European Pleistocene Research Articles

Morphometry of a partial Late Pleistocene dhole (Cuon alpinus europaeus (Bourguignat, 1868); Carnivora, Canidae) skeleton from Llonin Cave (Asturias, Spain) and its taphonomic origin

In this paper, we present the remains of a single dhole discovered in three Late Pleistocene levels (Cono Posterior sector) of Llonin Cave, in Asturias (Spain). Said remains consist of the partial skeleton of an adult individual, showing small-sized dentition with a high degree of hypercarnivorism, typical of populations with derived traits from the Late Pleistocene in Europe. Morphometric analysis of the bone assemblage reveals that it belongs to the subspecies Cuon alpinus europaeus (Bourguignat, 1868). A direct dating on a dhole bone has provided a date of 29231 ± 387 BP and confirms its archaeological stratigraphic position associated with the Gravettian phase of the site. The taphonomic history of the dhole assemblage and their spatial distribution provides information about the interaction processes and cave occupation dynamics by these canids and by prehistoric human groups.

Re-investigation of fossil Lemmini specimens from the early and Middle Pleistocene of Western and Central Europe: Evolutionary and paleoenvironmental implications

The current study focuses on the emblematic Myopus/Lemmus species complex (tribe Lemmini) in the European Pleistocene fossil record. The members of the two genera occupy distinct ecological niches and have different external appearances, but they are remarkably similar in their dental morphology, so that they were commonly thought of as undistinguishable in the fossil record. Thus, more or less all European Lemmini fossils have been assigned to the genus Lemmus. In the Early Pleistocene site of Schernfeld (Germany), the species Lemmus kowalskii had been described. It was thought by some authors that all Lemmini from Early to late Middle Pleistocene belong to this species.In the current study, we investigated Lemmini molar morphology from Western and Central European sites including Schernfeld (Early Pleistocene), Sackdillinger Höhle (Sackdilling Cave), and Koněprusy C718 (both early Middle Pleistocene), as well as other fossil localities with fewer specimens, formerly assigned to Lemmus kowalskii. Using an extensive modern referential material of Lemmus and Myopus, this study proposes to re-evaluate taxonomic status of the Middle and Early Pleistocene Lemmini. This modern referential also allows a better understanding of the morphology of Lemmus kowalskii specimens and its variability.Our results highlight the very high variation within fossil populations, as well as significant statistical differences between populations of the Early and Middle Pleistocene localities. A large part of these fossil specimens is firmly identified as Myopus sp., including the L. kowalskii holotype. Our identifications demonstrate that in most Early and Middle Pleistocene sites considered in this study, both genera (Lemmus and Myopus) are present. Possible interpretations and consequences for current view of lemming history are discussed, as well as some of the paleoecological and paleoenvironmental implications.

Ecospace occupancy and disparity in Pleistocene large carnivorans of Europe and implications for hominin dispersal and ecological role

The evolution of large mammal faunas during the Pleistocene of Europe has been widely investigated using taxonomical and/or ecological-functional categories, with special emphasis on the implications for reconstructing hominin dispersal and ecological role. Here, an ecospace modelling approach is for the first time applied to Pleistocene carnivorans of Europe. Examining ecospace occupancy and disparity through time effectively conveys major aspects of faunal dynamics, while offering new insights into species relationships from a trait-space-explicit perspective. Several replacements occurred within-family and concerned species of similar functional role, but between-family competition was also important, especially for hyaenids. When hominins first dispersed into Europe during the Early Pleistocene, carnivorans of middle size that are deemed either highly social active hunters or primarily scavengers were both lacking, a substantial ecospace vacuum that could have been filled by the newcomers. Hominins then became widespread since the Middle Pleistocene, when a decrease of ecospace density is documented. This suggests that adaptability, mainly behavioural for hominins, ecomorphological for other species, might have been key for survival, especially in the more unstable conditions encountered since the latest Early Pleistocene. The uncertainty in categorising the ecology of extinct species is a limitation shared with previous studies, but reducing this multidimensional problem to one ecospace facilitates addressing the main pattern and future assessment.

