Recurring taphonomic processes in the carnivoran‐dominated Late Miocene assemblages of Batallones‐3, Madrid Basin, Spain

Abstract

Carnivoran-dominated fossil sites are scarce in the fossil record but provide precious information on the diversity and ecology of past carnivoran guilds. The Cerro de los Batallones sites host the oldest carnivoran-dominated assemblages, with the highest carnivoran abundances observed in the fossil record. Batallones-3 (Late Miocene, Madrid Basin, Spain) hosts three discrete, carnivoran-dominated fossiliferous levels deposited in a 15m-diameter, 4m-high pseudokarstic cavity with 1m-high talus cone located beneath the mouth of the cavity on the roof. Levels I, II and III are multitaxic multidominant assemblages, with the sabretooth cats Promegantereon ogygia and Machairodus aphanistus and the ursid Indarctos arctoides being the most abundant species. These carnivoran-dominated assemblages are autochthonous and show diagenetically fractured but well-preserved remains (complete, little to no weathering or abrasion). Root marks and manganese oxide precipitation are common and more abundant in Level III, due to modern pedogenic processes. There are also a few allochthonous, badly preserved (weathered and abraded) herbivore remains that were washed into the cavity. The taphonomic homogeneity of all three levels suggests recurring taphonomic and geologic processes throughout the accumulation of infill in the cave. The trap-like nature of the cave, unbroken and largely unweathered carnivoran bones suggest these predators intentionally jumped into the cave but were unable to escape.