Europe's first Upper Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeleton from the Koněprusy Caves: a hyena cave prey depot site in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic)

Abstract

One of the Europe's most complete Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeletons from the Konĕprusy Caves, Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) is an older pathological (hindlimb arthritis) and possibly smaller female individual. Few other cannibalistically scavenged hyena remains of older animals demonstrate a ‘small population’ that used the Main Dome area as a den site, which was marked well by faecal pellets. A large amount of megafauna prey was accumulated, and bones were further damaged or cracked. These hyenas hunted Przewalski horses dominantly, as has been documented all over the Bohemian Karst at several Late Pleistocene hyena den caves. The mammoth was mostly absent, instead the woolly rhinoceros was one of the meat colossi with indestructible bones also found in the Main Dome. These are the best indicators for hyena den sites identifications in general. Those massive bones found are left in repeating damaged ways and mainly as shafts and exposed best with bite marks in the bone spongiosa. Rhinoceros carcass body parts were removed by hyenas from the scavenging sites of the nearby surroundings, which they deported to the ‘prey storage den’-type site in the Main Dome area of the Konĕprusy Caves.

Keywords:

• Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823)
• skeleton
• hyena prey storage den
• paleobiology and cannibalism
• Koněprusy Cave
• Czech Republic

Acknowledgements

I thank K. Žák and the head of the Academy of Science (Geological Department) V. Cílek for historical information about J. Petrbok. The Konĕprusy Main Dome and cave system, the Dedkova Dira and today's Petrbokova Sluj Cave were gratefully visited with Bohemian Karst expert K. Žák. J. Kovanda was very helpful in answering questions about the collecting activities and history of J. Petrbok. Access to the collection and the loan of bone material from the Museum of the MBKB was possible with the support of I. Jančaříková. The modem spotted hyena photo was granted permission to use by Nature Picture Library. Finally, the spell check was handled by J. Ynsua.