<i>Elasmotherium chaprovicum</i> (Perissodactyla: Rhinocerotidae) from the Early Pleistocene Taurida Cave, Crimea

This paper describes a representative collection of deciduous and permanent teeth, as well as postcranial skeletal elements of Elasmotherium, from the abundant Early Pleistocene locality at Taurida Cave (Crimean Peninsula). The age of the large and small vertebrate assemblage from this locality is estimated to be between 1.8 and 1.6 Ma (late Villafranchian), which inhabited in a savanna-like environment. The morphological features of the teeth support the attribution of the Elasmotherium remains from Taurida to the species E. chaprovicum Shvyreva, 2004, which is known from the Khaprovian Faunal Assemblage of the south of Eastern Europe (middle Villafranchian). The finds from Taurida Cave indicate that in Crimea this species was also characteristic of the Psekupsian Faunal Assemblage (late Villafranchian). The development of enamel structures at different stages of crown wear in various tooth generations was analyzed. The milk upper teeth of Elasmotherium are described for the first time.