Contributions and Limitations of a Technomorphometric Approach for Cleavers: The Case of Lanne-Darré (Hautes-Pyrénées)

ABSTRACT Research relating to cleavers can help to characterize the Middle Pleistocene European technocultural landscape, via a technomorphometric approach that provides insights into this tool’s composite involvement. A sample of 47 cleavers from the Lanne-Darré site were observed through two scales of technomorphometric analyses. When the studied entities are the entire tools, technomorphometric links are rarely perceptible; moreover, attributing them to specific usage is impossible given the current state of knowledge. Edge-scale analysis, however, is able to highlight significant relations between technical choices and shape. The transversal cutting edge specific to cleavers, directly resulting from the blank’s debitage, revealed recurrent morphologic and morphometric similarities, though differences remained in the nature and organization of other cleaver's parts. Four technico-structural tools groups were determined from these heterogeneous organizations, that differ from J. Tixier’s technotypology. Finally, the proposed technomorphometric approach provides new elements for understanding the structural place of cleavers in technical systems .

The bay barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854) in the Pleistocene of Europe? A review of Pleistocene Balanidae of northern Central Europe

ABSTRACTThe bay barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854) has been found in Northern Germany in brackish marine sediments of the Holsteinian interglacial. Whereas the cause of the contemporary distribution of this species is anthropogenic and there is evidence that it has resulted mainly from shipping, the fossil findings demonstrate that A. improvisus had also already reached Europe naturally during the Pleistocene in Europe, probably via the Gulf Stream system of the Atlantic. Today, A. improvisus is considered one of the most successful aquatic invasive species worldwide and it is characterized by a high environmental tolerance. The ingression of the Holsteinian Sea, during the Pleistocene, took place during the climate optimum from the North Sea into the ‘Elbe Estuary’ through the Hamburg region and far to the south‐east into Brandenburg. It has been possible to reconstruct the palaeo‐ecological conditions based in particular on molluscs. Accordingly, environmental conditions ranged from normal marine in the north, via brackish in the transitional area to limnic–fluviatile in the Berlin region. The morphological features of the bay barnacles and their ecological parameters are described here in detail. In addition, we provide a general review of the known Pleistocene Balanidae in northern central Europe.

Pleistocene Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823) in the Iberian Peninsula: new evidence and a complete review

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus Cuvier, 1823) is a medium-sized ursid that currently mostly inhabits environments of dense foliage and forests in southern and eastern Asia. This species is currently extinct in Europe, but during the Middle Pleistocene and the beginning of the Late Pleistocene its distribution was wider and reached until Southern Siberia, the Ural Mountains, Caucasus and western Europe. The main objective of this work is to provide a detailed description of all the Ursus thibetanus remains from the Iberian Peninsula, describing for the first time the new remains, and discuss the chronological framework of the presence of this taxon in the largest of the southern European peninsulas. The Iberian Peninsula has yielded paleontological evidence of this taxon in five sites (Bolomor, Koskobilo, La Llanera, Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja), and we present new paleontological evidence from the latter three sites, which is important due to the scarcity of U. thibetanus fossil remains. We compare the morphology of these new remains with both European Pleistocene fossils and recent U. thibetanus. Up until recently, its distribution in Iberia was thought to be restricted to the East of the Iberian Peninsula. But the recent identification of U. thibetanus remains in Koskobilo (Navarre) and in La Llanera (Oviedo) has resulted in a wider distribution of this species than what was previously thought. The dental remains from Koskobilo, La Llanera, Villavieja, Bolomor and Cau d'en Borràs fit well within the Pleistocene U. thibetanus from Europe morphologically and metrically. Some Iberian remains are morphologically similar to previously described U. thibetanus Pleistocene fossil subspecies. A M2 from Bolomor is morphologically closer to U. t. mediterraneus (MIS 7), and a M2 from Koskobilo is similar to U. t. kurteni (MIS 6–7). The postcranial fossil remains from Cau d'en Borràs and Villavieja fit well within the recent U. thibetanus range of variation. Except for the remains from Bolomor (MIS 5e and MIS 7), the rest of the Iberian U. thibetanus fossils are difficult to ascribe chronologically. Based on other biochronological proxies, Cau d'en Borràs and Koskobilo can tentatively be assigned to the MIS 7–5 range, Villavieja could be assigned to MIS 13–5, and La Llanera is probably the oldest record of U. thibetanus in Iberia (MIS 15–13). However, until new direct datings are performed on the sites, the proposed chronologies should be regarded with caution.

