Resumen de Grutas do Maciço Hespérico de Portugal com faunas de grandes mamíferos plistocénicos: breve síntese
This study presents a review of the large-sized mammals from the Upper Pleistocene of portuguese caves situated at the Hesperic basement. At the moment, only two caves are known: the Lorga de Dine cave (Vinhais, Bragança) and Escoural cave (Montemor-o-Novo, Ivora). Both were excavated at the sixteens and no stratigraphic or horizontal records are published. The presence of Crocuta crocuta intermedia at Lorga de Dine allows us to suppose an occupation of the cave during the Mindel-Riss; in that case, it will be the oldest cavity with palaeontological interest known in Portugal. Nevertheless, we must admit the role of the Iberian Peninsula as a refuge-territory, that could justify the presence of several species, later than is known elsewere in Europe.
Escoural cave -the most occidental cave with parietal pleistocene art- gave the only Cuon alpinus europaeus remains known at present in Portugal.
Considering the large majority or even the totality of the remains relate to the Late Wurm, the ungulates associations of Lorga de Dine and Escoural suggest the existence of large open spaces, with aurochs and horses, with spaced arboreal areas, with red deers.
