Papers by Francisco Juan Prevosti
Pre-Hispanic Dogs of the Semi-Arid North of Chile: Chronology, Morphology and Mortuary Context of the El Olivar Site
Social Science Research Network, 2022
The article presents an analysis of four canid skeletons recovered at the El Olivar archaeologica... more The article presents an analysis of four canid skeletons recovered at the El Olivar archaeological site (Semi-arid North of Chile). The aims of the study were to determine their taxonomy and chronology, characterise their morphotypes and investigate their social status and possible functions. Osteological and dental features allowed us to identify them as dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Three radiocarbon dates gave pre-Inca ages (801 ± 19, 932 ± 21 and 789 ± 20 years 14C BP), associated with contexts of the Late Intermediate or Diaguita Period. These new records expand the pre-Hispanic distribution of the species, previously limited to the Arid North and the extreme south of the country. They were medium or medium-small in size, their approximate body weight and height at the withers were 13–14 kg and 48 cm respectively, and they were probably mesocephalic. At least three of the dogs were buried individually in a sector devoted to human burials, one with funerary offerings similar to those found with humans. These characteristics suggest that the dogs buried here were companion animals, with clear social recognition. Evidence was also recorded suggesting that one might have been killed intentionally.
Vida de Cão: mitos e certezas sobre a origem e dispersão dos cachorros na América
Instituto Ciencia Hoje, Jul 1, 2016
Os primeiros cachorros Como o resto dos animais domésticos, os cachorros surgiram por manipulação... more Os primeiros cachorros Como o resto dos animais domésticos, os cachorros surgiram por manipulação de populações silvestres. Embora até há algumas décadas se pensasse que o processo teria sido iniciado de modo intencional e unilateral pelos humanos, com o objetivo de obter um animal para defesa, um ajudante de caça ou um bicho de estimação, hoje muitos cientistas defendem que o processo foi mais complexoe que consistiu em uma coevolução de canídeos e humanos. Os mesmos canídeos poderiam ter desencadeado o processo, possivelmente com a crescente aproximação de matilhas silvestres em busca de alimento aos assentamentos e sítios de caça de grupos humanos.Fil: Beron, Monica Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto de Las Culturas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Las Culturas; ArgentinaFil: Prates, Luciano Raúl. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; ArgentinaFil: Prevosti, Francisco Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; Argentin
Ciencia Hoy, Sep 1, 2015
Perro xoloitzcuintle o pelón mexicano. El fotografiado en la tapa es de la misma raza. Foto Alex ... more Perro xoloitzcuintle o pelón mexicano. El fotografiado en la tapa es de la misma raza. Foto Alex Cearns, cortesía de www.xoloaus.com. La vasija es mexicana de la cultura Colima (período Clásico, 200 a.C. -500 d.C.), del Museo Nacional de Antropología de México.
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 2017
ABSTRACTSparassodonta is a diverse group of extinct metatherian predators that include forms with... more ABSTRACTSparassodonta is a diverse group of extinct metatherian predators that include forms with diets ranging from omnivores to hypercarnivores, including potential bone-crushers and sabre-tooth specialised species. Most of the previous dietary studies on the group were based on qualitative approaches or dental morphometric indexes and/or bite force estimations. In this study, we explore the evolution of mandible shape and diet of Sparassodonta in a comparative phylogenetic framework, using geometric morphometric tools and allometric and discriminant analyses. We analysed the mandible shape of 142 extant species of marsupials and placental carnivores, and 15 fossil sparassodont species. We found that the relationship between shape and size of the mandible is strongly structured by phylogeny, where the more derived borhyaenoids tend to possess stronger and larger mandibles. Derived borhyaenoid sparassodonts and basal borhyaenoids were classified as hypercarnivores (with short and r...
The Fossil Signature of Late Pleistocene Patagonian Carnivores
The 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2015
Biological Journal of The Linnean Society, Aug 5, 2015
Almost all large carnivorans (Carnivora; > 20 kg) that inhabited South America became extinct aro... more Almost all large carnivorans (Carnivora; > 20 kg) that inhabited South America became extinct around the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene transition. Two exceptions were species of coyote-sized Dusicyon, one insular (D. australis) and one continental (D. avus). The extinction of the former is a resolved matter, but that of D. avus, found in the Patagonian and Pampean regions, is still poorly understood. Using the Gaussian-Resampled Inverse-Weighted McInerny method we present new radiocarbon evidence indicating that its disappearance occurred in very recent times (about 324-496 years cal BP). We found no evidence to support a role for hybridization with domestic dogs in causing the extirpation of this fox. Climatic change may have reduced its distributional range, as has happened with other mammals, although not to the extent of explaining its extinction. Climatic change, however, coupled with increased anthropogenic impacts such as hunting, domestic dogs, and/or other aspects relating to the impact of European colonization in South America's southern cone, were the probable main drivers of the recent extinction of D. avus.
