Morphological responses of cave bears (Ursus spelaeus group) to high-alpine habitats
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Abstract
A comparison of metrical and morphological data from more than 30 bear populations belonging to the cave bear group (U. spelaeus and its relatives U. eremus, U. ladinicus, U. ingressus as well as their predecessor U. deningeri) shows that the different species developed very different adaptations to the altitude of their habitats. Whereas there is a reduction of body size in Ursus eremus and U. ladinicus correlated with the altitude of the habitat (“alpine nanism”) no such correlation can be observed in U. ingressus. In U. ingressus there is a positive correlation of the tooth indices and the altitude of the habitat, i.e. in the higher sites the teeth are more evolved.
