Faunal Assemblages Research Articles

Spatiotemporal variability in the structure and diversity of understory faunal assemblages associated with the kelp Eisenia cokeri (Laminariales) in Peru

Kelp species function as foundation organisms in coastal marine ecosystems, where they alter environmental conditions and promote local biodiversity by providing complex biogenic habitat for an array of associated organisms. The structure and functioning of kelp forest ecosystems in some regions, such as along the Peruvian coastline, remain critically understudied. We quantified the structure and diversity of faunal assemblages within both holdfast and understory reef habitats within Eisenia cokeri forests. We sampled both habitat types within four subtidal kelp forests on multiple occasions between 2016 and 2020, and quantified fauna at a fine taxonomic level (mostly species). We recorded a total of ~ 55,000 individuals representing 183 taxa across the study, with holdfast assemblages typically exhibiting higher richness, abundance and biomass values compared with understory reef-associated assemblages. Holdfast assemblages were structurally and functionally dissimilar to those on reef surfaces and were less variable and consistent across sites and sampling events. Even so, assemblages associated with both habitat types varied significantly between sites and sampling events, with variation in upwelling strength, ocean currents, and grazing pressure among potential drivers of this ecological variability. Overall, E. cokeri supports diverse and abundant holdfast assemblages and functions as a foundation organism in Peru. Given that no other habitat-forming kelp species persist at the low latitudes of E. cokeri in mid-to-north Peru, the lack of functional redundancy suggests that effective management and conservation of this species is vital for wider ecosystem processes and biodiversity maintenance.

Dynamic changes of soil nematodes between bulk and rhizosphere soils in the maize (Zea mays L.)/alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) intercropping system

The importance of habitat spatial variability as a key driver of soil biota patterning (e.g., soil nematodes) has lately gained a lot of attention. It is generally accepted that rhizosphere soil has a distinct faunal assemblage than bulk soil, but less is known about the patterning of soil nematodes and the causes of these changes in maize-alfalfa agroecosystems. As a result, the purpose of this study was to assess the dynamic changes in soil nematodes across bulk and rhizosphere soils when maize and alfalfa were grown separately and in a combination at varying levels of nitrogen fertilizer. The results of a field experiment in a 2 × 3 factorial completely randomized block design revealed that total nematode and omnivore-predator abundance, as well as nematode generic diversity and richness, maturity, and structure indices, were significantly increased in the rhizosphere of monoculture alfalfa and alfalfa grown in a mixture with maize when compared to the bulk soil. Furthermore, we discovered elevated levels of total sugars and organic acids in rhizosphere soils. Plant- and fungal-feeding nematodes increased in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, whereas omnivores and predators decreased in soils treated with monoculture and nitrogen fertilizer. Furthermore, we discovered a significant positive relationship between total nematode and omnivore-predator abundance and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, soil moisture content, and microbial biomass C and N, implying that changes in these soil properties and rhizodeposition may shape the nematode community assemblage between the bulk and rhizosphere soils. Our findings suggest that crop mixes containing alfalfa would improve soil characteristics and rhizodeposition, resulting in increased nematode number and variety and contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Further new taxonomical and paleontological notes on Haliotis stomatiaeformis Reeve, 1846 (Gastropoda Haliotidae)

The finding of new both recent and fossil materials of the Mediterranean small abalone Haliotis stomatiaeformis Reeve, 1846 (Gastropoda Haliotiidae) allowed a more detailed study of this rare species. Analogies between the paleo-environment in which the fossil material is contextualized and the peculiar environment where nowadays it still lives are made on account of the faunal assemblage comparisons. Data on the morphology of the protoconch and the external soft parts chromatism and a new iconography complete the information set on this “neglected” species.

Identification of Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossil lizards from Hall's Cave (Kerr County, Texas) and a primer on morphological variation in North American lizard skulls.

