THE EVOLUTION OF THE GIANT DEER, MEGALOCEROS-GIGANTEUS (BLUMENBACH)

The giant deer, Megaloceros giganteus, is best known from its fossil o ccurrences in Ireland around 11000 years ago, but has a history across Europe and Western Asia spanning 300000-400000 years. This paper repo rts a biometric study of variation and evolution in the giant deer thr ough its history. Most early populations were as large in body size as the Irish sample, but some were distinctly smaller and others had mar kedly shorter limbs. Thickened skull and mandibular bones, especially marked in males, are constant throughout the species' history. Some ea rlier populations had antlers which were relatively smaller, more upri ght and differing in other details from the celebrated Irish specimens . Observed variation in body and antler form is discussed in terms of changing palaeoenvironments. Interpretation of the fighting or display roles of M. giganteus antlers needs to take account of their differin g forms through time.