Cueva Nordensjkold, Ultima Esperanza, Chile: A Late Pleistocene Faunal Assemblage
The 82nd Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, 2018
Revista del Museo de Antropología
En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilizació... more En este trabajo se analizan una serie de piezas dentarias de carnívoros discutiendo su utilización como objetos ornamentales por las poblaciones humanas que ocuparon el sector meridional del humedal del Paraná inferior durante el Holoceno tardío. La identificación taxonómica de los distintos elementos dentarios se efectuó mediante estudios morfométricos, siendo de particular interés señalar el reconocimiento de especies que son poco frecuentes o que hasta ahora no estaban presentes en el registro arqueológico regional como Canis familiaris y Nasua nasua. A través del análisis microscópico, logramos identificar distintos rastros o huellas de transformación y utilización de los dientes, incluso en aquellos ejemplares que a ojo desnudo no presentaban modificaciones antrópicas. En función de los resultados obtenidos se discute la obtención y uso de estos objetos como objetos ornamentales y se realizan distintas consideraciones en cuanto a su potencial valor simbólico, señalando ciertas ...
The Cave at the End of the World: Cueva del Medio and the Early Colonization of Southern South America
People and Culture in Ice Age Americas: New Dimensions in Paleoamerican Archaeology, 2015
A discussion of the previous dstinction of two early archaeological components at Cueva del Medio... more A discussion of the previous dstinction of two early archaeological components at Cueva del Medio is presented. Our evidence suggest that such a distinction do not hold. We use a number of lines of evidence to support our argument, including the taxonomy of associated animal remains, the chronology and the stratigraphy.Fil: Martin, Fabiana M.. Universidad de Magallanes; ChileFil: Todisco, Dominique. No especifíca;Fil: Rodel, Joet. No especifíca;Fil: Prevosti, Francisco Juan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Secretaría de Industria y Minería. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja. - Provincia de La Rioja. Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica de La Rioja; ArgentinaFil: San Román, Manuel. Universidad de Magallanes; ChileFil: Morello, Flavia. Universidad de Magallanes; ChileFil: Borrero, Luis Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas; Argentin
Evolution of Cranial Ontogeny in South American Canids (Carnivora: Canidae)
Evolutionary Biology, 2021
South American Canids are endemic and form a monophyletic clade supported by molecular and morpho... more South American Canids are endemic and form a monophyletic clade supported by molecular and morphological data, with the exception of Urocyon cinereoargenteus , which is a typical North American form. South American canids occur in almost all environments in continent, and exhibit diet diversity and large size variation. Here we analyzed the skull ontogeny by applying 3D geometric morphometric techniques, in a well-represented sample of South American canids, with the aim of exploring variation in cranial size and shape as well as evolutionary patterns of such variation. The sample consisted of 1227 crania of the 11 living species of South American canids and 92 crania of Canis lupus and Vulpes vulpes , which were considered as out-groups. South American canids exhibited similar shape and diet (they are mostly omnivorous), which implies similar mechanical commitments, which are reflected in their almost uniform skulls. However, it is possible that cranial similarity is related to a shared evolutionary history with a short time of divergence. Speothos venaticus differed in its ontogenetic trajectory, with the difference being stronger between adults of this species and the remaining canids. The skull configuration is consistent with the hyper-carnivorous diet. In the case of Chrysocyon brachyurus , size plays an important role in the structure of a skull, giving rise to remarkable morphological differences from other species, although in terminal stages of its ontogeny.
Gondwana Research, 2018
Reply to "Comment on "Isotopic insight on paleodiet of …" by Bocherens et al.
Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 2020
Understanding the interplay between morphological integration and modularity is considered an imp... more Understanding the interplay between morphological integration and modularity is considered an important topic in the study of the evolution of the form of complex structures. The mandible is a complex structure that can be shaped by diverse factors such as ontogeny, ecology, and evolutionary history. In canids, this is particularly interesting because they have a large diversity in feeding behavior and hunting strategy. Here, we employed geometric morphometric techniques to evaluate the balance between integration and modularity in 1011 mandibles of a sample of extinct and extant canids. The results show that allometric scaling seems to have little influence in determining the mandibular shape of canids. Some divergence associated with ecology was observed, especially for highly specialized taxa (hypercarnivores and insectivores). Finally, macroevolutionary patterns were more integrated than intraspecific patterns, suggesting that correlational selection might play a strong role in the evolution of mandibular form and function. We found no evidence of an evolutionary line of least resistance in shaping mandible disparity.
Biology Letters, 2019
The Great American Biotic Interchange is considered to be a punctuated process, primarily occurri... more The Great American Biotic Interchange is considered to be a punctuated process, primarily occurring during four major pulses that began approximately 2.5 Ma. Central America and southeastern Mexico have a poor fossil record of this dynamic faunal history due to tropical climates. Exploration of submerged caves in the Yucatán, particularly the natural trap Hoyo Negro, is exposing a rich and remarkably well-preserved late Pleistocene fauna. Radiometric dates on megafauna range from approximately 38 400–12 850 cal BP, and extinct species include the ursid Arctotherium wingei and canid Protocyon troglodytes . Both genera were previously thought to be indigenous to and confined to South America and appear to represent an instance of large placental mammals, descended from North American progenitors, migrating back north across the Panama Isthmus. This discovery expands the distribution of these carnivorans greater than 2000 km outside South America. Their presence along with a diverse sl...
