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8,210 ursid dental and osteological elements, found in fossiliferous deposits of the Moravian Za Hájovnou Cave between 1987 and 2007, were analysed from basic palaeobiological and taphonomic viewpoints. Minimally 60% of the entire ursid record is represented by Middle Pleistocene bear assemblage(-s) (Ursus ex gr. deningeri, MIS 9 to probably MIS 11), consisting of at least 21 juveniles and 16 (prime) adults. Neonates and senile adults are represented only sporadically which could indicate an assemblage(-s) with non-violent attrition. From the viewpoint of sex ratio, females predominate over males (sex index = 63.64). The main cause of individual death was probably starvation during hibernation, although other reasons for perishing (disease, activity of predators, etc.) cannot be excluded. The remainder of the fossil record at the site, from late Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene deposits , is probably represented by remains of cave bears (U. ex gr. spelaeus). ■ Ursus deningeri, Sex Ratio, Age Structure, Taphonomy, Middle Pleistocene, Za Hájovnou Cave, Moravia Received January 20, 2014 Issued October, 2014 DOI 10.14446/AMNP.2014.91 The cave under study has a rich fossil record dominated mainly by deningeri bears from the Middle Pleistocene (Musil 2005b, Wagner 2005), although there are also fossil remains of cave bears known from Late Pleistocene deposits (Lundberg et al. 2014). Bear fossils were so far found in almost all the fossiliferous layers of the main cave areas which include: Vařekova chodba (= Vařeka’s Corridor), Komín I (= Chimney I), Vykopaná chodba (= Excavated Corridor), Chodba naděje (= Corridor of Hope), and Narozeninová chodba (= Birthday Corridor). The total number of bear fossil elements (NE) found within the individual cave parts together with the minimum number of individuals determined on the basis of dental or skeletal elements (MNIe) is presented in Tabs. 1–7. In addition the number of individual specimens (NISP), the minimum number of elements (MNE) as well as the minimum number of individuals (MNI) has also been determined. This last variable was calculated predominantly on the basis of some preserved postcranial elements (such as carpal and tarsal bones or metapodial bones) as well as teeth, which were also used for age structure determination according to the methodology used by Sabol (2005a, b) for incisors, Debeljak (2002) for canines and Stiner (1994, 1998) for cheek teeth. Although these methods, based on crown wear stages and root development, show somewhat different results in the case of analysis of isolated teeth on one hand and in situ teeth on other hand, exact age determination on the basis of annual growth analysis from teeth root cross-sections was not possible within this study because of the limited amount of appropriately preserved teeth. From the viewpoint of ontogeny, two main age groups can be considered: a) non-adults, including neonates (one-year old bear cubs), juveniles (~ 1–2(3) year old individuals), and subadults (~ 3–4 year old bears); and b) adults, divided into young (prime) adults (> 4 year old individuals) and old (senile) adults (individuals with very heavily worn teeth, especially molars). The boundary between non-adults and adult individuals is based on mating ability. Brown bears reach sexual maturity between the third to sixth year of life, females sooner than males, although occurrences of sexual union between 2-year old animals has also been reported (Heráň 1978). Sex ratios were calculated from canines according to the methodology used by Debeljak (2004), based on the crown transversal diameter, and sex index (SI) was calculated according to Rabeder (2001). Within the text, the upper teeth are referred to by capitals (such as in “M2”), the lower ones by normal letters (such as in “m2”).

Basic population and taphonomic analysis of bear assemblages from Za Hájovnou Cave (Moravia, the Czech Republic): a fossil record from 1987 – 2007