some of which deciduous, radius, coxal, femur, metapodials with distal epiphysis not fused (Fig. 4, f-g), tarsal bones and phalanges referable to a young individual and an adult. The chamois is present with isolated teeth, some of which deciduous, radius (Fig. 4, m), ulna and pha- langes concerning a fully grown and a young individual; the fragmentary of the finds and particularly the ab- sence of cranial parts with horn cores, useful to the dis- tinction between Rupicapra rupicapra (LINNAEUS, 1758) and Rupicapra pyrenaica BONAPARTE, 1845 (see MASI- NI & LOVARI, 1988), allow to identifying the chamois on- ly to the genus level. The presence of the lithic artifacts and the same mammal assemblage, characterized essentially by un- gulate and marmot, would suggest an anthropic contri- bution of the bone accumulation, but till now only an un- determined fragment with a lithic tool incision has been observed. Some bones show traces of gnawing of ro- dents, while neither signs of carnivores or further traces of human activity are present. Considering also the large number of small animals and young individuals among the ungulate ones, it cannot be excluded that, over the humans, also the raptor birds and/or the other factors have contributed to the accumulation of the “Dig B2” bones. Taxon “Dig B2” “Sin kh ole” Per tur bed N R M N I freq. freq. n. % n. % Lepus sp. - hare 11 6.43 2 9.52 R R Lepus corsicanus - Italic hare RR Castor fiber - European bea- ver RR Marmota marmota - marmot 94 54.97 7 33.33 A CA Canis lupus - wolf C Vulpes vulpes - fox 4 2.34 1 4.76 Ursus arctos - brown bear CR Mustela nivalis - weasel 1 0.58 1 4.76 Equus ferus RR Equus hydruntinus C Sus scrofa - wild boar 5 2.92 2 9.52 RR Cervus elaphus - red deer 25 14.62 2 9.52 R CA Capreolus capreolus - roe deer 4 2.34 2 9.52 R Capra ibex - ibex 16 9.36 2 9.52 C C Rupicapra sp. - chamois 11 6.43 2 9.52 total determined 171 17.05 21 ribs 136 13.56 vertebrae 36 3.59 undetermined 660 65.80 Total 1003 Tab. 1 - Mora Cavorso Cave, Late Pleistocene: number of remains (NR), minimum number of individuals (MNI) and percentages (%) from the “Dig B2”, and mammal remains frequency (freq.) from the other archaeological contexts (“Sinkhole” and the perturbed ground of the room 1); RR: very rare; R: rare; CR: common-rare; C: com- mon; CA: common-abundant; A: abundant. Grotta Mora Cavorso, Pleistocene Superiore: numero dei resti faunistici (NR), nume- ro minimo degli individui (MNI) e relative percentuali (%) del “Saggio B2”, e frequen- ze dei resti faunistici (freq.) relative agli altri contesti archeologici (“Inghiottitoio” e terreno rimaneggiato della sala 1); RR: rarissimo; R: raro; CR: comune-raro; C: co- mune; CA: comune-abbondante; A: abbondante First data on the latest Pleistocene Mammals from Mora Cavorso Cave… 135 Fig. 3 - Mora Cavorso Cave, Late Pleistocene: Lepus corsicanus, a) skull; Marmota marmota, b) maxilla, c) calcaneum; d1) mandible, lin- gual view, d2) mandible, labial view; Castor fiber, e) mandible, f) skull fragment; Ursus arctos, g) upper canine, h) lower canine, i) second lower molar; Vulpes vulpes, l) calcaneum; Canis lupus, m) mandible; (scale bar: 5 cm); Mustela nivalis, n) mandible (scale bar: 2 cm). Grotta Mora Cavorso, Pleistocene Superiore: Lepus corsicanus, a) cranio; Marmota marmota, b) mascellare, c) calcagno; d1) mandibo- la, norma linguale, d2) mandibola, norma labiale; Castor fiber, e) mandibola, f) frammento di cranio; Ursus arctos, g) canino superiore, h) canino inferiore, i) secondo molare inferiore; Vulpes vulpes, l) calcagno; Canis lupus, m) mandibola; (riferimento metrico: 5 cm); Mu- stela nivalis, n) mandibola (riferimento metrico: 2 cm). L. Salari, D. Passacantando & M.F. Rolfo 136   Fig. 4 - Mora Cavorso Cave, Late Pleistocene: Equus ferus, a) first phalanx; Equus hydruntinus, b) first