Fossil identification practices have a profound effect on our interpretation of the past because these identifications form the basis for downstream analyses. Therefore, well-supported fossil identifications are necessary for examining the impact of past environmental changes on populations and communities. Here we apply an apomorphic identification framework in a case study identifying fossil lizard remains from Hall's Cave, a late Quaternary fossil site located in Central Texas, USA. We present images and descriptions of a broad comparative sample of North American lizard cranial elements and compile new and previously reported apomorphic characters for identifying fossil lizards. Our fossil identifications from Hall's Cave resulted in a minimum of 11 lizard taxa, including five lizard taxa previously unknown from the site. Most of the identified fossil lizard taxa inhabit the area around Hall's Cave today, but we reinforce the presence of an extirpated species complex of horned lizard. A main goal of this work is to establish a procedure for making well-supported fossil lizard identifications across North America. The data from this study will assist researchers endeavoring to identify fossil lizards, increasing the potential for novel discoveries related to North American lizards and facilitating more holistic views of ancient faunal assemblages.

Textural characteristics and distribution of ostracoda in core sediments from the Gadilam river estuary, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India

To know the distribution of brackish water Ostracoda and to investigate the sediment characteristics, a core (105 cm) has been collected from the Gadilam river estuary and it was sub-sampled into 21 samples at 5 cm width regular interval. All the sediment samples were analyzed as per standard micropaleontological techniques in order to investigate the distribution and occurrence of ostracod fauna. A total of 27 ostracod taxa belonging to 16 genera, 12 families, 3 superfamilies and 2 sub-order of the order Podocopida, have been identified based on published articles Throughout the core (from top to bottom) the calcareous forms were noticed. The ostracod species Kalingella mckenziei and Jankeijcythere mckenziei are widely distributed in the core and they outnumbered the rest of the species. The faunal assemblages recorded are tropical, brackish to neritic (shallow marine) and benthic in nature (Hemicytheridea paiki, Hemicytheridea bhatiai, Jankeijcythere mckenziei, Kalingella mckenziei, Neosinocythere dekrooni, Paijenborchellina sp., Stigmatocythere indica and Tanella gracilis). In the analyzed core, there is no faunal assemblage at the depth between 80-85 and 95-105 cm. The sediment characteristics such as calcium carbonate, organic matter and sand-silt-clay ratio also determined and correlated with the observed ostracod populations. Based on the detailed study, it is noticed that high calcium carbonate and low organic matter of the sediment are congenial for population abundance. From the overall distribution of Ostracoda in all the subsamples, siltysand is found to an accommodative substrate for the prosperity of Ostracoda. The statistical aspect of ostracod carapace-valve ratio has been studied to identify the rate of sedimentation which infers a faster rate of deposition of sediments in the Gadilam River estuary.

On depositional processes governing along‐strike facies variations of fine‐grained deposits: Unlocking the Little Ice Age subaqueous clinothems on the Adriatic shelf

ABSTRACTDepositional processes recorded by shelf deposits may vary widely along‐strike, depending largely on the mode of delivery and deposition of sediments to the basin. In fine‐grained systems in particular, depositional processes are difficult to reconstruct with standard facies analysis of sediment cores due to the ostensibly featureless and homogenous appearance of muds. In this study, sedimentological, palaeontological, geochemical, and oceanographic data were combined in a detailed characterization of depositional conditions via sedimentary structures, type of organic matter, trace‐metal geochemistry, and benthic fauna assemblages (foraminifera and ostracods) along the 600 km long shelf delta clinothems of the West Adriatic shelf (Italy). Processes inferred from sedimentary facies and micro‐structures were then considered in the context of the modern Adriatic oceanographic regime. Specific attention was given to the Little Ice Age stratigraphic unit (1500–1850 ce), which contains a continuum of genetically related fine‐grained strata. The Little Ice Age deposit offers the opportunity to examine a source‐to‐sink system with the high resolution typical of modern analogues, at a time interval when Apennine rivers were not yet hydraulically engineered with man‐made sediment traps along their trunks. Individual beds within the Little Ice Age muddy prodelta form hectometre to kilometre‐wide bedsets that reflect the interplay between energetic meteo‐ocean conditions (storm‐dominated beds), flood supply (river‐dominated beds or hyperpycnites) and along‐shelf bottom‐current dispersion (drift‐dominated beds). The multidisciplinary approach applied at different scales of observations helped in understanding sediment provenance and the relative timing of sediment transport before final burial that strongly promoted organic matter oxygen exposure and the loss of carbon by microbial degradation. Overall, the distinctive depositional processes that acted in concert along the prodelta slope produced a subtle lateral heterogeneity of preserved sedimentary structures, faunal associations, and organic matter composition in a laterally‐continuous lithostratigraphic unit deposited at centennial scale. These findings have implications on the forcing conditions that ultimately control the location and nature of fine‐grained beds in both modern and ancient, mud‐dominated depositional systems.