Mammalian Biology, 2019
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service... more This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Geographic variation in skull shape and size of the Pampas fox Lycalopex gymnocercus (Carnivora: Canidae) in Argentina Running title. Geographic variation of Lycalopex gymnocercus.
Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, 2014
The genus Nasua Storr is represented by two species, the white-nose coati (Nasua narica Linnaeus)... more The genus Nasua Storr is represented by two species, the white-nose coati (Nasua narica Linnaeus) and the South American Coatí (Nasua nasua Linnaeus) (Wilson & Mittermeier, 2009). Nasua narica is currently distributed in the
Gondwana Research, 2017
The diet of extinct giant Xenarthrans is a debated topic, especially for ground sloths, for which... more The diet of extinct giant Xenarthrans is a debated topic, especially for ground sloths, for which herbivory, insectivory, and carnivory through scavenging or active hunting have been suggested. In this study, stable carbon isotopic composition of collagen and carbonate fraction of well-preserved fossil bones was used as a tracer of trophic level. More than 200 modern mammal bones of species with a variety of diets were used as a reference dataset. The good preservation of the carbonate isotopic composition was checked using different diagenetic indicators and by using fossil carnivorous and herbivorous taxa from the same sites as test-taxa. The results on modern mammals indicate a clear distinction in the difference between the carbon isotopic composition of carbonate and collagen between faunivores (carnivores, insectivores, piscivores, omnivores) and herbivores. Using this framework, the results on the fossil megafaunal Xenarthrans indicate a herbivorous diet for both Glyptodontids and are also consistent with a herbivorous diet for giant ground sloths, including Megatherium. The hypothesis that Megatherium could be a cryptic meat-eater or an insectivore is not supported by the results obtained in the present study.
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2016
The Panthera lineage is a monophyletic clade of felids, supported by both morphological and molec... more The Panthera lineage is a monophyletic clade of felids, supported by both morphological and molecular evidence. The lineage includes large species with cranial similarity such as Panthera leo and P. tigris, and other with very different cranium such as P. pardus. The aim of our work was to study the cranial ontogeny of Pantherines, elucidating whether their cranial shape is a product of size or phylogeny, and to compare these findings with available information about other carnivores. We studied 370 specimens using geometric morphometrics technique in three dimensions. Panthera leo and P. tigris show similar ontogenetic trajectories, sharing adult crania with wider rostrum, shorter basicranium and vertical occipital plate. The cranial configuration of P. leo is a scaling version of P. tigris. P. pardus shows the most different cranial pattern, with adults having a rounded braincase and zygomatic arches less expanded than the rest, whereas P. onca occupies an intermediate place between these patterns. P. pardus is the species with the smallest birth weight and the lowest growth rate, reaching a final size and shape later than the remaining species. Adult shape morphology reflects no relation to phylogenetic placement of the species and it is probably related to Pantherine body size.
Quaternary International, 2016
Puma transport of prey remains to dens located in overhangs, rockshelters or caves lead to condit... more Puma transport of prey remains to dens located in overhangs, rockshelters or caves lead to conditions of potential mixing with archaeofaunas. The evidence for puma use of places which before or after were also selected by humans is reviewed, as well as results of taphonomic studies. These studies include not only naturalistic observations, but also excavations of puma dens, and serve to highlight some of the research areas needed in order to understand the role of pumas as active agents in the accumulations of bone assemblages.
Paleobiology of sabretooth cat Smilodon populator in the Pampean Region (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) around the Last Glacial Maximum: Insights from carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in bone collagen
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2016
Abstract The sabretooth cat Smilodon populator was the largest felid in South America. It appears... more Abstract The sabretooth cat Smilodon populator was the largest felid in South America. It appears in the fossil record in the Early Pleistocene, as an immigrant from North America, and becomes extinct around the Pleistocene–Holocene boundary. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic values of collagen were measured for skeletal remains from Smilodon specimens ranging in age from 25 to 10 kyr BP, for the first time in the Pampas region of Argentina. By comparison with similar values obtained on co-eval predators such as Protocyon (large canid) and Panthera onca (jaguar) and a range of potential prey, such as giant ground sloths, glyptodontids, Macrauchenia, Toxodon, equids, cervids, and rodents, it could be established that Smilodon consumed essentially large prey from open landscape, such as Macrauchenia and giant ground sloths during the last 15,000 years of the Late Pleistocene in the Pampa region. It was possibly competing with the large canid Protocyon but the jaguar was apparently feeding on smaller size prey. A more humid climate at the beginning of the Holocene might have been unfavorable to this large predator and could have contributed to its extinction. These results also provide an important insight to understand the ecological processes involved in the Great American Biotic Interchange.
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Papers by Francisco Juan Prevosti