New finds of the fossil genus representatives of Tonomochota Tiunov et Gusev, 2021 (Lagomorpha, Ochotonidae) in Korydornaya Cave (Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Far East of Russia)

Abstract

Paleontological excavations in Korydornaya Cave, located on the southern side of the Pompeyev Mountain Ridge in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Russia, and the resulting material analysis allowed to significantly expand the Late Pleistocene range of the recently described Tonomochota pika genus (Tiunov, Gusev 2021). This research describes a new species of this genus. Besides the new species Tonomochota khinganica sp. nov., the bone remains of Tonomochota khasanensis Tiunov et Gusev, 2021 and Ochotona hyperborea Pallas, 1811 were discovered in cave deposits. The cave deposits were formed mainly during a warm period of the Karginsky interstadial about 50,000 years ago.

Keywords

• Far East of Russia
• Jewish Autonomous Oblast
• cave deposits
• Late Pleistocene
• Ochotonidae