Early Eocene biotic assemblage from the sedimentary deposits of the Tarkeshwar Lignite Mine, Gujarat and its palaeoenvironmental implications

The Palaeogene biota and the palaeoenvironmental history from the low latitudes are remarkably well–preserved in theopen–cast lignite deposits from Western India. Lignite sequences of the Cambay Shale Formation (Gujarat) have been a majorsource to understand the concept of early evolution of fossils including flora, arthropods, vertebrates fauna, and several aquaticforms during the Early Eocene. The study deals with an extensive record of amber inclusions and extracted pollen, vertebratefragments, dinoflagellate cysts and Carbon isotopes from the lignite and associated sediments from the Tarkeshwar Lignite Mineto add insights into the palaeoenvironment and depositional conditions of the Cambay Basin during the Early Eocene period. Thecurrent study demonstrates that throughout the late Palaeocene and early Eocene epoch, the palaeoenvironment changed fromlow land, marshy (lower portion), to shallow marine environment, presumably due to hyperthermal event PETM (middle part).Age diagnostic taxa, viz. Auxiodinium longispinosum, Apectodinium parvum and early wetzelielloid (Vallodinium? sp.) excursionprovide late Palaeocene–early Eocene period (~56–53 Ma) for the dinocyst interval in the middle part of the section. A pronouncednegative Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE) in the middle part is correlated to the second Eocene Thermal maximum (53.7 Ma),which is a globally recorded hyperthermal event. During the ETM–2 warming, the rise in pCO2 caused warm, humid conditionsas well as a rise in sea level, which may have contributed to the establishment of constrained shallow marine environments in theexamined middle unit sedimentary succession. Floral (spore–pollens, leaf, wood, seed, fruits) and faunal assemblages (Crocodiles,fish remains, amber insects) revealed the prevalence of a dense tropical luxurious rain forest (floral and faunal) near shore duringthe ETM–2 in the Tarkeshwar Lignite Mines, Cambay Basin.

A network approach to zooarchaeological datasets and human-centered ecosystems in southwestern Florida.

Zooarchaeological datasets are often large, complex, and difficult to visualize and communicate. Many visual aids and summaries often limit the patterns that can be identified and mask interpretations of relationships between contexts, species, and environmental information. The most commonly used of these often include bar charts, pie charts, and other such graphs that aid in categorizing data and highlighting the differences or similarities between categories. While such simplification is often necessary for effective communication, it can also obscure the full range of complexity of zooarchaeological datasets and the human-environment dynamics they reflect. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of formal network graphs to capturing the complexity of zooarchaeological datasets and to effectively highlighting the kinds of relationships between contexts, time, and faunal assemblages in which zooarchaeologists are primarily interested. Using a case study from southwestern Florida (USA), we argue that network graphs provide a quick solution to visualizing the structure of zooarchaeological datasets and serve as a useful aid in interpreting patterns that represent fundamental reflections of human-centered ecosystems.

Habitat turnover in Iberian and Italian lizards: Is it climatically, spatially, or phylogenetically determined?

AbstractThe Mediterranean peninsulas host rich assemblages of lizards, but little is known about the factors that limit their habitat use on large spatial scales. In this study, we investigated the variation in habitat use of 29 species of lacertid lizards on the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the transitional region of southeastern France. We investigated whether the types of habitat used were phylogenetically determined or, in contrast, were more influenced by spatial or climatic effects. We characterized the vegetal composition of 483 habitats used by lacertids and estimated the contribution of each component to habitat variability using distance‐based redundancy analysis. We showed that overall turnover patterns were determined similarly in both peninsulas, despite differences in the composition of the lacertid assemblages. The aridity‐related component dominated over the phylogenetic one, which has a weak influence in both regions. The species showed different turnover patterns, being low in those present in cold alpine habitats and shrub‐steppe specialists. In some Iberian endemics, habitat turnover occurs within relatively homogeneous climatic bands. However, in the Italian species, habitat turnover has a comparatively stronger climatic component, suggesting lower climatic specialization. This study shows that species distributions across habitats provide information to assess community properties and can be applied to explore differences among faunal assemblages over large geographic areas. Our results provide evidence that beta diversity can play a key role in structuring patterns of habitat turnover.

