Vulpes vulpes ( Linnaeus, 1758 )

Marciszak, A, Stefaniak, K & Gornig, W, 2017, Large mammals (carnivores, artiodactyls) from Solna Jama Cave (Bystrzyckie Mts, Southwestern Poland) in the context of faunal changes in the postglacial period of Central Europe, Palaeontologia Electronica (Bellingham, Wash.) 11 (4), pp. 1-37 : 4-5

Vulpes vulpes ( Linnaeus, 1758)

Specimens. Nine bones: body of the left mandible with p4–m2 (JSJ/Vv/1); phalanx II (JSJ/Vv/2); left, damaged humerus (JSJ/Vv/3); damaged lumbar (JSJ/Vv/4); damaged lumbar (JSJ/Vv/5); damaged cervical (JSJ/Vv/6); damaged thoracic (JSJ/Vv/7); right c1 (JSJ/Vv/8); phalanx III (JSJ/Vv/9).

Measurements. Mandible (JSJ/Vv/1): 5, 70.87 mm; 6, 62.84 mm; 7, 58.74 mm; 8, 33.54 mm; 9, 29.36 mm; 10, 12.23 mm; 11, 29.73 mm; 12, 9.92 mm; 18, 11.84 mm; 19, 6.49 mm; 21, 6.97 mm; cl- L, 8.06 mm; c1-B, 9.81 mm; p3-L, 9.81 mm; p3-B, 3.69 mm; p4-L, 10.24 mm; p4-B, 4.04 mm; m1-L, 16.24 mm; m1-L-tri, 10.37 mm; m1-L-tal, 5.78 mm; m1-B-tri, 6.83 mm; m1-B-tal, 6.51 mm. Humerus (JSJ/Vv/3): L, 131.97 mm; pL, 27.64 mm; pB, 22.97 mm; mL, 9.65 mm; mB, 8.45 mm; dL, 16.56 mm; dB, 22.43 mm; B-tro, 18.26 mm. See Appendix 1 for measured parts.

Description. The nine bones are clearly of canid form, indistinguishable from V. vulpes and large in size. The state of preservation and colour indicate their subfossil character, possibly even younger than the other postglacial faunal elements. All were assigned to one, quite large specimen (NISP = 9, MNI = 1).

Remarks. The species was recorded from many Pleistocene and Holocene sites in Poland, and also now it penetrates caves and rock shelters to raise cubs and store food. Like Meles meles , V. vulpes is regarded as a typical cave dweller which, due to digging burrows, may disturb the sediment structure ( Sommer and Benecke, 2005).