phalanx, c) astragalus; Sus scro- fa, d) third metacarpus; Capra ibex, e) metacarpus, f) metacarpus (juvenis); g) metatarsus (juvenis); Cervus elaphus, h) metatarsus, i) tibia; Capreolus capreolus, l) metatarsus; Rupicapra sp., m) radius; (scale bar: 5 cm). Grotta Mora Cavorso, Pleistocene Superiore: Equus ferus, a) prima falange; Equus hydruntinus, b) prima falange, c) astragalo; Sus scrofa, d) terzo metacarpo; Capra ibex, e) metacarpo, f) metacarpo giovanile; g) metatarso giovanile; Cervus elaphus, h) metatarso, i) tibia; Capreolus capreolus, l) metatarso; Rupicapra sp., m) radio; (riferimento metrico: 5 cm). First data on the latest Pleistocene Mammals from Mora Cavorso Cave… 137 4.2. The Mammals remains from the other archaeo- logical contexts From a partially perturbed layer of the room 1 a thousand of vertebrate remains has been recovered in an advanced state of fossilization together with prehis- toric and recent domestic mammals. Small and medium- sized Birds are present, micromammals (A. amphibius, Apodemus sp. and small arvicolids), and bones and teeth attributed to hare, marmot, wolf (Fig. 3, m), red deer (Fig. 4, h), roe deer (Fig. 4, l) and ibex (Fig. 4, e) (ROLFO et al., 2009; SALARI et al., 2009). Some morpho- logical features of a sub-intact skull of hare (Fig. 3, a), particularly the occlusal surface contour of P2 with the postcone protrudes further than the lagicone (see PALA- CIOS, 1996), allow attributing this find to L. corsicanus. In the “Sinkhole” a hundred of vertebrate fossil re- mains chaotically assembled has been recovered, partly from a level characterized by a reddish slimy soil. The bones accumulation seems of reasonable natural con- tribution (water energy), nevertheless the emptying has not been completed yet, but till now lithic artifacts has not been recovered yet. The mandibles and the skull fragments of M. marmota are abundant and are accom- panied by carpal and tarsal bones and phalanges of Equus hydruntinus REGALIA, 1907 (Fig. 4, b-c), isolated teeth, metatarsus and phalanges of C. ibex and isolated teeth of Ursus arctos LINNAEUS, 1758 (Fig. 3, g-i). There are also rare fragments of Birds bones, micromammals and Lepus sp., a few isolated teeth of C. elaphus, a skull portion and a mandible2 of Castor fiber LINNAEUS, 1758 (Fig. 3, e-f), and a first phalanx of Equus ferus BOD- DAERT, 1785 (Fig. 4, a) and a skull fragment of S. scrofa. 5. CHRONOLOGICAL AND PALAEOECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS The radiometric dating of 13,460±50 years BP (ca- librated 14,175 - 13,910 BC 1σ) agrees well with the attribution of the “Dig B2” lithic industry to a final Epigra- vettian cultural horizon, and permit to attribute this mammal assemblage to the last glacial episode final phases, or rather to the first part of the Lateglacial pre- ceding the Bølling - Allerød temperate oscillation (see RAVAZZI et al., 2007). The lateglacial climatic oscillations recorded in central-western Europe also occur in Italy, although with less intensity, especially in the Mediterra- nean regions. In the piedmont Alpine area, associations with ibex, chamois and marmot during the colder mo- ments are frequent, together with elk, bison and alpine hare, that alternate to red deer and roe deer associa- tions, sometimes accompanied to the wild boar during the temperate moments (PETRONIO et al., 2007; SALA, 2007). In Mediterranean environment the lateglacial mammal assemblages seem to be conditioned by the geographical location and by the territory morphology at least how the climatic oscillations did. In fact the Adriatic slope of the peninsula shows a harder climate than the Tyrrhenian one, more temperate and humid. In the Adriatic slope prevail associations with E. ferus, E. hy- druntinus, chamois and ibex, typical of prevailing