The Pleistocene Frozen Fauna thread

Adam Khor · 17-04-2019 11:57pm

Liquid blood found in frozen Pleistocene foal:

https://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/unique-in-palaeontology-liquid-blood-found-inside-a-prehistoric-42000-year-old-foal/?fbclid=IwAR2RXLW5wS-bTf14o_eqHFA7BmMPEQjyDR8b1oTtyvT6FByXzqmlU0-0l9s

Kamili · 18-04-2019 9:10am

Thats really fascinating - wonder if there is actually much or enough DNA in the liquid blood left.

The specimin looks like it only died yesterday, very well preserved. Its interesting how similar it looks to the foals on the ground today.

Adam Khor · 06-06-2019 1:57am

Yet another frozen cave lion cub has been found in Siberia, as well as an adult wolf's frozen head:

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201906040029.html?fbclid=IwAR0-LYUeNdAxQbkZUciQQdd3993i9PcoU5QnEXqTohRaZwXgvIL58aKT8Ck

20190603YGTGS006471_201906040757034894675.nsk.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAI7EPFDYX6SSPYKKQ&Expires=1559799776&Signature=yAgJQq807N5Ii2N4OXMfA3bwbp0%3D

Adam Khor · 11-06-2019 1:12am

Better photos and more info on the frozen wolf's head found in Yakutia. The wolf would've lived 40.000 years ago and was fully grown. The head is so well preserved that even the brain is practically intact. The fur is being described as "mammoth-like".

Other than the preservation, it is also impressive because of its huge size- the skull being 40 cm long, against an average of 23-28 cm for modern gray wolves. This could be one of the so called megafaunal wolves, a giant subspecies that seemingly evolved during the Pleistocene to hunt and scavenge on very large herbivores. DNA tests may help clarify its identity.

It is not known why the head is severed. Apparently the wolf lived before the arrival of humans to the area so it is unlikely to be a hunter's trophy.

Here's some photos of the lion cub announced at the same time (and which also measures 40 cm long):

Adam Khor · 13-06-2019 3:31am

More on the giant wolf's head (which was apparently dated at 30.000 years old, not 40.000 as previously reported):

https://gizmodo.com/huge-shaggy-head-of-40-000-year-old-wolf-unearthed-in-1835410047

I found this to be the most exciting part:

The fully grown Pleistocene wolf was around two to four years old when it perished. Images of the wolf taken by Albert Protopopov, a researcher at the Republic of Sakha Academy of Sciences, show clumps of thick fur on its head, an immaculate snout, and a terrifying set of fangs. The head is enormous, measuring 15.7 inches (40 cm) in length. A modern wolf’s head measures only 9.1 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm).

When asked if this might be a dire wolf, Meachen said it’s doubtful.

“Currently, our knowledge of [ancient wolves] suggests that above 55 degrees N latitude we don’t see dire wolves,” explained Meachen to Gizmodo. “Above 55 degrees we see mostly Beringian wolves, which are a close relative of the living gray wolf. However, the only way to know for sure is to sequence its DNA. We’re realizing how little we know about wolf paleobiogeography. If it is a dire wolf, it would be the northernmost instance ever and it would be the only known soft tissue dire wolf preserved.”

Excitingly, the Swedish Museum of Natural History will attempt to extract DNA from this specimen, the Siberian Times reported.

Ardillaun · 13-06-2019 3:49am

Without the flesh that wolf skull reminds me of an alligator.

Adam Khor · 13-06-2019 4:28am

It does have a nice, toothy grin... :B

Scarinae · 28-11-2019 3:39pm

Siberia: 18,000-year-old frozen 'dog' stumps scientists (BBC News)

Researchers are trying to determine whether an 18,000-year-old puppy found in Siberia is a dog or a wolf.

The canine - which was two months old when it died - has been remarkably preserved in the permafrost of the Russian region, with its fur, nose and teeth all intact.

DNA sequencing has been unable to determine the species.

Scientists say that could mean the specimen represents an evolutionary link between wolves and modern dogs.

Radiocarbon dating was able to determine the age of the puppy when it died, how long it has been frozen and that it was male.

Researcher Dave Stanton at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Sweden told CNN the DNA sequencing issue meant the animal could come from a population that is a common ancestor of both dogs and wolves.

"We have a lot of data from it already, and with that amount of data, you'd expect to tell if it was one or the other," he said.

Scientists will continue with DNA sequencing and think the findings could reveal a lot about the evolution of dogs.

The puppy has been named "Dogor", which means "friend" in the Yakut language and is also the start of the question "dog or wolf?"

Modern dogs are believed to be descendants of wolves, but there is debate over when dogs were domesticated.

A study published in 2017 suggested domestication could have occurred 20,000 to 40,000 years ago.

Adam Khor · 12-02-2020 7:47pm

41,000 year old lemming found preserved in Siberian permafrost:

https://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/news/schoolgirl-finds-the-worlds-oldest-lemming-preserved-in-permafrost-and-dating-back-41000-years/

Adam Khor · 23-02-2020 8:11am

Very interesting, a frozen bird (horned lark) from the Pleistocene found frozen in Siberia. One hears usually only about mammals...

http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/horned-lark-siberian-permafrost-08151.html

Adam Khor · 18-08-2020 10:27pm

Prehistoric puppy was fed with woolly rhinoceros meat, study finds:

https://siberiantimes.com/science/casestudy/features/f0121-autopsy-carried-out-in-far-east-on-only-mummified-dog-ever-found-in-the-world/

Adam Khor · 14-09-2020 9:19pm

Another amazing discovery from Yakutia, Siberia! This time a practically complete, frozen bear carcass!

Two bears have actually been found, one adult and one cub, but apparently in different locations. They have been announced as being possibly cave bears (Ursus spelaeus), which would make them the very first specimens of the species with soft tissue preserved, and would contribute enormously to our understanding of this extinct animal. Alternatively, one or both could actually be Pleistocene brown bear.

https://siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/first-ever-preserved-grown-up-cave-bear-even-its-nose-is-intact-unearthed-on-the-arctic-island/

Adam Khor · 29-12-2020 9:04pm

Another frozen juvenile woolly rhino from Yakutia!

This time its a 3-4 year old calf, with preserved internal organs, teeth, even food remains. It may have died by drowning and apparently during the summer, as it had short fur at the moment of death.

https://siberiantimes.com/other/others/news/a-well-preserved-woolly-rhino-with-its-last-meal-still-intact-found-in-the-extreme-north-of-yakutia/

The Pleistocene Frozen Fauna thread

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