Vertebrates from archaeological sites on Barbuda, West Indies

Abstract

We report our identifications of fish, reptile, bird, and mammal bones from three prehistoric sites on Barbuda. The sites of Indiantown Trail, Sufferers, and Overview Cave contain few examples of the distinctive ceramics associated with the initial Saladoid colonization of the Lesser Antilles in the first centuries A.D. All of Barbuda's sites represent more recent, post-Saladoid occupation except for a possible late Saladoid (Mill Reef) component at the Sufferers site. Marine vertebrate remains from these sites represent bony fish, shark, manatee (Trichechus manatus), and a shearwater (Puffinus Iherminieri). Most of the species of fish occur either in inshore waters or over shallow reefs, two habitats that abound near Barbuda. Terrestrial vertebrates are represented by two species of lizards (notably including the extinct iguanid, Leiocephalus cuneus), two species of doves, and an extinct oryzomyine rodent. Fragmentary turtle remains could represent either marine species (Cheloniidae) or the tortoise Geochelone carbonaria. Of the 2516 bones in the sample, 2503 (MNI = 147) are from uncontaminated units.

Late Quaternary vertebrate faunas of the Lesser Antilles: Historical components of Caribbean biogeography

“…), two birds ( Porphyrula martinica, and an unidentified species), and four mammals (manatee, pig, agouti, and rice rat). Steadman et al (1984£) discussed the occurrences of rice rats from this and other Lesser Antillean archaeological sites. Additional midden remains reported by Wing and Scudder (1980) were excavated from the Sugar Factory Pier and Cayon archaeological sites.…”

“…For the most part we refer to all of these rice rats as Oryzomyini spp. following Steadman et al (1984£).…”

“…This single fossil dentary was referred to Leiocephalus by Pregill (1992) on the basis of several diagnostic features. However, it could be assigned only tentatively to species: L. cuneus, a fossil species which is known from the Antigua Bank (Etheridge, 1964;Watters et al, 1984;Pregill et al, 1988). Additional fossils of cf.…”

Archaeology of Trants, Montserrat. Part 5. Prehistoric avifauna

“…This seabird nests in burrows in soil or in crevices. Predation at the nests by humans and introduced mammals (cats and rats) and habitat destruction have depleted or eliminated populations of this small shearwater on many islands in the tropical Pacific (Steadman et al, 1990;Steadman and Pahlavan, 1992), and the West Indian islands of Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, Barbuda, and Grenada (Brodkorb, 1963;Steadman et al, 1984<3;Watters et al, 1984;Pregill et al, 1994).…”

“…We are aware of no previous records from Montserrat. Porphyrio martinicus has been recorded as well from archaeological sites on Antigua, Barbados, Martinique, and St. Kitts (Steadman et al, 1984a;Watters et al, 1984;Pregill et al, 1994). None of these islands currently sustains populations of P. martinicus.…”