Abstract

Katalehkhor cave, situated south of Zanjan province, is a karstic cave formed during the Quaternary (2.5 Million years ago) in the limestone deposits of Qom Formation (Oligo-Miocene in age). In this cave, 14 skeletal remains of mammalian vertebrates have been found. Most of the skeletons are articulated. These materials include two large felids such as Panthers (G. Panthera), 4 medium sized felids like the wild cat and lynx (G. Lynx), 2 medium sized canids like jackals (G. Canis), 4 small to medium sized canids like foxes (G. Vulpes), 1 mustelid (G. Martes) and a bat (Chiroptera). The taxonomic structure of this material indicates that these carnivores probably moved into the cave for a resting place, or use water resources. These remains are Holocene in age.