A Pleistocene Amphibian Assemblage of the Taurida Cave, Crimea

Abstract

Six amphibian taxa are described within the Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage of the Taurida cave (Crimean Peninsula): Lissotriton sp., Strauchbufo raddei, Bufotes viridis, Rana cf. macrocnemis, Pelophylax ridibundus, and Pelophylax sp. The possible presence of second species of the genus Rana is suggested. Three of described species do not occur on the Crimean Peninsula currently, but apparently inhabited it during the Early Pleistocene. The ranid frogs in Crimea were taxonomically more divers in the Pleistocene than today. Strauchbufo raddei and Bufotes viridis come from different periods of sediment accumulation of the Taurida cave, during the Early Pleistocene and the late Middle Pleistocene, respectively. The presence of the Mongolian toad, Strauchbufo raddei, not previously reported from Crimea, confirms a wide distribution of this species during the Early Pleistocene of Eastern Europe. The Taurida cave represents the first Pleistocene amphibian assemblage of Crimea.