Using ZooMS to assess archaeozoological insights and unravel human subsistence behaviour at La Viña rock shelter (northern Iberia)

The highly fragmented nature of Palaeolithic faunal assemblages is a regular limitation in archaeozoological analyses as it prevents a precise taxonomic identification following comparative anatomy criteria. In this paper, we integrate Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) analysis of unidentifiable bone fragments within archaeozoological and taphonomic data to overcome this limitation and disentangle the subsistence strategies of Solutrean and Magdalenian human groups of the La Viña rock shelter (northern Iberia). The ZooMS results are consistent with the archaeozoological data showing preferential exploitation of red deer complemented by horses and caprids, whereas large bovids and reindeer are a minor component. This study also reveals significant species variability in classifying unidentifiable bones to mammal-size classes. The combination of biomolecular methods and traditional archaeozoology and taphonomy provides a higher resolution of faunal diversity in Palaeolithic assemblages and hominin subsistence behaviour related to carcass transport and seasonality.

Taphonomic data from the transitional Aurignacian of El Castillo cave (Spain) reveals the role of carnivores at the Aurignacian Delta level

Palaeolithic sites are complex palimpsests due to the recurrent presence of human groups and carnivores through time, as documented in several European caves and rock shelters. Within these contexts, it can be challenging to identify the main contributors to bone accumulations and interpret human subsistence strategies and the role of carnivores. Consequently, taphonomic analyses are crucial for distinguishing the origins of these occupation episodes. One example of alternating occupations is found at El Castillo cave (Cantabria, Spain), specifically in the so-called Transitional Aurignacian level (∼46-42 ka uncal BP). According to a recent study conducted at this level (Luret et al., 2020), the human groups had a hunting specialisation focused on red deer, while carnivores had little influence on the assemblage. However, these interpretations were based only on the faunal assemblage from the recent excavations (1980–2011). A previous excavation phase was conducted on this site from 1910 to 1914, and after that, the faunal remains recovered were separated across several institutions, lacking a complete archaeozoological and taphonomic analysis of the whole level. In this work, a new taxonomic assessment and, for the first time, a taphonomic study of the macrofauna recovered in the Aurignacian Delta level during the initial excavations, stored at Museo Nacional y Centro de Investigación de Altamira (Cantabria, Spain), is carried out. This work provides new information about the human and carnivore groups that occupied El Castillo, constructing new hypotheses to interpret this relevant archaeological level.

Multiscale spatial patterns and environmental drivers of seamount and island slope megafaunal assemblages along the Mozambique channel

Seamounts are vulnerable ecosystems targeted by fishing and potentially by future mineral exploitation. Their abundance, widespread distribution, and heterogeneity of faunal and abiotic components require integrated studies at multiscale to describe spatial patterns and identify environmental drivers needed by conservation plans. There is also a lack of knowledge on seamount benthic ecosystems in some regions, such as the Indian Ocean. These gaps, in the context of Marine Protected Areas establishment in the region, have motivated the present study focusing on the Mozambique Channel Eparses islands and flat top seamounts, along a 10-degree latitude gradient. These structures are characterized by complex volcanic and carbonate geomorphologies at multiscale and are distributed along a highly dynamic turbulent ocean circulation area with large anticyclonic eddies. For the first time, we analysed, from seabed image transects obtained by towed-camera on four seamounts, and two volcanic islands - Bassas da India and Mayotte - external slopes, and from multiscale environmental data, how benthic communities respond to this high habitat heterogeneity at regional, and local scales. This study reveals high discrepancies of benthic megafauna richness, density, and beta diversity among seamounts and among slopes of the same islands. Moreover, at similar latitude, seamounts display higher densities than island slopes. The highest densities found on a seamount of the Glorieuses archipelago are explained by strong currents and flat homogeneous geomorphology. Except on this seamount, the beta diversity is high, despite the quite limited depth range explored (84–734 m) and is the highest on island slopes and Hall Bank, driven by the diversity and hardness of the substrate. Beta diversity is mainly due to taxa turnover, with high contribution of the habitat-forming sponges and cnidarians, together with a few mobile taxa. We identified from biogeographic network analysis 12 dominant faunal assemblages, displaying a patchy distribution, with variability in composition both among and within sites. Currents and primary productivity explain ∼15% of the observed assemblage structure along the channel, while geomorphology (km scale), topography (60–500 m scale) and substrate (60-m units) explain together 24% of the faunal spatial patterns. Analysis of spatial structures along island slopes detected some small (100–200 m), medium (∼1 km) and large scale (∼2–6 km) megabenthic community structures, partly explained by topography, substrate, depth, and slope. Despite limited taxonomic identifications for this poorly sampled area, this study reveals an outstanding heterogeneity of megabenthic assemblages at multispatial scales in the Mozambique Channel seamounts and island slopes, in response to the complex hydrography and geology of the area. Further characterization of environmental drivers with greater focus at local scales including hydrographic variables are therefore needed to improve predictions of suitable habitats of vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Fossil marine vertebrates (Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii, Reptilia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Akkermanovka (Orenburg Oblast, Southern Urals, Russia)

