First assessments of the taphonomic behaviour of jaguar (Panthera onca)

Self Cite

Competition for resources is a key question in the study of our early human evolution. From the first hominin groups, carnivores have played a fundamental role in the ecosystem. From this perspective, understanding the trophic pressure between hominins and carnivores can provide valuable insights into the context in which humans survived, interacted with their surroundings, and consequently evolved. While numerous techniques already exist for the detection of carnivore activity in archaeological and palaeontological sites, many of these techniques present important limitations. The present study builds on a number of advanced data science techniques to confront these issues, defining methods for the identification of the precise agents involved in carcass consumption and manipulation. For the purpose of this study, a large sample of 620 carnivore tooth pits is presented, including samples from bears, hyenas, jaguars, leopards, lions, wolves, foxes and African wild dogs. Using 3D modelling, geometric morphometrics, robust data modelling, and artificial intelligence algorithms, the present study obtains between 88 and 98% accuracy, with balanced overall evaluation metrics across all datasets. From this perspective, and when combined with other sources of taphonomic evidence, these results show that advanced data science techniques can be considered a valuable addition to the taphonomist’s toolkit for the identification of precise carnivore agents via tooth pit morphology.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developments in data science solutions for carnivore tooth pit classification

Courtenay

Herranz‐Rodrigo

González‐Aguilera

et al. 2021

Self Cite

“…The analysis was presented without any possibility of comparing if lions and tigers modified carcasses differently. This is important, since not all felids exhibit the same behavior during feeding: jaguars are more similar to hyenas than to lions in the way that they modify carcasses 10 , 36 . Tigers are bigger than lions and, therefore, they could inflict more damage on the same carcasses that lions usually feed on.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A 3D taphonomic model of long bone modification by lions in medium-sized ungulate carcasses

Domı́nguez-Rodrigo¹,

Gidna

Baquedano³

et al. 2021

Here, we present the first three-dimensional taphonomic analysis of a carnivore-modified assemblage at the anatomical scale of the appendicular skeleton. A sample of ten carcasses composed of two taxa (zebra and wildebeest) consumed by wild lions in the Tarangire National Park (Tanzania) has been used to determine element-specific lion damage patterns. This study presents a novel software for the 3D spatial documentation of bone surface modifications at the anatomical level. Combined with spatial statistics, the present analysis has been able to conclude that despite variable degrees of competition during carcass consumption, lions generate bilateral patterning consisting of substantial damage of proximal ends of stylopodials and zeugopodials, moderate damage of the distal ends of femora and marginal damage of distal ends of humeri and zeugopodials. Of special interest is, specifically, the patterning of tooth marks on shafts according to element, since these are crucial to determine not only the type of carnivore involved in any given bone assemblage, but also the interaction with other agents (namely, hominins, in the past). Lions leave few tooth marks on mid-shaft sections, mostly concentrated on certain sections and orientations of stylopodials and, to a lesser extent, of the proximal tibia. Redundant occurrence of tooth marks on certain bone sections renders them as crucial to attest lion agency in carcass initial consumption. Indirectly, this can also be used to determine whether hominins ever acquired carcasses at lion kills.

“…The taphonomical signatures of different carnivores can be quite distinct, thereby enabling analytical discrimination when assessing the formation and alteration of bone assemblages. Felids generally leave fewer tooth-marks and inflict fewer fractures on limb bones 47 – 49 , although modern jaguars ( Panthera onca ) have shown some bone-deletion potential in captivity 50 . In contrast, hyenas can consume or chew almost any bony tissue, including antlers 51 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hyaenas and early humans in the latest Early Pleistocene of South-Western Europe

Linares‐Matás

Ruiz

Uriarte

et al. 2021

Throughout the Pleistocene, early humans and carnivores frequented caves and large rock-shelters, usually generating bone accumulations. The well-preserved late Early Pleistocene sedimentary sequence at Cueva Negra del Estrecho del Río Quípar (CNERQ) has provided substantial evidence concerning the behavioural and adaptive skills of early humans in Western Europe, such as butchery practices, lithic technology or tending fire, whilst also bearing witness to the bone-altering activities of carnivores. Recent fieldwork has allowed the re-examination of the spatial and taphonomical nature of the macrofaunal assemblage from the upper layers of Complex 2. These layers are somewhat different from most of the underlying sequence, in showing quite a high representation of cranial and post-cranial bones of large mammals, including several Megaloceroscarthaginiensis antlers. The presence of Crocuta sp. at Cueva Negra represents one of the earliest instances of this genus in Western Eurasia. Identification of several juvenile Crocuta sp. remains alongside coprolites and bones with carnivore damage, indicates sporadical hyaenid denning activity. Furthermore, the presence of bones with percussion and cut-marks near to several hammerstones suggests a clear albeit limited anthropogenic input. We interpret the available taphonomical and spatial evidence from these layers as reflecting a multi-patterned palimpsest, likely representing the non-simultaneous and short-lived co-existence of hyaenas, humans, and other small carnivores in the Cueva Negra palaeolandscape during the final phase of sedimentation preserved at the site.