Sub-speciation processes of equids in the Iberian Peninsula: Ecological strategies and refuge areas

Equus is a genus that have generated a lot of debate among the scientific community. Its complex taxonomy led to the set-up of many forms that are questioned nowadays. In Upper Pleistocene Europe, several subspecies have been described in order to qualify chronological evolutions or geographical adaptations. In Peninsulas, while several subspecies have been defined, their connection to the main continental equids are not well-known. The site of Canyars in northeastern Iberian Peninsula has yield numerous remains of Equus caballus and Equus hydruntinus in very good preservation state. According to the mortality profile of E. caballus, it is likely that they experienced a catastrophic death before being scavenged by biological agencies, such as hyenas. While the European donkey can be attributed to the subspecies E. h. davidi, the horse seems to differ from the continental sub-contemporaneous cohorts. The differentiation in the sub-speciation processes between E. hydruntinus and E. caballus may be related to their ecological strategies and dependence to refuge areas.

The Latest Occurrence of Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis (Rhinocerotidae) in Europe: The Skeletons from the Cova del Rinoceront Site (Castelldefels, Barcelona)

New rhino remains recovered from Cova del Rinoceront (Castelldefels, Barcelona) confirm the presence of Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis (Toula, 1902) at the site and the taxon’s persistence until the late Middle–early Upper Pleistocene in Europe, that is, its latest documented occurrence. The three individuals recovered from the site are compared with specimens of other Pleistocene species, including those of S. hemitoechus, S. kirchbergensis and Coelodonta antiquitatis, but their anatomical characteristics (a long skull, moderate occipital elevation, partial nasal septum, and slender zygomatic arch) do not coincide with the latter’s documented features. Certain similarities are found with the most frequently occurring rhinocerotid at that time in the Iberian Peninsula, S. hemitoechus, but the cranial features of the latter differ. The anatomical characteristics of the Cova del Rinoceront individuals coincide most closely with those of S. hundsheimensis (i.e., a high occipital face, with rounded proximolateral angles and oblique lateral borders, as well as the frontoparietal angle, and facial development). Despite the marked overlaps in the general measurements of S. hundsheimensis and S. hemitoechus, many (cranial and postcranial) dimensions of the Cova del Rinoceront individuals coincide more closely with those of the former, although some bone proportions are more similar to those of the latter specimens. Therefore, S. kirchbergensis and C. antiquitatis can be discarded as they tend to be larger, more robust species.

Antler working by the last European Pleistocene hunter-gatherers of Santimamiñe cave (Northern Iberian Peninsula): technological implications of osseous equipment during the Magdalenian

This paper assesses the exploitation of osseous raw materials, namely antler, used by hunter-gatherer populations in the Late Upper Palaeolithic of Santimamiñe cave. The different categories of products (waste products, blanks, and finished objects) are analysed from a technological perspective to identify the fabrication methods employed by Magdalenian groups. A predominant operational scheme is identified, extraction by the double grooving procedure, related to the production of highly standardised rods. This study will allow us to explore possible cultural variations in the application of this procedure. It also addresses other aspects in relation to the circulation of osseous implements, the mobility of hunter-gatherer groups, and the useful life of the weapons, as regard maintenance and discard behaviour.

Lost in the collections. A critical re-appraisal on Equus major provides a new perspective on the paleobiogeography of the Plio-Pleistocene European equids and on the Equus Datum

Despite its description at the end of the XIX Century, the alpha-taxonomy, paleobiogeography and biochronology of Equus major remains obscure and ill-defined, leaving a gap of knowledge in the evolutionary history of the Eurasian Palearctic Early Pleistocene Equus species. In this contribution, we describe the Early Pleistocene E. major samples from Pardines and Senèze, providing a comparison by multivariate and statistical analyses with the Early and Middle Pleistocene European stenonid fossil Equus species. Moreover, we explore the paleoecology of E. major by mesowear and body mass estimates, comparing its palaeobiogeographic distribution with European paleoclimatic conditions during the Early Pleistocene. Our outcomes help to clarify the fossil record of E. major, leading to our interpretation that it was the largest Early Pleistocene Equus in Europe, it had a browse-dominated to mixed-feeding diet and was well adapted to humid and forested parts of Europe during the earliest Pleistocene. Eventually, the comparison of our paleoclimatic map with the European fossil record provides new insights in understanding their distribution in time and space during the Early Pleistocene, allowing to clarify details surrounding the Equus Datum in Western Eurasia.

