Acta Musei Moraviae

Morphometrical analysis of the cave bear dental material from the Barová Cave in the Moravian Karst

The Barová Cave is located in the central part of the Moravian Karst and is a outflow part of the Rudické propadání and Býčí skála cave system. The Barová Cave was a typical bear cave, where over 90 % of all bones belongs to cave bears. Material from all the researches – Sobol and Strnad, Musil, Bartoň, Seitl and Svoboda, Roblíčková, Káňa and Plichta was used. Almost 450 teeth were measured. The basic measurements of length and width of the teeth and the morphology of the fourth premolars were analysed. The obtained data were subsequentely compared to previously published results from different caves. The biggest similarity was found with the Pod hradem Cave and with other caves in which the population of cave bear Ursus ingressus have been found, based on either morphometrical or mtDNA analyses. Based on the canines measurements, a ratio of males and females is about 1:3. The morphometric analyses carried out on the material indicate the bears from Barová Cave belong to Ursus ingressus. Results of morphodynamic analyses performed on fourth premolars correspond to those known for lowland populations of U. ingressus.