Serdyuk N.V., Sayfulloev N., Shnaider S.V. 2024. Small mammal fauna of Istykskaya Cave (Eastern Pamir, Tajikistan) // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.23. No.2. P.142–154 [in English].
Natalia V. Serdyuk [natalyserdyu@yandex.ru], Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsouznya str. 123, Moscow 117647, Russia; Nuritdin Sayfulloev [sayfulloev.nuritdin@gmail.com], A. Donish Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography, Rudaki 33, Dushanbe 734025, Tajikistan; Svetlana V. Shnaider [sveta.shnayder@gmail.com], International Laboratory “Archaeozoology in Siberia and Central Asia” ZooSCAn, IRL 2013, National Center for Scientific Research, Institute of Archeology and Ethnography SB RAS, Acad. Lavrentiev Avenue 17, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.23.2.04
ABSTRACT. The paper describes the fossil fauna of small mammal from Istykskaya Cave, a high-mountain archaeological site from the Eastern Pamir. The total amount of material is insignificant, but it is unique. The fauna includes pikas, hares, dwarf gray hamsters, mountain and Pamir voles, and marmots. The fauna of the Istykskaya Cave is similar to faunas of other cave sites in Central Asia, but is poorer in species.
A study of the fauna of small mammal showed that people visited the Istykskaya Cave regularly with varying intensity throughout its existence.
KEY WORDS: Pamir, small mammals, Late Pleistocene, Holocene, Mesolithic.