Late Quaternary mammalian faunas at Suse Quarry, Toyohashi, Central Japan, and their implications for the reconstruction of the faunal succession.

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  • 豊橋市嵩山採石場産の第四紀後期ほ乳動物群とその意義
  • トヨハシシ スセ サイセキバサン ノ ダイ4キ コウキ ホニュウ ドウブツ

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Abstract

This paper offers detailed descriptions of the late Quaternary fossil-bearing sediments of Suse Quarry and their mammalian faunas, with a discussion on the faunal succession between the latest Pleistocene and early Holocene in the Pacific coastal region of central Japan.<br>The sediments of the quarry were found in two fissures (East and West Fissures) exposed on the limestone quarry faces in 1975. Those of East Fissure are composed of brown to yellowish brown mud, and the 14C age of fossil bones from them is determined to be 14, 710±670y. B. P. The sediments of West Fissureconsist of brown mud with breccia, and the fluorine analysis of fossil bones suggests that the sediments are younger than those of East Fissure, and are possibly assigned to the last part of the Late Pleistocene to the early Holocene in age.<br>With the exception of an extinct deer species, Cervus praenipponicus, the assemblage of East Fissure (Table 2) is composed of extant forms which are found in present-day Honshu. It is also characterized by the absence of wild boar, in contrast to the abundant occurrence of deer remains. The assemblage of West Fissure (Table 3), on the other hand, includes neither extinct forms nor extant forms which are now absent from Honshu. Additionally, remains of wild boar ate commonly found in association with deer remains.<br>On the basis of the data from these two assemblages and those from Site 5 of Yage Quarry (14C age: 18, 040±990y. B. P.) and other Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossil localities in the region, we can postulate the following faunal succession:<br>About 18, 000 years ago, the fauna were generally similar to those of lowlands and low mountains of present-day Honshu, but also contained extinct forms (Anourosorex japonicus, Microtus cf. brandtioides and Cervus praenipponicus) and a form exotic to present-day Honshu (Ursus cf. arctos). In spite of the abundant occurrence of deer, wild boar was almost absent in the fauna. The above-mentioned extinct and exotic forms (except for C. praenipponicus) vanished between 18, 000y. B. P. and 15, 000y. B. P. The fauna of 15, 000y. B. P. became more similar to the present one, but wild boar were almost absent as in 18, 000y. B. P. From 15, 000y. B. P. to the early Holocene, the number of wild boar increased drastically, and then the fauna became almost identical with that of present-day Honshu.

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