Upper Cretaceous coastal marine deposits are widespread in the Southern Urals with a number of marine vertebrates previously reported from this region. However, previous studies on the vertebrate faunas in this region often lack detailed taxonomic descriptions and illustrations, rendering comparisons to other faunal assemblages difficult. A new diverse vertebrate assemblage comprising cartilaginous and bony fishes, as well as marine reptiles, is described here from the Orenburg region near Akkermanovka (Southern Urals, Russia). Thirty five taxa are identified, including three holocephalans (Elasmodus sp., Ischyodus yanschini, Chimaeroid indet.), two hybodontiform sharks (Meristodonoides sp., cf. Polyacrodus sp.), 17 neoselachians (Paraorthacodus cf. andersoni, Paraorthacodus sp., Synechodus sp., Cederstroemia nilsi, Acrolamna acuminata, Archaeolamna ex gr. kopingensis, Cretalamna sarcoportheta, Cretoxyrhina mantelli, Eostriatolamia segedini, E. venusta, Hispidaspis horridus, H. cf. gigas, Pseudocorax laevis, Pseudoscapanorhynchus compressidens, Scapanorhynchus rhaphiodon, Squalicorax kaupi, Ptychodus rugosus), a holostean (Lepisosteidae indet.), nine teleosts (Protosphyraena sp., Saurodontidae indet., cf. Pachyrhizodus sp., Pachyrhizodontidae indet., Enchodus petrosus, E. ferox, E. cf. gladiolus, E. spp., Alepisauroidei indet.), two plesiosaurs (Polycotylidae indet., Plesiosauria indet.), and one mosasaurid (Tylosaurinae indet.). Based on the faunal assemblage, a Santonian–?early Campanian age is proposed. Lamniform sharks are the best represented group in terms of taxic diversity and relative abundance, probably reflecting the peak in diversity this group experienced following the Cenomanian radiation in the Late Cretaceous. The faunal assemblage of Akkermanovka exhibits significant taxonomic overlaps with assemblages reported from Asia and North America, but not from Southern Hemisphere continents, indicating east–west dispersal of several marine taxa during the Late Cretaceous.

Isotopic insights into the Early Acheulean (1.95 Ma–1.66 Ma) high-elevation paleoenvironments at Melka Kunture (Upper Awash Valley, Ethiopia)

In this paper, we present stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of fauna tooth enamel from Garba IVD (1.95 Ma) and Gombore IB (1.66 Ma), two Early Acheulean sites of Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia), and discuss faunal taxonomy and fossil pollen. Our aim is to infer the diet and habitat of the fossil fauna, as well as the environment of both sites, in order to provide a broader paleoecological reconstruction. During the Pleistocene, the vegetation of the highlands of Ethiopia belonged to the Dry evergreen Afromontane Forest and grassland complex, which is distinct from the savanna of lower elevations in eastern Africa. Our carbon isotopic results indicate that all the analyzed faunal taxa were grazers consuming C4 plants, whereas oxygen isotopic results discriminate the taxa according to their semiaquatic or terrestrial habitats. These results are consistent with the taxonomic composition of the faunal assemblages and the palynological results, suggesting extended mountain grasslands in the landscape at Garba IVD. In contrast, the carbon isotopic results do not totally agree with the pollen paleoenvironmental reconstruction at Gombore IB, where the open vegetation was interrupted by forests and bushy vegetation. Stable isotope and pollen data provide different outcomes (feeding strategies vs. nearby plants) and have different temporal and spatial resolutions. This is relevant when reconstructing past environments by using independent proxies. Furthermore, isotopic comparisons with other Early Pleistocene paleontological and archaeological sites from eastern Africa indicate that all the analyzed taxa in common fed on C4 plants and that their dietary strategies were not affected by variations linked to the difference in elevations.