opened environments like steppe, prairie and arid mountain; in the Tyrrhenian slope, instead, associations with red deer, wild boar and roe deer are present, together with ibex and sometimes to equids, and mark a wider presence of woodland and forest environments (PETRONIO et al., 2007; SALA, 2007). The ecological requirements of the taxa from the cave mammal assemblage may therefore provide some useful indications to reconstruct the environmental land- scape of the Simbruini Mounts and of the upper Aniene River valley in the Late Pleistocene final phases and to individualize, if possible, the chronology of the mammal remains recovered from the archaeological contexts others than the “Dig B2”. The Italic hare is a species adapted to live in differ- ent environments, but seems to prefer shrubby dry areas and prairie alternated with hardwood forest with large grassy open clearings; the European hare instead seems to be more connected to the open environments like prai- rie and steppe, and it is adapted to the traditional agricul- tural environments, characterized by mixed farming; to- day the marmot is present in the Alps, Pyrenees, Carpa- thian and Tatra Mountains and, recently, has been rein- troduced in some areas of the northern Apennine and it lives in mountain places characterized by large alpine prairie with stony zone or scattered rock near high stem woods (AMORI et al., 2008). The European beaver is no longer present in Italy since XVI-XVII century (PETRONIO et al., 2007) and today it is present in damp and wood- land environments, with streams and stretches of water between France and Russia, and the northern Balkans and the Scandinavian peninsula (HALLEY & ROSELL, 2002). Among the carnivores, both the wolf and the fox are animals adapted to a variety of environments, but generally settle the lair in woodlands with gorges and stony zone; the brown bear is a forest species especially and it prefers environments rich of water; the weasel too prefers open woodland near water (BOITANI et al., 2003). Among artiodactyls the wild boar prefers woods and wet- lands, the red deer is particularly common in open woods with large grassy clearings, and the roe deer is a typically woody species and prefer hardwood forests rich of brushwood and clearings; the ibex actually lives on the Alps frequenting rocky ledges and alpine prairie, and the chamois frequent coniferous and hardwood woody areas riches of brushwood spaced by rocky walls and stony zones, prairies, bare patches and grassy ledges (BOITANI et al., 2003). Finally E. ferus and E. hydruntinus, were quite commons in the Late Pleistocene, preferring open environments like steppes and prairies, and their last oc- currences in Italy are in the early Holocene (PETRONIO et al., 2007; CONTI et al., 2010). The ecological requirements of the taxa discov- ered in the “Dig B2” suggest the presence of woods and forests spaced by prairies, rocky bands and stony zones and wetlands near the site. Evidently the faunal finds are been accumulated during a climatic period colder than today, like the presence of species as M. marmota 2 For mere material error, this mandible has been referred to the marmot in the Fig. 2 caption of the Abstract Volume of “Convegno in memoria di Alberto Malatesta (1915-2007) Geologo e Paleontologo. Roma 4-5 febbraio 2010”. We apolog- ize for the mistake. L. Salari, D. Passacantando & M.F. Rolfo 138 and C. ibex shows. Both the species were in the lategla- cial faunal complex of the central-southern Italy, in locality near the sea too, but now they are living in high mountain areas of the alpine arch. However the two species are not considered “cold” stenotherm, but euritherm species (CA- PASSO BARBATO et al., 1991), and nor even the ibex is considered a typical high mountain animal (MASSETI et al., 