Quaternary palaeontology

Dans la présent note se donnent a connaitre diverset intéressants tronvailles de paléontologic cuaternaire (ourses, chiennes, etc...) trouvés dans cavernes de la province de Vizcaya, résultant de divers ans de compilation, en détacher pour sa importance un meuliére de rhinocéros / En la presente nota se dan a conocer diversos e interesantes hallazgos de paleontología cuaternaria (ursidos, cánidos, etc...) hallados en cavernas de la provincia de Vizcaya, fruto de varios años de compilación, destacando por su importancia un molar de rinoceronte.

This is the discovery and salvage of a fossil site in Cueva Vientos, located between Ciales-Florida municipalities in Puerto Rico. It was discovered by chance and it was needed to save the material which will end at the Museo de Historia Natural de Puerto Rico in Aguadilla.

The dodo Raphus cucullatus Linnaeus, 1758, an extinct and flightless, giant pigeon endemic to Mauritius, has fascinated people since its discovery, yet has remained surprisingly poorly known. Until the mid-19th century, almost all that was known about the dodo was based on illustrations and written accounts by 17th century mariners, often of questionable accuracy. Furthermore, only a few fragmentary remains of dodos collected prior to the bird's extinction exist. Our understanding of the dodo's anatomy was substantially enhanced by the discovery in 1865 of subfossil bones in a marsh called the Mare aux Songes, situated in southeastern Mauritius. However, no contextual information was recorded during early excavation efforts, and the majority of excavated material comprised larger dodo bones, almost all of which were unassociated. Here we present a modern interdisciplinary analysis of the Mare aux Songes, a 4200-year-old multitaxic vertebrate concentration Lagerst€ atte. Our analysis of the deposits at this site provides the first detailed overview of the ecosystem inhabited by the dodo. The interplay of climatic and geological conditions led to the exceptional preservation of the animal and associated plant remains at the Mare aux Songes and provides a window into the past ecosystem of Mauritius. This interdisciplinary research approach provides an ecological framework for the dodo, complementing insights on its anatomy derived from the only associated dodo skeletons known, both of which were collected by Etienne Thirioux and are the primary subject of this memoir.

A geologia, génese e dinâmica da areia de praia da ilha do Porto Santo,
arquipélago da Madeira foi tema e objetivo do Sistema de Informação
Geográfica (SIG) desenvolvido para a referida Ilha e território marítimo
adjacente, no âmbito de uma dissertação de doutoramento na área das
Geociências.
O SIG foi estruturado de forma a assegurar o desenvolvimento de diversos
temas da dissertação, centrando-se os esforços na aquisição e integração de dados e no desenvolvimento de metodologias e técnicas de processamento e interpretação de informação de natureza essencialmente científico-natural nas áreas da geologia, geofísica e geomorfologia.
Baseado em cartografia de várias escalas, desde a localização da ilha ao nível do planeta até ao levantamento aerofotogramétrico local à escala 1:10000, este SIG engloba as seguintes temáticas: geologia, prospeção geofísica (elétrica e magnética), sondagens mecânicas, amostragem de superfície, dinâmica do litoral, batimetria e natureza do leito marinho.

A Lapa do Santo é o sítio arqueológico mais estudado da região de Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais), dada a vasta quantidade de materiais oriundos de escavações arqueológicas sistemáticas. O sítio caracteriza-se pelo acúmulo de cinzas, remanescentes faunísticos, artefatos líticos e sepultamentos humanos. As unidades de escavação M3 a M7 são tidas como as mais importantes por apresentarem organização estratigráfica e sequência cultural preservada, incluindo a ocupação humana do final do Pleistoceno e início do Holoceno, entre 12600 AP (antes do presente) e 8500 AP, seguida por um abandono da área no Holoceno Médio, com posterior retorno entre 5100 AP e 4200 AP por um grupo com as mesmas características culturais dos primeiros habitantes. O estudo de microvertebrados possibilita a descrição de novos táxons para a região e a obtenção de informações significativas em paleoecologia e paleobiologia. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi identificar taxo e tafonomicamente os microvertebrados das Quadras M, visando observar variações faunísticas durante a ocupação humana local. A fauna identificada inclui peixes, anfíbios, répteis, aves e mamíferos, porém nenhum elemento apresentou-se como bom marcador ambiental. Processos tafonômicos naturais e resultantes de atividade humana foram observados. A divisão faunística realizada para análise refletiu os dois períodos de ocupação da Lapa do Santo, com as Faunas 1 e 2 apresentando composição faunística similar e possivelmente tendo ocorrido nas mesmas condições paleoambientais. A Fauna 3 (mais recente) apresentou-se distinta das demais, podendo estar associada a alguma ocupação humana desconhecida, deposição natural ou ambas.