Teeth Enamel Ultrastructural Analysis of Selected Equidae Taxa

This paper presents historical and evolutionary insights into the “tarpan” group of small horses by examining molar tooth enamel ultrastructure. Mathematical methodologies were applied to enhance the analysis. Tooth enamel from species such as Equus gmelini (tarpan), E. latipes, and E. hydruntinus from Pleistocene Ukrainian localities, E. przewalskii from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, and E. caballus form sylvaticus (Polish konik) from Roztocze National Park, Poland, underwent scanning microscope examination. Measurements of enamel structures, including prisms (PE) and interprismatic matrix (IPM), were conducted, with the K-index used as their ratio, categorized by enamel type (I, II, III). The findings confirmed that the crystal structures of enamel in these horse groups vary based on genus evolution, diet, and environmental conditions, shaping the enamel’s morphological features. Through analysis, clusters were identified, allowing for potential reconstructions of relationships among study groups. The results revealed distinct differences between species, enabling their classification within an established phenogram. Two primary clusters emerged: one consisting of extinct small horse forms from diverse localities and another grouping modern forms. Notably, the Late Pleistocene European species E. latipes showed close affinities to the latter cluster.

Increase on environmental seasonality through the European Early Pleistocene inferred from dental enamel hypoplasia

An in-depth study of the Early Pleistocene European remains of Hippopotamus has allowed the first detailed description of the incidence and types of dental alterations related to palaeopathologies and potentially linked to climatic and environmental factors. The results of a long-term qualitative and quantitative assessment highlight the importance of nutrient deficiencies on the development of dental enamel hypoplasia in Hippopotamus. Glacial cyclicity and the resulting changes in humidity and plant community structure conditioned the local environments critical for the survival of this taxon. Two main intervals of putative constrained nutritionally restrictions were detected at ca. 1.8 Ma and ca. 0.86 Ma (i.e., MIS63 and MIS21, respectively). Statistical comparisons show an increase in the frequency of dental hypoplasia between these two chronological periods, thus reinforcing the idea of increased seasonality in the circum-Mediterranean environments during the Early Pleistocene.

Equus suessenbornensis from Akhalkalaki (Georgia, Caucasus): a review with new insights on the paleoecology, paleobiogeography and evolution of the palearctic large-sized equids during the Early – Middle Pleistocene Transition

Equus suessebornensis is one of the most intriguing species of the Early and Middle Pleistocene Eurasian Equus. Although it was described from the Middle Pleistocene site of Süssenborn, in recent years its biochronological correlation has been extended to the Early Pleistocene, raising a debate in the scientific community. In this contribution, we provide a complete ontogenically-based description of the Akhalkalaki E. suessenbornensis samples, and we compare it by multivariate and statistical analyses with the Early and Middle Pleistocene European fossil record. Moreover, we provide new paleoecological insights utilizing body mass, mesowear and net primary productivity estimates. Our outcomes provide a new perspective on the E. suessenbornensis morphology and variability, but also new interpretations for its paleoecology, biochronology, paleobiogeography and evolution. Eventually, these results provide a reassessment of equid evolution during the Early – Middle Pleistocene Transition in Western Eurasia, a critical period for the dynamics of the Quaternary faunas and paleoenvironments.

Coastal raptors and raiders: New bird tracks in the Pleistocene of SW iberian Peninsula

Avian traces occurring in Pleistocene aeolianite and beach deposits are rare and relatively poorly known, despite being good paleoenvironmental indicators. Passeriform and raptorial birds are especially rare in the track fossil record. Exceptional tracksites were found in the Malhão formation, a Pleistocene coastal aeolianite unit from the SW mainland Portugal, with subunits in the interval ∼187 to ∼27 ka. Two new forms of avian traces were identified, Corvidichnus odemirensis and Buboichnus vicentinus - attributed to the locomotion of Western jackdaw and the locomotion and predation/feeding behaviour of a large Eagle-owl. The last trace fossil may correspond to the first evidence of a raptorial bird-prey interaction found in action in the fossil record. Typical shorebird tracks and trackways attributed to gulls (Laridae) and curlews, and others tentatively compared with Rallidae, such as Eurasian coot, are also discussed within the aeolianite ichnoassemblages. The tracks here described are the first avian ichnotaxa from the Pleistocene of Europe.