Beaver exploitation, 400,000 years ago, testifies to prey choice diversity of Middle Pleistocene hominins

Data regarding the subsistence base of early hominins are heavily biased in favor of the animal component of their diets, in particular the remains of large mammals, which are generally much better preserved at archaeological sites than the bones of smaller animals, let alone the remains of plant food. Exploitation of smaller game is very rarely documented before the latest phases of the Pleistocene, which is often taken to imply narrow diets of archaic Homo and interpreted as a striking economic difference between Late Pleistocene and earlier hominins. We present new data that contradict this view of Middle Pleistocene Lower Palaeolithic hominins: cut mark evidence demonstrating systematic exploitation of beavers, identified in the large faunal assemblage from the c. 400,000 years old hominin site Bilzingsleben, in central Germany. In combination with a prime-age dominated mortality profile, this cut mark record shows that the rich beaver assemblage resulted from repetitive human hunting activities, with a focus on young adult individuals. The Bilzingsleben beaver exploitation evidence demonstrates a greater diversity of prey choice by Middle Pleistocene hominins than commonly acknowledged, and a much deeper history of broad-spectrum subsistence than commonly assumed, already visible in prey choices 400,000 years ago.

Solutrean macrofauna from Cova de les Cendres (Alicante, Spain): zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis

Zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis were performed on the macrofaunal remains from Solutrean levels XIII and XIV (ca. 17 and 20 ka cal BP) of Cova de les Cendres. The faunal assemblage shows predominance of red deer, followed by Spanish ibex and equids, among which wild ass (Equus hydruntinus) was identified. Carnivores are well represented in level XIII, especially the lynx, whereas they are very rare in level XIV. Different activities of the butchery process were documented in the main taxa, showing an intensive exploitation of different animal resources, such as meat, fur, and raw material for tools and ornaments. Our results provide new zooarchaeological data on the Solutrean hunting system and shed light on the human subsistence variations in response to late glacial climate changes in the central area of the Mediterranean Iberia.

Human settlement density, not late Holocene climate change, influenced Artiodactyla species abundance in northeastern California faunal assemblages

Variation in late Holocene artiodactyl (e.g., deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep) hunting in northern California has often been examined from a behavioral ecological perspective to understand past foraging and land-use practices and related changes in human behavior, including settlement patterns, technological change, social signaling, large-scale resource intensification, and anthropogenic resource depression. However, rarely are past climate records and proxies of human population density coupled with zooarchaeological estimates of artiodactyl abundance to evaluate the ecological and anthropogenic drivers of changes in species representation over time. To better understand changes in human behavior related to past large game hunting, we disentangle the causal relationships between late Holocene climate change, human demography, and artiodactyl abundance to assess whether climate change, human hunting, or both impacted the abundance of artiodactyls in zooarchaeological assemblages from northeastern California. We evaluate how climatic variability and inferred human settlement density impacted artiodactyl abundance using modeled paleoclimatic reconstructions, distributions of radiocarbon dates, and faunal data derived from 35 archaeological sites and 37,319 individual faunal specimens. Using piecewise structural equation models, we assess the direct and mediating effects between climate, human settlement density, and artiodactyl abundance and determine the individual effects of these variables on large game species representation in zooarchaeological assemblages. We find that expanding human settlement density and related increases in logistical foraging—not late Holocene climate change—directly impacts the relative abundance of artiodactyls in these assemblages. Moreover, our findings reveal that the effects of climate change are entirely mediated through human settlement density. While our study is unable to decipher if observed changes in human behavior were motivated by goals related to energetic maximization or costly signaling, our study does provide a useful framework for separating the effects of human- and climate-induced explanations for variation in species composition in faunal assemblages.