Cingulata represent a group of Xenarthra characterized by the presence of a carapace composed of bony plates (osteoderms). The Cuvieri Cave, located in the Lagoa Santa karst complex, presents a relevant quantity of vertebrate fossils, including extinct and extant species. Although several paleontological studies have been carried out, the material was reviewed from a taxonomic point of view, including Xenarthra material. Two osteoderms, initially attributed to the genus Euphractus, were found in Pleistocene deposits, but it was observed that the specimens did not belong to this genus. The aim of this study is to present the revision of these two specimens, now recognized as the first evidence of a large member of the family Dasypodidae in the Cuvieri Cave. The specimens were found in levels where both extant and extinct species from the Lagoa Santa region were found, but due to the paleoenvironmental changes of the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in Lagoa, it was not possible to determine the environment in which the specimen lived.

During the Middle and Late Pleistocene Crete was inhabited by endemic dwarf deer. The smallest, Candiacervus ex gr. Candiacervus ropalophorus (sensu Palombo et al., 2008) have been believed to have inhabited rocky environments characterised by typical Mediterranean vegetation. This research aims to investigate dietary behaviour in the sample of the smallest deer found in the Bate Cave late Middle early Late Pleistocene deposits (152,000±20% to 105,000±20% years). The molar teeth of Candiacervus ex gr. C. ropalophorus from Bate Cave mainly show well-defined and high cusps, sometimes also perceptible in teeth in an advanced wear stage. Therefore, it seems rational to suppose that deer had an eating behaviour approaching browsers. In order to substantiate this hypothesis, it was applied the mesowear method proposed by Fortelius & Solounias (2000) to infer the dietary behaviour of herbivores. The method was originally based on facet development on the occlusal surface of the second uppe...

Għar il-Fkieren is a solution pipe fissure discovered in 2010 during construction in Paceville, Malta, which has yielded a significant Late Pleistocene fossil assemblage, dated to ca. 63 to 53,000 years ago. Excavated by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, the 10-metre-deep fissure contained Quaternary deposits rich in skeletal remains, including those of large vertebrates (cervids, tortoises, avifauna) and microfauna, such as Microtus melitensis, Crocidura sicula, Bufotes viridis, and Chiroptera. This study reports the first fossil evidence of a small colubrid snake and a wall lizard (Podarcis cf. filfolensis) in Malta's Pleistocene record, both identified through skeletal morphology. These newly documented herpetofaunal taxa bridge gaps in the faunal record and offer new insights into island endemism and faunal turnover from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene.

Si bottom! SI Figure 3: Geographic distribution of the samples complying with the 1-mile distance to the coast (shaded area). SI Figure 4: Relationship between total marine diatom abundance ln (# valves /g) and a 47yr mean annual geostrophic Ekman transport determined upwelling index, for the total dataset. Color scheme as in Figure 1.

Several sites in the Americas are proposed to have evidence of human occupation before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The timing of human colonisation of the Americas is a matter of debate due to its intrinsic interest, but also because of the implications of that arrival for the extinction of the megafauna. Here, we study a notable indentation in the right calcaneus of a giant extinct ground sloth Lestodon armatus from the Arroyo del Vizcaíno site, Uruguay, dated to ~ 33 cal kyBP. We use a combination of 3D CT-scan modelling, high-resolution silicone casting, and microscopic wear and residue analysis to describe the morphology of the lesion, its associated residues, and the possible mechanisms behind its formation. Considering the indentation's features, including its shape, depth, and the presence of organic residues, we argue that it could have been created by a penetrating object with a rounded tip, possibly a bone, ivory or hardened wood tip attached to a shaft. This evidence contributes to discussions on the dates of human arrival in South America and the potential interactions with the megafauna.