1995; PHOCA COSMETATOU 2004). The last palaeonto- logical evidence of M. marmota and C. ibex in central- southern Italy, however, are referred to the early Holo- cene (PETRONIO et al., 2007), with the rapid climatic warming that characterized the early stages of this epoch, the consequent going up of the tree limit at higher altitude and a considerable reduction of the congenial alpine grasslands type. The distribution of these two species in the peninsula during the last millennia of the Late Pleisto- cene was been somewhat unequal. In the Adriatic slope the marmot reached Salento (southern Apulia) (TAGLIA- COZZO, 2003), while in the Tyrrhenian slope there would not be evidence of its presence at south of the Latium. The ibex, frequently with the chamois, instead, is present in the Tyrrhenian slope also in southern Campania and northern Calabria, while there would not be evidence of its presence at south of the Gargano promontory (north- ern Apulia) in the Adriatic slope (PHOCA COSMETATOU 2004; SALA, 2007). The others “Dig B2” taxa are currently in central Italy and, except the chamois, also in the Sim- bruini Mounts area (AMORI et al., 2009). The faunal remains with an advanced fossilization status recovered in the room 1 together with the prehistoric and recent domestic fauna likely came from the disman- tling of “Dig B2”, probably because of clandestine exca- vate or of the arrangement of the cavern as a refuge dur- ing the Second World War. The faunal assemblage is al- most the same to that of the “Dig B2” (Tab. 1) and may be referred to the same final Epigravettian horizon. The mammal remains recovered in the “Sinkhole” have some affinities, but also differences compared to the “Dig B2” fauna (Tab. 1). Some taxa (hare, marmot, wild boar, red deer and ibex) are the same and the relatively abundance of M. marmota is also a common element. Remains of beaver, brown bear, E. ferus and E. hydrunti- nus are only in the “Sinkhole”. Although these are few fossil remains, the presence of the equids, in particular, together to the rare remains of red deer and wild boar, suggest a more opened environment with a less woody covering and perhaps referable to a moment probably cooler than that shown by the “Dig B2” mammal fauna. The environments frequented by the total recov- ered taxa show a composite landscape, in some points not so different to the present, but during moments of climate colder than today. The Simbruini Mounts slopes were probably covered by deep forests and sparse woods (cervids, carnivores, chamois), spaced by rocky bands and stony ground (ibex, chamois, marmot), while the upper bottom valley were covered by prairies that may evolved in steppe (marmot, hare, equids, ibex) and the river offered banks rich of vegetations, sometimes marshy (wild boars, beaver). 6. COMPARISON WITH OTHER SITES AND CON- CLUSIONS In central Italy different sites with lateglacial mam- mal faunas are known, generally associated to Epigravet- tian lithic industry. Leaving out the northern Tuscany, these sites are placed along the Tyrrhenian coast of Tuscany and Latium (CASSOLI, 1977; ALESSIO et al., 1993; BOSCATO, 1996; ALHAIQUE & Di CAMILLO, 2007), along the Abruzzi and Marche Apennine (RADMILLI, 1977; WILKENS, 1991; ALHAIQUE & RECCHI, 2001; 2003; ALHAIQUE, 2003; 2005; ESU et al., 2006), and the Latium inland (RADMILLI, 1974; PENNACCHIONI & TOZZI, 1985; CERILLI & BROCATO, 1998; UCELLI GNESUTTA et al., 2006). Among these, some affinities can be noticed with several mammal faunas of the Fucino basin in the Ab- ruzzi Apennine, rather to the Latium sites, included the near Polesini Cave, but this may be attributed to the geographical location and/or to the altimetrical position, than to the eventual chronological correlation with Mora Cavorso Cave. At Polesini Cave (RADMILLI, 1974) near