Evidence of diverse animal exploitation during the Middle Paleolithic at Ghar-e Boof (southern Zagros)

Although Middle Paleolithic (MP) hominin diets consisted mainly of ungulates, increasing evidence demonstrates that hominins at least occasionally consumed tortoises, birds, leporids, fish, and carnivores. Until now, the MP zooarchaeological record in the Zagros Mountains has been almost exclusively restricted to ungulates. The narrow range of hominin prey may reflect socioeconomic decisions and/or environmental constraints, but could also result from a research bias favoring the study of large prey, since archaeologists have undertaken no systematic taphonomic analyses of small game or carnivores in the region. Here, we report on the first comprehensive taphonomic analysis of an MP faunal assemblage from Ghar-e Boof (∼ 81–45 kyr), a Late Pleistocene site in the southern Zagros of Iran. Anthropogenic bone surface modifications point to hominins as the main agent of accumulation. Hominins preyed primarily on ungulates, particularly wild goat. However, we also found evidence for MP hominin exploitation of carnivores and tortoises at the site. Although small game represents only a minor portion of the diet, our results suggest that the hunting behavior of MP hominins in the Zagros was more diverse than previously thought, similar to what we find elsewhere in Eurasia.

A new eryopid temnospondyl from the Carboniferous–Permian boundary of Germany

AbstractA new eryopid temnospondyl, Stenokranio boldi n. gen. n. sp. is described based on well-preserved cranial and postcranial material from fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the Permo-Carboniferous (Gzhelian/Asselian) Remigiusberg Formation at the Remigiusberg quarry near Kusel, Saar–Nahe Basin, southwest Germany. The new taxon is characterized by three autapomorphies within the Eryopidae: (1) the relatively narrow posterior skull table, therefore nearly parallel lateral margins of the skull; (2) the short postparietals and tabulars; and (3) the wide ectopterygoid. Phylogenetic analysis reveals a monophyletic Eryopidae with the basal taxa Osteophorus, Glaukerpeton, and Onchiodon labyrinthicus forming a polytomy. Actinodon may be either a basal eryopid or a stereospondylomorph, and the genus Onchiodon is not monophyletic. Stenokranio n. gen. is found as a more derived eryopid forming the sister taxon to Eryops. Stenokranio n. gen. was among the largest predators of the Saar–Nahe Basin. Its semiaquatic lifestyle enabled Stenokranio n. gen. to browse riverbanks and lake shorelines for prey, but most likely it fed on aquatic vertebrates. Stenokranio n. gen. was part of a faunal assemblage of aquatic, semiaquatic, and fully terrestrial vertebrates, such as sarcopterygian and actinopterygian fishes, xenacanthid sharks, a dvinosaurian temnospondyl, different “lepospondyls”, diadectomorphs, and synapsids. This is in general accordance with the vertebrate community from the Permo-Carboniferous of North America and from the early Permian localities of Manebach (Thuringian Forest Basin) and Niederhäslich (Döhlen Basin). It is notable that the occurrence of Stenokranio n. gen. and other eryopids in these localities excluded the presence of other large temnospondyls such as Sclerocephalus. However, a previously described isolated eryopid mandible from the Remigiusberg locality differs from that of Stenokranio n. gen. in several characters, implying that probably two different eryopid taxa lived at the same locality.UUID: www.zoobank.org/88a52547-d6fc-40af-965c-a6786c252ed5

Socio-environmental implications of shifting subsistence practices at Diallowali, a Late Stone Age site system in the Middle Senegal Valley

In this paper we present the results of archaeological research at the Late Stone Age site of Diallowali, located along the western edge of the Middle Senegal Valley, northern Senegal. As the occupation spans the period between 3100-2400 years BP, it is contemporary with few other West African sites, and therefore represents a unique – and uniquely detailed – archive. Excavations conducted between 2014–2017 revealed deeply stratified and dense deposits, yielding more than 5,000kg of pottery and 169kg of faunal material – the largest faunal assemblage of any site in West Africa. Thus, the present study focuses on the zooarchaeological data and their implications for shifting environmental conditions, subsistence practices, and social institutions at the site. The faunal assemblage reflects the exploitation of a remarkable diversity of wild animals, including a range of bovids, suids, carnivores, rodents, hippopotami, birds, and various aquatic resources – representing local conditions at the end of the African Humid Period. Interestingly, the consistent presence of domestic livestock, as well as Bos taurus figurines and ceramic ‘arm-bands’ throughout the occupation support a connection to Saharan agro-pastoral communities possibly escaping the Late Holocene aridification. Therefore, the keeping of low numbers of Bostaurus and Ovis/Capra, while maintaining a high reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants, likely functioned as a risk-buffering strategy to manage against environmentally unpredictable periods.