A review on the Pleistocene occurrences and palaeobiology of Hippopotamus antiquus based on the record from the Barranc de la Boella Section (Francolí Basin, NE Iberia)

The study of European Pleistocene Hippopotamus presents unresolved questions and a lack of consensus among specialists being matter of hotly debate in the last decades. The number of taxa, their geographical and chronological distribution and their palaeobiological affinities are still under evaluation. The present work presents the results of comparative analyses using descriptive anatomy, linear biometry and geometric morphometrics of Hippopotamus specimens found in the archaeopalaeontological outcrops of the Barranc de la Boella Section (Francolí Basin, NE Iberian Peninsula) and other coeval European sites in the context of the record of the genus Hippopotamus in Europe and its putative migrations from Africa. The deposits from Barranc de la Boella Section documented for the first time the presence of hominids with Acheulian technology and hippos roughly coinciding with the Early-Middle Pleistocene Transition (EMPT), one of the periods with strongest climate asymmetry throughout the Pleistocene. The evaluation of the studied specimens and the other European record favor the consideration of Hippopotamus antiquus as the only taxon of its family present in Europe from the Early Pleistocene (ca. 2.1 Ma) to the mid-Middle Pleistocene (ca. 0.4 Ma), when the extant species (Hippopotamus amphibius) dispersed from Africa. Even so, there is a need for a more detailed understanding of the large intraspecific variability and sexual dimorphism reported within the genus Hippopotamus to characterise the phenotype of individuals in its populations across different chronologies, geographic locations, and environmental conditions. The detailed review of the distribution of H. antiquus during the EMPT raises the possibility that the Iberian and Italic peninsulas acted as climatic refugia for its populations strongly dependents of the aquatic environment during the coldest climatic stages (e.g. MIS 22).

Chronology and distribution of Central and Eastern European Pleistocene rhinoceroses (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) – A review

The family Rhinocerotidae is a key component of the Cenozoic European fauna. It reached its peak diversity during Miocene and began to decline in the Pliocene; the last representatives became extinct in Europe during the Quaternary. The present state-of-the-art review takes stock of the knowledge accumulated on Central and Eastern European Pleistocene rhinos to date. Eight species were present in Central and Eastern Europe in the Quaternary; five belonged to the genus Stephanorhinus (S. etruscus, S. jeanvireti, S. hundsheimensis, S. hemitoechus, and S. kirchbergensis), one was the woolly rhino Coelodonta antiquitatis, and two species were members of the genus Elasmotherium (E. peii and E. caucasicum). This review also offered the opportunity to critically reconsider some aspects of the systematics and stratigraphic location of the finds. Coelodonta antiquitatis is shown to have still been present as late as the Interplenivistulian and the Last Glacial Maximum; radiocarbon dating of its latest remains provided the timing of the final disappearance of the woolly rhino from the studied region. The Late Pleistocene distribution of Coelodonta antiquitatis in Central and Eastern Europe was found to largely overlap that of the woolly mammoth.

Characterising the cave bear Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller by ZooMS: a review of peptide mass fingerprinting markers

ABSTRACTIn the last decade, the identification of bone fragments by peptide mass fingerprinting or zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry is developing as a powerful tool in Quaternary palaeontology. The sequence of amino acids that make up the bone collagen molecule shows slight variations between taxa, which can be studied by mass spectrometry for taxonomic purposes. This requires reference databases that allow peptide identification. Although the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller, 1794) is a common component in many European Pleistocene cave sites, no peptide fingerprint taxonomic study has paid special attention to this species up to now. For peptide markers in Ursidae, the most recent proposal is based on collagen obtained from a modern brown bear sample. In this work we attempt to cover this gap by studying bone collagen of cave and brown bear samples from different origins and different chronology, applying matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF). We also performed an in-silico study of ursid bone collagen sequences published in databases. In our results we detected some discrepancies between the peptides obtained from both in silico and MALDI TOF analysis of fossil collagen and those published in the literature, in which we conclude that there are some misidentified peptides. The identification of skeletal remains by means of their peptide fingerprint is proving to be a powerful tool in palaeontology, which will bear greater fruit once the limitations of a technique that is in its initial stages have been overcome.