Tivoli, about 26 Km NNE of Rome, in the lower Aniene River valley, the fauna of a sequence that include the recent Lateglacial is largely dominated by the red deer, always about 70% among ungulates, followed by wild boar, roe deer and equids with lower rates, while aurochs, cha- mois and ibex are just present, the marmot and the wol- verine sporadically appear. At Riparo Salvini (ALESSIO et al., 1993; ALHAIQUE & Di CAMILLO, 2007) near Terraci- na, on the Latium Tyrrhenian coast, an Epigravettian sequence referred to Bølling temperate oscillation and that has provided radiometric dating between 12.400 ± 170 and 13.365 ± 190 years BP (14C not-calibrated dat- ing), close to Mora Cavorso Cave dating, the red deer is the more abundant specie with rate superior of 50%, followed by equids (about 10%) and other ungulates like roe deer, chamois, wild boar and ibex and with hare, aurochs and carnivores sporadic presence. In the lateglacial stratigraphic sequences of Ortuc- chio Cave, La Punta Cave, Maritza Cave (ALHAIQUE & RECCHI, 2001; ALHAIQUE, 2003; 2005), located at about 700 m a.s.l. on the hills surrounding the Fucino basin, there is a large presence of small animals (especially at Ortucchio, less at Maritza), in particular hare, but mar- mot and stoat are also present; among the ungulates chamois and red deer prevail, followed by ibex, wild boar, roe deer and aurochs, with sporadic presence of equids, in particular E. hydruntinus. In the oldest sites of the area, Tronci Cave, Maurizio Shelter, Ciccio Felice Cave (ALHAIQUE & RECCHI, 2003), with sequences re- ferable in part to the Last Glacial Maximum, the faunas are quite the same, but there is a clear prevalence of ungulates, among them equids are more abundant, marking a colder and drier climate compared to the sub- sequent periods. The preliminary analyses of the faunal remains from the “Dig B2” and other archaeological contexts of Mora Cavorso Cave have permit to define 15 taxa, di- vided into 5 orders, 10 families and 13 different genera of mammals. M. marmota and C. ibex are the most sig- nificant species both from the “Sinkhole” and from the “Dig B2” mammal assemblages, but is even important the C. elaphus presence, and a particular attention de- serves also C. fiber, till now not signaled in lateglacial mammal assemblages of central Italy, and the sure evi- dence of the Italic hare. The “Dig B2” mammal assemblage with marmot followed by red deer, ibex, chamois, wild boar and roe deer is referable to a moment less hard and humid of First data on the latest Pleistocene Mammals from Mora Cavorso Cave (Jenne, Latium, Central Italy 139 the last glacial episode final phases (probably the first part of the Lateglacial preceding the Bølling - Allerød temperate oscillation), according to the cultural chronol- ogy and the radiometric dating. The “Sinkhole” mammal assemblage with marmot and ibex, followed by the equ- ids more abundant than red deer and wild boar, perhaps has to be referred to a different moment, more cold and arid. At least part of the animals from the “Dig B2” has been introduced in the cave by Epigravettian human groups frequenting the upper Aniene River valley and the Simbruini Mounts during the latest Pleistocene. These data on the latest Pleistocene mammal faunas from Mora Cavorso Cave, suggest some chrono- logical, climatic and environmental indications that will be adequately investigated and better outlined during the prosecution of the archaeological and palaeontolog- ical searches. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to the “Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Lazio”, in particular to Annalisa Zarattini, which allowed the access to the fossils and to two ano- nymous referees for the useful suggestions that im- proved the quality of the manuscript. We thank also Carmelo Petronio, Olga Rickards and Raffaele Sardella for their support. REFERENCES ALESSIO M., ALHAIQUE F., ALLEGRI L., BIETTI A., BRANCA M., D’ARPINO A., IMPROTA S., KUHN S., PALMIERI A.M. & PREITE MARTINEZ M. (1993) - New results on the Upper Paleolithic site of Riparo Salvini (Ter- racina, Italy). Quat. Nova, 3, pp. 105-150. ALHAIQUE F. (2003) - The role of small carnivores in the accumulation of bones in archaeological deposits: the case of the Fucino Basin sites (central Italy). Archeofauna, 12, pp. 61-71. ALHAIQUE F. (2005) - Strategie di occupazione nelle grot- te del Fucino (Abruzzo) durante il Paleolitico supe- riore: il caso di Grotta Maritza (AQ). In: I. FIORE, G. MALERBA & S. CHILARDI (Eds), Atti del 3° Conve- gno Nazionale di Archeozoologia (Siracusa 3-5 novembre 2000), Studi di Paletnologia, N.S., 1, pp. 181-190. ALHAIQUE F. & DI CAMILLO F. (2007) - Le faune di Riparo Salvini (Terracina, LT). Atti I.I.P.P., XL, pp. 354- 357. ALHAIQUE F. & RECCHI A. (2001) - La Grotta di Ortucchio e il Fucino alla fine del paleolitico: analisi tafono- mica e zooarcheologica delle mammalofaune e delle avifaune. Atti del 2° Convegno “Il Fucino e le aree limitrofe nell’antichità”, pp. 56-69, Archeoclub d’Italia - Marsica, Avezzano (L’Aquila). ALHAIQUE F. & RECCHI A. (2003) - Sfruttamento delle risorse faunistiche durante le fasi più antiche dell’occupazione nel Fucino. Atti I.I.P.P., XXXVI, pp. 53-64. AMORI G., BATTISTI C. & DE FELICI S. (2009) - I Mammi- feri della Provincia di Roma. Dallo stato delle co- noscenze alla gestione e conservazione delle specie. Provincia di Roma, Stilgrafica, Roma, 350 pp. AMORI G., CONTOLI L. & NAPPI A. (2008) - Fauna d’Italia. Mammalia II. Erinaceomorpha, Soricomorpha, La- gomorpha, Rodentia. Edizioni Calderini de il So- le24 Ore, Milano, 736 pp. BOITANI L., LOVARI S. & VIGNA TAGLIANTI A. (2003) - Fau- na d’Italia. Mammalia III. Carnivora - Artiodactyla. Calderini, Bologna, 434 pp. BÖKÖNYI S. (1970) - A new method for the determination of the number of individuals in animal bones ma- terial. Am. J. Arch., 74, pp. 291-292. BOSCATO P. (1996) - Vado all’Arancio (Massa Marittima, GR). Studio delle faune. Rass. Arch., 13, pp. 159- 176. CAPASSO BARBATO L., MINIERI M.R. & SCARANO M. (1991) - Paleogeografia dei mammiferi “freddi” del Pleistocene medio-superiore e superiore italiano. Atti Accademia Peloritana dei Pericolanti, 67, suppl. 1, pp. 231-259. CASSOLI P.F. (1977) - Upper Palaeolithic Fauna at Pali- doro (Rome): 1955 excavations. Quaternaria, 19, pp. 187-196. CERILLI E. & BROCATO G. (1998) - The Upper Palaeoli- thic deposit of Valle Arcione (Castel d’Asso, Viter- bo, Italy). Atti U.I.S.P.P., XIII, 2, pp. 681-685, Forlì. CONTI N, PETRONIO C. & SALARI L. (2010) - The Equids of the Late Pleistocene of “Tana delle Iene” (Ce- glie Messapica, Brindisi, Southern Italy). Boll. Soc. Paleont. It., 49, pp. 227-236. DAMIANI A.V., CATENACCI V., MOLINARI V.,TILIA A. & PANSERI C. (1998) - Carta Geologica d’ Italia alla scala 1/50.000, Foglio 376 “Subiaco”: Note Illu- strative. Servizio Geologico Nazionale, 55 pp. ESU D., DE STEFANI M., GALLINI V., GHESINI D., GUERRE- SCHI A., GURIOLI F., MAGNATTI M., MURATORI S., PERESANI M., SILVESTRINI M. & VERONESE C. (2006) - Stratigrafia, paleontologia ed evidenze culturali del sito epigravettiano di Cava Romita (Appennino Marchigiano). Studio dei materiali pro- venienti dagli scavi di recupero 1978-79. Riv. Sci. Preist., 56, pp. 83-125. HALLEY D.J. & ROSELL F. 2002 - The beaver’s recon- quest of Eurasia: status, population development and management of a conservation success. Mamm. Rev., 32, pp.153-178. MASINI F. & LOVARI S. 1988 - Systematics, Phylogenetic Relationship, and Dispersal of the Chamois (Rupi- capra spp.). Quat. Res., 30, pp. 339-349. MASSETI M., MAZZA P., RUSTIONI M. & SALA B. 1995 - Large-sized