2021 Volume 61 Issue 2 Pages 261-271
The Asian black bear in Kyushu is believed to be extinct, and very few specimens remain. In addition, their morphological characteristics remain unclear. In 1976, an Asian black bear was found in the Wanabano Daiichi Cave, located on Mt. Kyojo Kyushu. 14C dating and genetic traits were reported for this specimen. In 2013, the author rediscovered the cave and unearthed 50 postcranial bones of a bear. The femur of the bear was dated to 2,080 ± 20 yr. BP by the 14C method. These data correspond to the early Yayoi period. These postcranial bones and the cranium found in 1976 are thought to be the same individual because the cranium articulated to the first cervical vertebrae accurately, and the results of 14C dating are consistent. To clarify the morphological characteristics of the specimens from Mt. Kyojo, the measurements of the cranium and mandible of this specimen were compared with specimens from the Asian continent, Taiwan, and the other population from Japan. The measurement of the specimen from Mt. Kyojo fitted within the range of the specimens from Japan. The specimen from Mt. Kyojo is characterized by relatively large LMOL (Greatest anterior-posterior length of left second upper molar) and LLM2 (Greatest anterior-posterior length of left lower second molar) compared with GLC (Greatest length of cranium). Using discriminant functions, the scores of the specimen from Mt. Kyojo were included in the range of the scores of the specimens from the Western Chugoku population. These results are consistent with the previous report of the genetic traits’ study.