This research describes pathological bones of Prolagus sardus (Lagomorpha, Ochotonidae) from four Middle-Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene sites of Sardinia (Italy), and presents a short inventory of the main Sardinian localities recording the species, with the intent to infer the viability of the Sardinian ochotonid populations during the Middle-Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. The macroscopical analysis evidences that the pathologies were mostly of a traumatic origin, rather than due to other pathological conditions, which have been only observed in a few individuals inhabiting the Tavolara islet. The significance of the occurrence of palaeopathological signatures in bones of insular, mammals and their usefulness in detecting the life-style, behaviour and niche occupancy of endemic mammalian species, and reconstructing some aspects of population dynamics in the peculiar island environments, are briefly discussed.

Palombo, M.R., Anzidei, A.P. & Arnoldus-Huyzendveld, A., 2003 La Polledrara di Cecanibbio: one of the richest Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus sites of the late Middle Pleistocene in Italy in: Reumer, J.W.F., De Vos, J. & Mol, D. (eds.) ADVANCES IN MAMMOTH RESEARCH (Proceedings of the Second International Mammoth Conference, Rotterdam, May 16-2

This work presents the current knowledge on the Quaternary vertebrate ichnological record (excluding the hominid data) of peninsular and insular. In particular, the data concerning different Pleistocene localities of Sardinia (e.g. Capo Mannu and Funtana Morimenta) and the Middle Pleistocene Foresta "Devil's Trails" ichnosite of Roccamonfina Volcano (Campania) are here discussed. In the Pleistocene record of Sardinia are known four ichnotaxa: Bifidipes aff. B. aeolis as regard the Early Pleistocene, and Proboscipeda panfamilia McNeil, Hills, Tolman, and Kooyman (2007), Bifidipes isp. and Canipeda isp. as concerning the Middle-Late Pleistocene. Four ichnotaxa are identified also in the Middle Pleistocene ichnosite of Foresta “Devil’s Trails”: Proboscipeda panfamilia , McNeil, Hills, Tolman, and Kooyman 2007, Ursichnus isp., Hippipeda isp., and the ichno-order Pecoripedia (? Ichnosubgenus Cervipeda). The systematics of the mammal ichnofossils and the putative trackmakers...

The smallest dwarfed elephants of Mediterranean islands occurred in Sicily during the Middle Pleistocene. First described by Busk (1867) on remains of Malta, Elephas falconeri was considered for more than fifty years as the last step of a progressive size reduction process, which started with Elephas antiquus and continued through ?Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus leonardii, E. mnaidriensis and ?Elephas melitensis. Actually, stratigraphic and geochemical data have demonstrated that the dwarfed forms were older than the medium-sized elephants of the E. mnaidriensis group, so the derivation of so-called ‘E.’ falconeri from E. antiquus is not sure. There are no conclusive osteological evidences for this; on the one hand the skull exhibits paedomorphic features and it is strongly modified in comparison with the Elephas antiquus skull, on the other hand the very simplified molar morphology does not exclude a phylogenetic relationship with the Palaeoloxodon line. However, the tusk morphol...

This paper formally describes some cranial and postcranial remains of young and adult fossil suids retrieved from Monte Tuttavista karst fissures (Orosei, western Sardinia). The material is herein attributed to the Sardinian species Sus sondaari Van der Made, 1999. Features of skulls, mandibles, some milk teeth, definitive canines, and thus far unknown post-cranial elements of Monte Tuttavista suids significantly integrate our knowledge of the endemic species Sus sondaari . An emended diagnosis is here proposed, including some new diagnostic features such as lower canine with scrofic section, and oval shape of scapular glenoid fossa. Finally, the challenging evolutionary relationships of Sus sondaari are briefly discussed.

