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Numerous small mammal localities assigned to the beginning of the Late Middle Pleistocene (Holstein, Likhvin, Hoxne Interglacial) were discovered in Europe during the last years. The stratigraphical position of a number of these faunas and the regional differences are discussed in the paper. The new Likhvin small mammal locality Rybnaya Sloboda (Lower Kama basin, Volga basin, Russia) is the easternmost site of this age in Europe. The rich fauna was discovered in fluvial deposits of the 3rd terrace (III) of the Kama River; sediments that are covered by loess deposits with a series of paleosols. The Rybnaya Sloboda fauna includes 16 species of insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. Remains of the archaic water vole Arvicola cantianus and the Middle Pleistocene steppe lemming Lagurus transiens dominate the fossils assemblage. The evolutional level of the Arvicolinae remains permits the assignment to the Gun'kovian small mammal assemblage and a correlation with the Likhvin Interglacial (MIS 11) (∼424–374 ka BP). The ecological features of the small mammal assemblage indicate a forest-steppe landscape in the lower Kama basin during MIS 11. The comparison with, and the analysis of numerous European Likhvin (= Holsteinian, = Hoxnian) small mammal faunas indicate a geographical biozonation that shows similarities with the biozonation reconstructed for the Eemian (= Mikulino, MIS 5e) Interglacial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of small mammal and freshwater mollusk remains from the fluvial deposits of VI terrace of Dniester R. in Levada section (Moldova, Transnistria) revealed the main characteristic of species composition and evolutionary level of these remains and permitted their placement in the stratigraphic scale of Middle Pleistocene faunas of Eastern Europe. The Levada fauna corresponds to the same stage as the fauna from the fluvial deposits of VI terrace of Dniester in stratotype of Tiraspolian faunistic complex in Kolkotova Balka section. These faunas existed between the Early Tiraspolian faunas which correlate to the second part of MIS 19 and with MIS 18, and the Late Tiraspolian (MIS 16 and MIS 15). Mimomys savini, Lagurus transiens, Microtus (Terricola) arvalidens, Lasiopodomys (Stenocranius) gregaloides are the species most characteristic of these faunas. The Levada fauna reflects interglacial climate conditions. The faunas of this evolutionary level existed during the second part of the Iliinskian Interglacial of the Russian Plain and during the Cromer Interglacial 2 of West Europe. The freshwater mollusks from Levada section (Viviparus tiraspolitanus Pavl., V. subcrasus Lung., Lithoglyphus naticoides C. Pf. and others) reflects a warm climate close to that of the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By now the abundant European small mammal data have been collected from the deposits of the first part of the Middle Pleistocene (MIS 18 – MIS 11). The significant number of global climatic events (glaciations and interglacials) corresponds to this period. We analyzed the evolutional changes of small mammals of the Middle Pleistocene, revealed the reactions of small mammals on the different climatic events (glaciations, interglacials) and correlated the Western and the Eastern European faunas. The collected data also help us to divide the geological deposits age and permit to reconstruct the palaeogeographic picture of the past. The obtained results may serve as an important component for compiling biostratigraphic schemes of the Middle Pleistocene and the Pleistocene in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Crimean region is unique in the abundance of Palaeolithic sites, particularly numerous in mountain parts of the peninsula. Most are attributed to the Middle Palaeolithic. During recent decades, the sites have been investigated by the Ukrainian archeologists V.P. Chabai, A.I. Yevtushenko, Yu.E. Demidenko, A.P. Veselsky, and others. Integrated studies performed by a large group of specialists included assessment of the geological and geomorphological setting of every site, and analysis of paleontological remains recovered from cultural layers (large and small mammals, birds, molluscs, as well as pollen and spores). Cultural layers of the sites have been dated using various methods (14C, TL, ESR). Studies have included several thousand small mammal bone remains recovered from seven multi-layered Palaeolithic sites in the Crimea, providing the basis for reconstructions of environments at different stages of human habitation. The oldest finds of small mammals are attributed to the last interglacial, and the youngest to the Denekamp (Bryansk) interstadial. More than 20 species of small mammals have been identified, which permitted recognition of specific features of faunal assemblages differing in age. The faunas display a certain stability of species composition over a period of almost 100,000 years. No species typical of cold environments have been found, and the faunas are dominated by open landscape dwellers. Forest and near water species are present in small quantities. Some mammals identified in the sites do not occur in the Crimea at present. On the other hand, a number of species inhabiting the Crimea today have not been found in the fossil assemblages. On the whole, the Mountain Crimea was a refugium for mammals, and possibly also for other organisms, during the last glaciation. Due to its southern position, the Crimea retained rather comfortable environmental and climate conditions throughout the Late Pleistocene. Similarly, the environments were undoubtedly hospitable for humans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Systematic studies of the Pleistocene mammal assemblages of Eastern Europe have been carried out for more than a century, and they elucidated evolutionary changes and ascertained chronological sequence of the faunas. The available evidence on fossil mammals from Eastern Europe allows differentiation of 7 complexes of large mammals. These complexes represent 15 assemblages and their phases distinguished for small mammals. The appearance of new taxa of different rank provides the basis for identification of the principal stages in mammal evolution. Multi-disciplinary studies of fossil mammal localities have made it possible to correlate theriological data with the main events of the Pleistocene (such as glacials and interglacials) by comparison between geological, geochronological and palaeontological data. Interglacial and periglacial mammal faunas of different age have been defined on the basis of their structural characteristics and geographical distribution. Two types of mammal assemblages are recognised: zonal interglacial and periglacial assemblages specific to glacial periods. In the first type, each zonal assemblage is dominated by a single ecological group of mammals. A distinctive feature of the second type is the co-existence of animals belonging to different ecological groups and inhabiting different natural environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]