Distinguishing between cultural and natural depositional agents: Micromammal taphonomy from the archaeological site Cueva y Paredón Loncomán (Patagonia, Argentina)

Andrade, Andrea

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.06.012

Cited by 12 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…1, Leopardus geoffroyi (Felidae; Montalvo et al, 2012) and Puma concolor (Felidae; Montalvo et al, 2007); 2, Lontra longicaudis (Mustelidae; Montalvo et al, 2015), and average of Conepatus chinga (Mephitidae; Gómez, 2007;Montalvo et al, 2008); 3, Lycalopex griseus (Canidae; Gómez and Kauffman, 2007); 4, Didelphis albiventris (Didelphidae; Gómez, 2007). on the nocturnal raptor T. alba (Dodson and Wexlar, 1979;Hoffman, 1988;Andrews, 1990;Kusmer, 1990;Denys et al, 1996;Pokines and Kerbis Peterhans, 1997;Saavedra and Simonetti, 1998;Bruderer and Denys, 1999;Terry, 2004;Reed, 2005;Broughton et al, 2006;Andrade, 2015;Denys et al, 2018). This is because this raptor regularly uses caves or rocky refugees, and leaves all pellets in the area (Southern, 1954).…”

Section: Comparison With Non-south American Predatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Argentina (e.g., Mignino, 2017;Mignino et al, 2018), central west Argentina (e.g., Fernández et al, 2009aFernández et al, , 2015Fernández, 2012;Montalvo et al, 2016b;López et al, 2016López et al, , 2017aLópez et al, , 2018Fernández and Pardiñas, 2018), northwestern Argentina (e.g., Ortiz and Pardiñas, 2001;Ortiz and Jayat, 2007) and Patagonia (e.g., Crivelli Montero et al, 1996;Pardiñas, 1996Pardiñas, -1998Pardiñas, , 1999aFernández et al, 2011Fernández et al, , 2012Fernández et al, , 2016aAndrade, 2015). However, the predator taphonomy model of Andrews (1990), Fernández-Jalvo and Andrews (1992), has had a low impact on the studies of small mammal assemblages from archaeological sites of other countries of South America.…”

Section: Archaeological Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Review of the Actualistic Taphonomy of Small Mammals Ingested by South American Predators. Its Importance in the Interpretation of the Fossil Record

Montalvo

Fernández

2019

PEAPA

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In this paper, the current state of knowledge of the taphonomic characteristics of micromammal (rodents and marsupials) remains generated by the action of the different predators (avian raptors and carnivore mammals) of South America (particularly of Argentina), known through actualistic studies, is reviewed. The analyzed taphonomic attributes enabled the adjustment, by means of extensive comparisons among different groups of predators and prey, of the modification categories indicated in the original papers. The data herein revised and assessed suggest that the evaluated South American predators may be grouped into four categories of modification: a) Light (Tyto alba, Bubo virginianus, Strix chacoensis and Asio flammeus); b) Moderate (Athene cunicularia, Geranoaetus melanoleucus, Geranoaetus polyosoma and Pseudoscops clamator); c) Heavy (Circus buffoni, Caracara plancus, Elanus leucurus, Didelphis albiventris, Leopardus geoffroyi and Lontra longicaudis); d) Extreme (Milvago chimango, Puma concolor, Puma yagouaroundi, Conepatus chinga and Lycalopex griseus). Finally, the research herein discussed evaluates how these studies were applied in the fossil record of both palaeontological and archaeological sites of South America.Resumen. REVISIÓN DE LA TAFONOMÍA ACTUALÍSTICA DE LOS MICROMAMÍFEROS INGERIDOS POR DEPREDADORES DE AMÉRICA DEL SUR.SU IMPORTANCIA EN LA INTERPRETACIÓN DEL REGISTRO FÓSIL. En este trabajo se valora el estado actual del conocimiento de las características tafonómicas de los restos de micromamíferos (roedores y marsupiales) generados por la acción de los diferentes depredadores (aves rapaces y mamíferos carnívoros) de América del Sur (particularmente de Argentina), a través de la revisión de los estudios actualísticos. Los atributos tafonómicos analizados permitieron ajustar, a través de comparaciones extensas entre los diferentes grupos de depredadores y presas, las categorías de modificación indicadas en los artículos originales. La información revisada sugiere que los depredadores de América del Sur evaluados pueden agruparse en cuatro categorías de modificación: a) Ligera (Tyto alba, Bubo virginianus, Strix chacoensis y Asio flammeus); b) Moderada (Athene cunicularia, Geranoaetus melanoleucus, Geranoaetus polyosoma y Pseudoscops clamator); c) Fuerte (Circus buffoni, Caracara plancus, Elanus leucurus, Didelphis albiventris, Leopardus geoffroyi y Lontra longicaudis); d) Extrema (Milvago chimango, Puma concolor, Puma yagouaroundi, Conepatus chinga y Lycalopex griseus). Finalmente, se evalúa cómo estos estudios se aplicaron al registro zooarqueológico y paleontológico de América del Sur. Palabras clave. Modificaciones óseas. Neotafonomía. Micromamíferos. Depredadores. Análogos actuales. Argentina.