This research aims to give notice of and provide preliminary information on some elephant footprints recently identified at Foresta ichnological site (Tora-Piccilli, Caserta, central Italy). The elephant-footprint area was previously poorly investigated because partially affected by anthropic modifications during historical times. The footprints, ascribed to the Proboscipeda panfamilia ichospecies, were left by a young strait-tusked elephant, passing the top of the slope formed during the deposition of the Roccamonfina Brown Leucitic Tuff (BLT), close to the renowned prehistorical Devil’s path. The Foresta elephant footprints are the unique conceivably belonging to Palaeoloxodon recorded in Italy and the first elephant tracks reported from the continental Italian territory.

The 1-m-tall dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri from the Pleistocene of Sicily (Italy) is an extreme example of insular dwarfism and epitomizes the Island Rule. Based on scaling of life-history (LH) traits with body mass, P. falconeri is widely considered to be ‘r-selected’ by truncation of the growth period, associated with an early onset of reproduction and an abbreviated lifespan. These conjectures are, however, at odds with predictions from LH models for adaptive shifts in body size on islands. To settle the LH strategy of P. falconeri, we used bone, molar, and tusk histology to infer growth rates, age at first reproduction, and longevity. Our results from all approaches are congruent and provide evidence that the insular dwarf elephant grew at very slow rates over an extended period; attained maturity at the age of 15 years; and had a minimum lifespan of 68 years. This surpasses not only the values predicted from body mass but even those of both its giant sister taxon (P. a...

Bovids are common elements in the Italian local faunal assemblages (LFAs), but their diversity and ecological role varied in LFAs as well as in faunal units (FUs) throughout the Early and Middle Pleistocene. Representatives of Bovini tribe are continuously present, albeit with different lineages, while "Caprini" are sporadically recorded by several genera, and Antilopini are the less represented.

Geomys personatus maritimus (Maritime Pocket Gopher) is a genetically distinct subspecies of pocket gopher that occurs only in deep, sandy soils located in Nueces and Kleberg counties of southern Texas. The US Fish and Wildlife Service considers it a species of concern. Pocket gophers are considered a nuisance because they dig burrows and create mounds in landscaped areas. Lethal control options are not advised because of the Maritime Pocket Gopher's rarity status and recent public attitude disfavoring lethal methods. However, short-distance translocation might be a management option, but research to determine its viability is lacking. We captured 15 Maritime Pocket Gophers from athletic fields and commercial properties in Corpus Christi, TX. For all captured gophers, we subcutaneously or intraperitoneally implanted a radio transmitter, translocated the animals to private property within 2 km from their capture site, and radio-tracked their movements for ≤4 months to determine if their behavior and activity differed from 4 control gophers. Subcutaneous transmitters implanted in the scapular region were lost by 86% of the gophers (n = 12 of 14), while 100% (n = 5) of the gophers retained intraperitoneal-implanted transmitters. Relocated Maritime Pocket Gophers did not return to their site of origin. Gopher movements generally were away from their homing lines (i.e., an imaginary line drawn between each translocated gopher's capture site and release site), and they did not become successively closer to their respective sites of capture. Therefore, short-distance translocation has the potential to be a management option for nuisance gophers.

Hypotheses: After the effect of phylogeny is statistically removed, cranial structures that are employed solely for mastication should covary the most with hypsodonty (high-crowned cheek teeth are termed 'hypsodont'). Such structures should also be the least phylogenetically constrained. A corollary: structures that are highly influenced by shared ancestry will exhibit greater morphological integration than those that are affected less. Organisms: All extant rhinoceroses and a number of extinct, European, Plio-Pleistocene species. Analytical methods: Using two-dimensional geometric morphometrics, we studied skull shape in the dorsal and lateral views, mandible shape in the lateral view, and the upper tooth row shape in the occlusal view. To reflect feeding habits, we used a surrogate variable, the hypsodonty index. Using phylogenetically independent contrasts and variation partitioning, we separated shape variation into function, phylogeny, and size components. We tested morphological integration with Escoufier's RV coefficient. Results: The mandible and the upper tooth row have the highest covariance with hypsodonty and the least with phylogeny. Skull morphology shows the reverse; it has the smallest covariance with hypsodonty and the highest with phylogeny. The degree of morphological integration between the upper tooth row and the other structures is relatively low, indicating that the former component is the least phylogenetically constrained. In keeping with our predictions, the cranial region associated with chewing is constrained by function and not as much by phylogeny, whereas others show stronger phylogenetic constraint.

