The Geographical Significance of the Distribution Boundaries of "Thermophilic Animals" during the Holocene
Wild rhinoceros,elephants,buffaloes,Hydropotinae and other wild animals now living in southern China are commonly regarded as thermophilic animals by scholars.The historical distribution of thermophilic animals has been used to infer the northern boundary of the subtropical zone.However,sub-stantial evidence suggests that most thermophilic animals are not strictly averse to cold temperatures.In fact,some of them have even been observed spreading north beyond the Sino Russian border.The substantial evi-dence contradicts existing knowledge about the distribution boundaries of thermophilic animals.This paper reviews recent zooarchaeological findings comprehensively,and argues that the distribution limit for these animals does not extend directly north in China but rather lies in the northwest direction from northern Hei-longjiang Province to southern Yunnan Province.The distribution limit roughly consists with the Hu's Line(Heihe-Tengchong Line).The consistency is not merely coincidental but can be confirmed by multiple ani-mal groups.Considering about the correlation between Hu's Line and the 400mm isohyet line,it would be more accurate to define these animals as Hygrophilic animals.
Hu's LineNorthern boundary of the subtropical zoneThermophilic animalsHygrophilic animalsLiving speciesExtinct species
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