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Section: Comparison With Non-south American Predatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Archaeological Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of the Actualistic Taphonomy of Small Mammals Ingested by South American Predators. Its Importance in the Interpretation of the Fossil Record

Montalvo

Fernández

2019

PEAPA

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“…Actualistic taphonomic research conducted worldwide identifies variations in the bones of prey consumed by the same predator species in regions with different environments. Regional factors such as climate type, landscape, prey type and habitat, prey size and availability, prey catchability, bone and tooth structures, among others, contribute to these variations (Andrade, 2015;Demirel et al, 2011;Fernández et al, 2017;López et al, 2023;Montalvo and Fernández, 2019). This highlights the need to increase regional taphonomic studies to assess the variability of taphonomic signals produced by the same predator species and to establish taphonomic patterns relevant to local/regional conditions of the fossil/archeological record (López, 2020(López, : 1057.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These medium-sized owls are among the most common accumulators of small vertebrate bone remains identified at archeological and paleontological sites (e.g. Andrade, 2015;Andrews, 1990;Reed, 2005). Barn owls (Tyto spp.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The barn owl as an accumulator of bone remains in central western Argentina: multi-taxa neo-taphonomic approach and implications for Holocene contexts

Rubini,

Mignino,

Guardia

et al. 2024

The Holocene

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Barn owls are the most widely distributed group of owls in the world and are among the most common accumulators of small vertebrate remains at archeological and paleontological sites. Despite its importance as a bone remains accumulator and predictor of paleoenvironmental conditions due to its generalist habits, the vertebrate prey of this raptor has been scarcely studied from an ecological community perspective, especially considering the diverse range of prey it captures. Archeological, paleontological, and taphonomic studies typically reveal taxon-specific patterns, focusing primarily on small rodents. In order to overcome this problem, we studied an assemblage of vertebrate bones from barn owl pellets in the central Monte Desert of Argentina. Our analysis included the full range of prey taxa, including rodents, marsupials, birds, and reptiles, addressed from both an ecological and neo-taphonomic perspective. We compare the taxonomic and taphonomic findings with those from regional small vertebrate records obtained from various sampling types over the past 50 years to explore recent environmental changes within the Anthropocene. The assemblage of small vertebrate prey presented here comprises five species of cricetids, one species from the Caviidae family, and at least one ctenomyid rodent species. Additionally, the assemblage includes one species of didelphid marsupial, one reptile species, and at least six passeriform bird species that belong to separate families. The overall taphonomic trends are consistent with the typical barn owl pattern. However, our analysis identified a larger percentage of postcranial elements exhibiting signs of digestion compared to pellet-derived vertebrate bone assemblages previously documented. Furthermore, it is important to note that a significant proportion of avian bone fragments exhibit distinct signs of digestion.

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“…For the last four decades, especially during the last one, the studies of the small mammal Late Quaternary fossil and recent assemblages from the Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina) have strongly increased (e.g. Andrade, 2015;Cordero, 2011;Crivelli Montero et al, 1996, 2017Fernández et al, 2016Fernández et al, , 2018Guillermo et al, 2020aGuillermo et al, , 2020bGuillermo et al, , 2021Pardiñas, 1999;Pardiñas and Teta, 2013;Pearson, 1987;Pearson and Pearson, 1993;Silveira and Cordero, 2023;Tammone et al, 2014Tammone et al, , 2020Teta et al, 2005). The pool of taxonomic, taphonomic and paleoecological information about small rodents and marsupials recovered mostly from archeological contexts of the Limay river basin offers the opportunity to discuss the occurrence of periods of change and stability in the conformation of their communities through the Holocene and post-hispanic times, taken into account the main climatic events and the anthropic impact.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small mammal records from Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) in the Anthropocene from a taphonomical and paleoecological perspective

Fernández,

Guillermo,

Cordero

et al. 2024

The Holocene

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The studies of the small mammal fossil and recent assemblages from the Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) have strongly increased during the last decade. Taxonomic, taphonomic, and paleoecological information about small rodents and marsupials recovered from fossil sites offers the opportunity to discuss the periods of change and stability in the conformation of their communities through the Anthropocene. Here, we used two large data matrix of fossil and recent small mammal samples. As starting point, we considered the small mammal record of Epullán Grande cave (LL thereafter), which covers the Early Holocene/Post-hispanic Period, in order to assess the impact of anthropic activities on the small mammal communities during the Anthropocene. The taphonomic analysis performed on the newness samples from LL confirms the predatory activity of Tyto furcata on sigmodontines and human consumption on caviomorphs (mostly for the last ca. 1000 years). The analysis of manganese oxide staining suggested higher levels of moisture during the earliest formation of the LL sequence. The taxonomic results indicate a major diversity in the small mammal fossil assemblages to the later periods of LL and other fossil sequences of the Limay basin of the Anthropocene. Conversely, opportunistic sigmodontines ( Abrothrix olivacea, Calomys musculinus, Eligmodontia spp. and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) experienced a growth in the recent samples. Some stenoic and specialist species ( Euneomys spp., Lestodelphys halli, Loxodontomys micropus and Reithrodon auritus) were abundant in the temporal units associated with the Anthropocene, but now are in retraction. Additionally, the drop in the diversity of recent assemblages supports a restructuration of small mammal communities from Limay river basin occurred in the 20th century.

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Distinguishing between cultural and natural depositional agents: Micromammal taphonomy from the archaeological site Cueva y Paredón Loncomán (Patagonia, Argentina)

Cited by 12 publications

References 35 publications

Review of the Actualistic Taphonomy of Small Mammals Ingested by South American Predators. Its Importance in the Interpretation of the Fossil Record

Review of the Actualistic Taphonomy of Small Mammals Ingested by South American Predators. Its Importance in the Interpretation of the Fossil Record

The barn owl as an accumulator of bone remains in central western Argentina: multi-taxa neo-taphonomic approach and implications for Holocene contexts

Small mammal records from Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) in the Anthropocene from a taphonomical and paleoecological perspective

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