The dodo Raphus cucullatus Linnaeus, 1758, an extinct and flightless, giant pigeon endemic to Mauritius, has fascinated people since its discovery, yet has remained surprisingly poorly known. Until the mid-19th century, almost all that was known about the dodo was based on illustrations and written accounts by 17th century mariners, often of questionable accuracy. Furthermore, only a few fragmentary remains of dodos collected prior to the bird's extinction exist. Our understanding of the dodo's anatomy was substantially enhanced by the discovery in 1865 of subfossil bones in a marsh called the Mare aux Songes, situated in southeastern Mauritius. However, no contextual information was recorded during early excavation efforts, and the majority of excavated material comprised larger dodo bones, almost all of which were unassociated. Here we present a modern interdisciplinary analysis of the Mare aux Songes, a 4200-year-old multitaxic vertebrate concentration Lagerst€ atte. Our analysis of the deposits at this site provides the first detailed overview of the ecosystem inhabited by the dodo. The interplay of climatic and geological conditions led to the exceptional preservation of the animal and associated plant remains at the Mare aux Songes and provides a window into the past ecosystem of Mauritius. This interdisciplinary research approach provides an ecological framework for the dodo, complementing insights on its anatomy derived from the only associated dodo skeletons known, both of which were collected by Etienne Thirioux and are the primary subject of this memoir.

Jaime Gongora1, Cibele Biondo2, Jennifer D. Cooper3, Andrew Taber4, Alexine Keuroghlian5, Mariana Altrichter6, Fabrícia Ferreira do Nascimento7, Amanda Y. Chong1, Cristina Yumi Miyaki8, Richard Bodmer9, Pedro Mayor10 & Susana González11 1Faculty of ...

During preparation for pollen analysis, I discovered a small mammal tooth in the remaining sample material. Subsequently, mud samples were taken from the core drilling (1993). Two well-preserved arvicolid teeth were identified by Dr. G. Storch (Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main), whom I would like to thank at this point, as M1 and M2 (bottom right) of Mimomys savini (HINTON 1910). The extinct Mimomys savini is an ancestor of the extant water vole Awicola terrestris (LINNAEU 1958). A noticeable difference between the two species is the bifurcated root ends in M. savini.

Mora Cavorso cave is mostly known for preserving one of the largest human burials of early Neolithic in Central Italy, but it holds archaeological and palaeontological finds ranging from Late Pleistocene to historical times. The observation of faunal bone surfaces from Late Pleistocene layers has been carried out mainly to verify the human contribution to the formation of the bone accumulations. The assemblages are made up of about 3750 finds, 48% of which taxonomically identified, while 31% of the total show traces of surface alterations. Layer 8, the deeper and partially excavated, shows few traces on 28 finds with a dark patina. For Layer 7, boluses by birds of prey, traces of digestion and gnawing by small carnivores show the main agents of the formation of the bone accumulation. For Layer 6, just a small percentage of finds shows traces referrable mostly to small carnivores, with a few traces referrable to rodents. For Layer 5, gnawing of small carnivores was observed, however the occurrence of burnt bones and cut traces confirmed the hypothesis, based on the discovery of lithic artefacts, that the oldest human attendance in the cave is here attested and dates to Epigravettian period.

Todos los gliptodontes, junto a otros 43 géneros de megamamíferos y grandes mamíferos, se extinguieron en América del Sur entre fines del Pleistoceno y comienzos del Holoceno . Recientemente We present here the record of a very large glyptodont (1,900 to 2,370 kg); it is a right humerous distal epiphysis (RPCR 1021) coming from the early Holocene (8,480 ± 130 years 14 C cal. BP) of the Pampean Region (Los Pozos, Marcos Paz, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) and we assign it to Doedicurus Burmeister cf. D. Clavicaudatus (Owen). The youngest record for a glyptodont (7,839 ±102 years 14 C cal. BP) corresponds to Doedicurus clavicaudatus. Finally we discuss the possible explanations of the great size attained by glyptodonts at the end of the Lujanian age (late Pleistocene-early Holocene).

