Contribuição para o conhecimento dos grandes mamíferos do Plistocénico Superior de Portugal

This study presents a review of the large -sized mammals from the Upper Pleistocene of Portugal, excluding mustelids. Following the study of the materials kept in the Serviços Geológicos de Portugal and from other Institutions, as well as from sites presently under exploration, we studied materials collected by CEPUNL, namely at one of the most important sites known, the Figueira Brava cave. The studied sites presented unequal interest. As for as the older excavations, no elements concerning stratigraphy are known, except for the Furninha and Casa da Moura caves. For a list of geological conditions and age of sites, see QUADROS 150, 151. In the chapter concerning Paleontology, 26 taxa are described. 12 of these taxa are referred for the first time in Portugal (QUADRO 152), one of them — Equus caballus antunesi — being new to Science. Finally, the paleontological information, together with the faunistic associations allow us to made an essay of paleoclimatic evolution during the Upper Pleistocene. Until the Late Würm, the climate was essencially humid and warm; some taxa, as Canis lupus lunellensis, Hyaena hyaena prisca and Elephas antiquus survived here until the last glaciation, the latter even during the Late Würm, later than is known elsewere in Europe. Climate amenity extended out to Late Würm, interrupted by short periods of moderate cold, that justify the occurrence of species like Capra pyrenaica and Rupicapra rupicapra.