Earliest bison dispersal in Western Palearctic: Insights from the Eobison record from Pietrafitta (Early Pleistocene, central Italy)

The late Villafranchian is one of the pivotal timespans in the succession of Pleistocene European faunal assemblages, setting the bases for the major faunal renewal that characterized the continent during the Epivillafranchian. Bison is one of the most important and successful large mammals to spread in Europe at the latest stages of the Early Pleistocene. Here we describe the remains of a large bovid from the late Villafranchian site of Pietrafitta (ca. 1.5 Ma), previously attributed to Leptobos. Our analyses allow to refer this sample to the genus Bison. The primitive characters featured by this sample suggest the attribution to the subgenus Eobison, a long-debated taxon which includes all the earliest forms of Bison. At Pietrafitta, thus, one of the largest and most complete record of primitive Bison is recorded. The vague diagnosis and confused taxonomic history of Eobison called for a reappraisal of its status. We present a re-definition of the diagnostic characters and a review of the Eurasian record of Eobison with a focus on the late Villafranchian samples from the Mediterranean area. We recognize at least three valid species of Eobison remarking, however, the extreme morphological variability of this group. The comparative analysis of Eobison and its closest relatives (i.e., Leptobos and Bison s.s.), confirms that both the leptobovine and bisontine clades underwent to an increase of stoutness of the appendicular skeleton in response to the shrinking of forested habitats and the onset of colder, arid climate during the Pleistocene.

Reassessment of the human mandible from Banyoles (Girona, Spain)

Since the discovery of a human mandible in 1887 near the present-day city of Banyoles, northeastern Spain, researchers have generally emphasized its archaic features, including the lack of chin structures, and suggested affinities with the Neandertals or European Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) specimens. Uranium-series and electron spin resonance dating suggest the mandible dates to the Late Pleistocene (Tarantian), approximately ca. 45–66 ka. In this study, we reassessed the taxonomic affinities of the Banyoles mandible by comparing it to samples of Middle Pleistocene fossils from Africa and Europe, Neandertals, Early and Upper Paleolithic modern humans, and recent modern humans. We evaluated the frequencies and expressions of morphological features and performed a three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis on a virtual reconstruction of Banyoles to capture overall mandibular shape. Our results revealed no derived Neandertal morphological features in Banyoles. While a principal component analysis based on Euclidean distances from the first two principal components clearly grouped Banyoles with both fossil and recent Homo sapiens individuals, an analysis of the Procrustes residuals demonstrated that Banyoles did not fit into any of the comparative groups. The lack of Neandertal features in Banyoles is surprising considering its Late Pleistocene age. A consideration of the Middle Pleistocene fossil record in Europe and southwest Asia suggests that Banyoles is unlikely to represent a late-surviving Middle Pleistocene population. The lack of chin structures also complicates an assignment to H. sapiens, although early fossil H. sapiens do show somewhat variable development of the chin structures. Thus, Banyoles represents a non-Neandertal Late Pleistocene European individual and highlights the continuing signal of diversity in the hominin fossil record. The present situation makes Banyoles a prime candidate for ancient DNA or proteomic analyses, which may shed additional light on its taxonomic affinities.

Multi-isotope zooarchaeological investigations at Abri du Maras: The paleoecological and paleoenvironmental context of Neanderthal subsistence strategies in the Rhône Valley during MIS 3

The exploitation of mid- and large-sized herbivores (ungulates) was central to hominin subsistence across Late Pleistocene Europe. Reconstructing the paleoecology of prey-taxa is key to better understanding procurement strategies, decisions and behaviors, and the isotope analysis of faunal bones and teeth found at archaeological sites represent a powerful means of accessing information about past faunal behaviors. These isotope zooarchaeological approaches also have a near-unique ability to reveal environmental conditions contemporary to the human activities that produced these remains. Here, we present the results of a multi-isotope, multitissue study of ungulate remains from the Middle Paleolithic site of Abri du Maras, southern France, providing new insights into the living landscapes of the Rhône Valley during MIS 3 (level 4.2 = 55 ± 2 to 42 ± 3 ka; level 4.1 = 46 ± 3 to 40 ± 3 ka). Isotope data (carbon, nitrogen) reveal the dietary niches of different ungulate taxa, including the now-extinct giant deer (Megaloceros). Oxygen isotope data are consistent with a mild seasonal climate during level 4.2, where horse (Equus), bison (Bison), and red deer (Cervus elaphus) were exploited year-round. Strontium and sulfur isotope analyses provide new evidence for behavioral plasticity in Late Pleistocene European reindeer (Rangifer) between level 4.2 and level 4.1, indicating a change from the migratory to the sedentary ecotype. In level 4.1, the strong seasonal nature of reindeer exploitation, combined with their nonmigratory behavior, is consistent with a seasonally restricted use of the site by Neanderthals at that time or the preferential hunting of reindeer when in peak physical condition during the autumn.