The lower levels of the archaeological sequence of Kozarnika cave (north-western Bulgaria) provide levels with non-Acheulian core-and-flake (as opposed to pebble-core) industries. Associations with numerous taxa of large mammals indicate that the date of the lower layers of the cave falls between MNQ17 and MNQ19. These layers produced several bones showing anthropic traces. Its date and geographical position place Kozarnika cave as a landmark site in the primary phase of the settlement of Europe.

With regard to the geological index of layers (Hoselmann 2024), the Riedstadt-Erfelden research borehole was specifically examined in the depth range from 20 to 130 m for fossil mollusks (table 1). The focus was on the humus-rich intermediate horizons of fluvial and limnic deposits, with the top and bottom three samples corresponding to warm periods in interglacials. One sample contains molluscs from a colder transitional fauna (periglacial); the other sample contains no molluscs. The composition of the thanatocenoses largely confirmed the lithostratigraphic classifications. Of particular note are the samples from the Ludwigshafen Formation above the Lower Pleistocene Viernheim Formation and the clay silt marl on the border of the oldest Pleistocene to the younger Pliocene.
Extinct freshwater species such as Borysthenia goldfussiana Wüst, 1901 from the Ludwigshafen Formation; Borysthenia juxi Schlickum & Strauch, 1979, Valvata piscinaloides Michaud, 1855, Valvata paviai Schlickum & Strauch, 1979, Nystia gruenewaldi Schlickum, 1970, Pisidium clessini Neumayr, 1875 and the land snail Cochlostoma salomoni Geyer, 1914 from the lowest part of the Viernheim Formation.

The molar of Stegodon from the Pliocene Yaoroshi Formation in Akiruno City, Tokyo, is described as S. miensis Matsumoto, based on morphological characteristics and dimensional characters of the specimen. The present specimen of S. miensis from the Yaoroshi Formation is shown to represent the uppermost-known horizon of the species.

Quaternary site at Drmno (comprised of Middle and Late Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequences) near Kostolac, northeast Serbia, has attracted the attention of general public and scientific society when several steppe mammoth and other mammal skeletons from Middle Pleistocene fluvial deposits were discovered in 2009 and 2012. This paper presents the combination of malacological and enviromagnetic analyses, preliminary luminescence dating, litho-pedostratigraphic and palaeo-relief investigations that were applied to the Nosak loess-palaeosol sequence for the findings from 2012. The results hereby presented should confirm and emphasise the antiquity of the sediments preserved in the Nosak section and demonstrate the significance of the detailed and relatively complete palaeoenvironmental record they contain. These discoveries can significantly contribute to setting the background for better understanding of the evolution of mammoths on the European continent.

The “Lamarmora Vertebrate Collection” of the Sardinian Museum of Geology and Palaeontology Domenico Lovisato (Cagliari, Italy). Some historical collections housed in the Sardinian Museum of Geology and Palaeontology Domenico Lovisato have been reviewed during a recent cataloging. One of them is the “Lamarmora Vertebrate Collection”, a small assemblage of Quaternary vertebrate fossils gathered by General Alberto Lamarmora during the mid-nineteenth century in the historic locality of Bonaria (Cagliari). Seven mammal taxa belonging to the Microtus (Tyrrhenicola) Faunal Complex have been recognized during preliminary analysis. The collection has an historic importance because it was donated by one of the most illustrious names in that period and, secondly, it represents one of the first collections annexed to the “Museo Lovisato”. A scientific importance is given by the presence of some of the first Quaternary fossil vertebrate remains collected in Sardinia. It is important to put light...

