Insects as indicators of the cave lion's (Panthera spelaea, Mammalia: Felidae) environment

The findings of insect remains from Pleistocene localities where cave lion bones were found, are considered. I analyzed subfossil insect data from nine sites in Northern Hemisphere – one locality in North America (Rancho La Brea) and eight in Northern Eurasia: the Binagady site in Azerbaijan, the Nizhnyaya Tavda and Lugovskoye sites in Western Siberia, and the Krestovka, Alazeya,Bolshaya, Chukochya, Duvaniy Yar and Bolshoy Lyakhovsky sites in northeastern Siberia. Subfossil insects found in the Binagady and Rancho La Brea locations allow the reconstruction of warm climatic conditions with close to modern or slightly warmer temperatures. The paleoenvironment corresponding to the cave lion occurrences of the Lugovskoye site was characterized by a cold climate and the corresponding development of tundra communities. The comparison of radiocarbon dates for the Lower Tavda site also allowed us to assume the spread of open tundra-steppe landscapes, which could also include elements of woody vegetation that existed in the floodplain areas. Subfossil insect assemblages of the Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island locality reflect tundra landscapes, typical of the cold stages of the Late Pleistocene. Tundra-steppe landscapes (having no direct modern analogues) had previously been reconstructed for the Alazeya,Bolshaya Chukochya, Duvaniy Yar localities. At the Krestovka site, the conditions of a relatively warm climate were reconstructed for the layers corresponding to the finds of the cave lion. • Nine joint finds of insects and cave lions have been described: 1 - in North America, 1 in Azerbaijan, 2 - in Western Siberia and five locations in Northeastern Siberia. • Subfossil insects of the Binagady (Azerbaijan), Rancho La Brea (North America) and Krestovka (Northeastern Siberia) localities allows reconstructed warm climate conditions • Cold climate conditions were reconstructed for Nizhnyaya Tavda, Lugovskoye (West Siberia), Alazeya, Bolshaya Chukochya, Duvanny Yar and Bolshoy Lyakhovsky locations (Northeastern Siberia).