ungulates at the Late Pleistocene- Holocene transition: an overview. Atti del 1° Con- vegno Nazionale di Archeozoologia (Rovigo, 5-7 marzo 1993). Padusa Quaderni, 1, pp. 89-96. PALACIOS F. 1996 - Systematics of the indigenous hares of Italy traditionally identified as Lepus europaeus Pallas 1778 (Mammalia: Leporidae). Bonn. Zool. Beitr., 46, pp. 59-91. PASSACANTANDO D. (2009) - Il campione neolitico dei resti scheletrici rinvenuti a Jenne (Roma). Unpub- lished Thesis in Biology and Human Evolution, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”. PENNACCHIONI M. & TOZZI C. (1985) - L’Industria epigra- vettiana del riparo Biedano a Norchia (Viterbo). In: M. LIVERANI, A. PALMIERI & R. PERONI (Eds), Studi L. Salari, D. Passacantando & M.F. Rolfo 140 di paletnologia in onore di Salvatore M. Puglisi, pp. 647-662, Roma. PETRONIO C., DI CANZIO E. & SALARI L. (2007) - The Late Pleistocene and Holocene Mammals in Italy : new biochronological and paleoenvironmental data. Pa- laeontographica, Abt. A, 279, pp. 147-157, Stutt- gart. PHOCA COSMETATOU N. (2004) - A Zooarchaeological reassessment of the habitat and ecology of the ibex (Capra ibex). In: R.C.G.M LAUWERIER & I. PLUG (Eds), The future from the past. Archaeozo- ology in wildlife conservation and heritage man- agement. Proceedings 9th ICAZ Conference, Dur- ham 2002, pp. 64-78, Oxbow Books, Oxford. RADMILLI A.M. (1974) - Gli scavi nella Grotta Polesini a Ponte Lucano di Tivoli e la più antica arte nel La- zio. Sansoni, Firenze, 131 pp. RADMILLI A.M. (1977) - Storia dell’Abruzzo dalle origini all’età del bronzo. Collana Studi Paletnologici, Giardini, Pisa, 460 pp. RAVAZZI C., PERESANI M., PINI R. & VESCOVI E. (2007) - Il Tardoglaciale nelle Alpi italiane e in Pianura Pa- dana. Evoluzione stratigrafica, storia della vegeta- zione e del popolamento antropico. Il Quaternario, 20, pp. 163-184. ROLFO M.F., MANCINI D., SALARI L. & ZARATTINI A. (2010) - La grotta di “Mora Cavorso” (Jenne, Roma): nuo- ve ricerche. In: G. GHINI (Ed.), Lazio e Sabina, 6. Atti del Sesto Incontro di Studi sul Lazio e la Sabi- na, pp. 11-17, Quasar, Roma. ROLFO M.F., SALARI L. & ZARATTINI A. (2009) - Nota pre- liminare sulle indagini archeologiche presso la Grotta “Mora di Cavorso” (Jenne, Roma). In: G. GHINI (Ed.), Lazio e Sabina, Scoperte Scavi e Ri- cerche, 5. Atti del Quinto Incontro di Studi sul La- zio e la Sabina, pp. 15-22, L’Erma di Bretschnei- der, Roma. SALA B. (2007) - Mammalofaune tardoglaciali dell’Italia continentale. In: F. MARTINI (Ed.), L’Italia tra 15.000 e 10.000 anni fa. Cosmopolitismo e regio- nalità nel Tadoglaciale, pp. 21-38, Museo Fiorenti- no di Preistoria “Paolo Graziosi” - EDIFIR, Firenze. SALARI L., ZARATTINI A. & ROLFO M.F. (2009) - Nota pre- liminare sulla fauna neolitica della Grotta Mora di Cavorso (Jenne, Lazio). Abstracts del 6° Conve- gno Nazionale di Archeozoologia, Parco dell’Orec- chiella (Lucca), 21-24 maggio 2009, p. 101. TAGLIACOZZO A. (2003) - Archeozoologia dei livelli dell’Epigravettiano finale di Grotta Romanelli (Ca- stro, Lecce). Strategie di caccia ed economia di sussistenza. In: P.F. FABBRI, E. INGRAVALLO & A. MANGIA (Eds), Grotta Romanelli nel centenario della sua scoperta (1900-2000), pp. 169-216, Congedo, Galatina (Lecce). UCELLI GNESUTTA P., BOSCHIAN G., CANTORO G.L., CA- STIGLIONI E., DINI M., MASPERO A., PETRINELLI PANNOCCHIA P. & ROTTOLI M. (2007) - I livelli epi- gravettiani della Grotta delle Settecannelle (Viter- bo). Riv. Sci. Preist., 56, pp. 127-183. WILKENS B. (1991) - Resti faunistici ed economia prei- storica nel bacino del Fucino. Atti del Convegno “Il Fucino e le aree limitrofe nell’antichità”, pp. 147- 153, Archeoclub d’Italia - Marsica, Roma. Ms. ricevuto il 5/05/2010 Testo definitivo ricevuto il 28/8/2010 Ms. received: May 5, 2010 Final text received: August 28, 2010