Stable isotope analysis has become an essential component of (bio)archaeological research. It offers a range of valuable applications that help reconstruct past human behaviors and environments, including insights into past diets, mobility and migration patterns, subsistence strategies, and environmental conditions. This workshop aims to bring together those working on isotopic analyses in archaeology to share current and ongoing projects and research in this field. It will be an opportunity to present current and ongoing research but there will also be a strong emphasis on discussion to enable students to ask for advice on their projects, to allow for networking and connections to be made and developed, to share knowledge on current research, and to discuss future opportunities and developments. For students who are not (yet) working on stable isotopic research, it will be an opportunity for them to be introduced to the diverse applications of stable isotope analysis in archaeology, as well as to get a good understanding of current projects and the present state of the discipline. This workshop will highlight the critical role of stable isotopes in advancing our understanding of past societies and their interactions with the environment.
Programme

The workshop takes place between 11:00 and 17:00 and will consist of a keynote lecture by Professor Michael Richards (Simon Fraser University and Senior Visiting Fellow at the Groningen Institute of Archaeology 2024), a keynote lecture by Dr Nathalie Ø. Brusgaard (Leiden University), lightning presentations by attendees, and a roundtable discussion (questions on specific current research, opportunities for advice, and a discussion on the state of the discipline and future directions). Please register using the link below for full programme details.

Aenocyon dirus played a crucial role as a predator in late Quaternary megafaunal communities throughout southern North America. This article presents two new occurrences of the species from southwest Iowa on the eastern Great Plains, updates the Peccary Cave record in the southern Ozark Highlands, and amends the fossil record of the species. In southern North America, there are 166 occurrences of A. dirus, spanning Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2-19, with at least two-thirds (n = 112) of the occurrences dating to MIS 2-3 (11,600-57,000 cal B.P.). A. dirus fossils are found across this region, with notable concentrations in California, Florida, the Ozark Highlands, and broadly across the southern Great Plains. Consideration of Canis specimens from the lead region (covering contiguous parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa) previously identified as Canis mississippiensis (and sometimes synonymized with A. dirus or C. lupus) reveals they are actually C. lupus. The terminal extinction of A. dirus occurred sometime after 12,800 cal B.P. The Iowa finds, consisting of a radius and a partial cranium, are the first records for the state. Zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry confirms these records, as well as the Peccary Cave record, are A. dirus, as opposed to C. lupus. The Iowa specimens are directly dated to 29,040-28,410 cal B.P. and 14,325-14,075 cal B.P., while Peccary Cave is dated to 25,350-21,405 cal B.P. These results place A. dirus in the interior of southern North America before, during, and after the Last Glacial Maximum (26,500-19,000 cal B.P.). Stable nitrogen isotope (δ 15 N) values of bone collagen from the younger of the two Iowa records suggest this individual did not regularly compete for prey with Smilodon fatalis during the Bølling-Allerød Chronozone (14,640-12,850 cal B.P.). To the south, at Peccary Cave, considerations of prey size, prey abundance, and isotopic data strongly suggest Platygonus compressus was the focal prey species.

Twenty-one species of extinct, large, late Pleistocene mammals have been identified from sand and gravel pits in terrace and valley-fill deposits of the Lower Nueces River of South Texas. A log from the alluvial valley-fill unit that produced most of the fossils has been 14 C dated at 13,230 ± 110 YBP. The distal end of a mammoth tusk from this unit exhibits modifications that may not be the result of natural processes and may have been altered by contemporaneous humans. The 185 mm long tusk tip is rounded on the distal end, suggesting possible use as burnisher-billet. The tusk segment also has a curved, rounded, and polished groove 3 cm wide and 1 cm deep transverse to the long axis. The groove may have resulted from being used as a thong stretcher, hide softener, or shaft straightener. Alternatively, the groove may be a natural feature, formed by the stripping of leaves from twigs, an activity noted in living elephants. Sections of a limb bone have marks that may have been caused by butchering activities.

Dental wear analyses of extinct animals offer key insights into their dietary preferences and in turn contribute substantially to palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, leading to more accurate interpretations about past ecosystems. This study employs dental mesowear analysis on Pliocene and Pleistocene elephants and mammoths from several localities in Northern Greece (Ptolemais Basin, Mygdonia Basin, Drama Basin, and the Neapolis-Grevena Basin), aiming to classify them into three main dietary categories (browsers, mixed-feeders, grazers) and investigate potential niche partitioning. The method relies on documenting the wear pattern of molar surfaces through angle measurements on the enamel ridges, which reflect the average annual diet of the examined taxon and in turn the annual ecological conditions of the studied area. Prior to the palaeodietary study and in order to ensure the taxonomic attribution of the examined specimens, a taxonomic review was conducted which confirmed the presence of the mammoths Mammuthus rumanus, Mammuthus meridionalis (southern mammoth), and Mammuthus trogontherii (steppe mammoth), and the European straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus. Dental mesowear results indicate a grazing diet for M. (cf.) rumanus, a mainly browsing diet for M. meridionalis but mixed-feeding to grazing for the subspecies Mammuthus meridionalis vestinus, a grazing one for M. trogontherii, and a wide diet spectrum for P. antiquus, including browsing, mixed-feeding and grazing, depending on the locality. This study expands our knowledge on the palaeoecology of Greek proboscideans and further highlights the importance of mesowear analysis on proboscidean teeth for palaeodietary and palaeoenviromental inferences.

Fifty two species belonging to twenty one benthic foraminiferal genera have been recorded from seventeen samples collected from three localities; 12 samples from saline pool and its surrounding Sabkha at Ras Shukeir area and 5 samples from the Gulf of Suez. Their taxonomy, ecology and the main factors controlling their distribution are discussed. The frequency of fauna in Gulf of Suez, evaporatic sabkha and saline pool are (59.27%), (32.78%) and (7.95%) respectively, which reflect abnormal salinity and temperature. All identified species were previously recorded from Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

A whole specimen, not reworked and well preserved of Cladocora caespitosa has been found within the marine Quaternary deposits, outcropping along the eastern coast of the Capo San Marco Promontory. The U/Th dating of this sample has provided a minimum age of 70 ± 4 ka B.P. This dating allows to state that these marine deposits, containing the coral, are not Holocene in age.

Human–megafauna interaction in the Americas has great scientific and ethical interest because of its implications on Pleistocene extinction. The Arroyo del Vizcaíno site near Sauce, Uruguay has already yielded over 1000 bones belonging to at least 27 individuals, mostly of the giant slothLestodon. The assemblage shows some taphonomic features suggestive of human presence, such as a mortality profile dominated by prime adults and little evidence of major fluvial transport. In addition, several bones present deep, asymmetrical, microstriated, sharp and shouldered marks similar to those produced by human stone tools. A few possible lithic elements have also been collected, one of which has the shape of a scraper and micropolish consistent with usage on dry hide. However, the radiocarbon age of the site is unexpectedly old (between 27 and 30 thousand years ago), and thus may be important for understanding the timing of the peopling of America.

Arctotherium angustidensGervais and Ameghino, 1880 (the South American giant short-faced bear) is known for being the earliest (Ensenadan Age, early to middle Pleistocene) and largest (body mass over 1 ton) of five describedArctotheriumspecies endemic to South America. Here we assess the diet of this bear from multiple proxies: morphology, biomechanics, dental pathology, stable isotopes and a previous study using geometric morphometric methodology. Results favor the idea of animal matter consumption, probably from large vertebrates in addition to vegetable matter consumption. Most probably, active hunting was not the unique strategy of this bear for feeding, since its large size and great power may have allowed him to fight for the prey hunted by other Pleistocene carnivores. However, scavenging over mega mammal carcasses was probably another frequent way of feeding. South American short-faced bears adjusted their size and modified their diet through Pleistocene times, probably as a...

Large mammals of Guenfouda cave are dominated by small-sized Bovidae (gazelles, and domestic Caprini) and medium-sized bovids (aoudad or Barbary sheep and hartebeest). Large Bovidae (buffalo, aurochs), Equidae and Suidae are rare. Carnivora and meso-mammals are very rare, and their presences do not seem to result from anthropogenic activity.
The oldest remains of domestic animals (dog, sheep, goat, and cattle) come from layer 1b, but they are very rare. Domestic Caprini become abundant from layer 1a. Which indicates, like in all other contemporaries’ Moroccan sites, a change in subsistence behavior around the middle of the Holocene.