Aprovechamiento integral de guanacos en Península Valdés, prov. del Chubut. Estudio arqueofaunístico del sitio La Armonía (Muestreo 2)

Se presentan los resultados del análisis arqueofaunístico de los restos óseos de guanaco recogidos en el Muestreo 2 del sitio de superficie “La Armonía”, ubicado en una hoyada entre médanos a trescientos metros del mar en la costa del golfo San Matías, Península Valdés, Argentina. El muestreo, de 4 m de lado, también aportó 891 artefactos líticos variados, tiestos y materiales faunísticos correspondientes a moluscos, peces, aves, roedores y mamíferos marinos. Los restos de guanaco fueron dominantes, alcanzando un NISP de 1.151 especímenes y una densidad de 107 especímenes/m². Un total de 555 fragmentos y astillas óseas también serían de esta especie. Se discriminó un MNI de 12 individuos: dos crías de aproximadamente dos a tres meses, nueve adultos y un senil. La edad de las crías indica ocupación en verano. Diversos análisis y controles indicaron que los restos de guanaco estarían relacionados con una misma ocupación. No se registraron suficientes evidencias como para afirmar su asociación cultural con los demás materiales faunísticos y artefactuales, aunque no se descarta esa posibilidad. Se dataron huesos de guanaco que arrojaron una edad de 460 ± 40 años 14C A.P./1305-1447 años cal A.D. (2 sigmas). Los restos de guanaco presentaron evidencias de procesamiento primario a terciario e importante proporción de marcas de carnívoros. Se propone que el muestreo representaría un área de descarte secundario o basural de una ocupación veraniega de tipo campamento- base, de varios días de duración.La Armonía Site is located in a sand dune environment 300 m from the sea on the San Matías gulf coast, Península Valdés, Argentina. In this paper we present the results of the archaeofaunal analyses of guanaco bones of the La Armonía Site Sample 2, from which 891 lithic artifacts, ceramics and faunal materials of molluscs, fish, birds, rodents, and marine mammals were also recovered. Guanaco bones dominated the faunal assemblage, with 1,151 specimens and a density of 107 specimens/m². The MNI demonstrated the presence of 12 guanacos: nine adults, two offspring and one old adult. Guanacos are represented by all skeletal parts of different economic value. Eighty two percent of specimens were extensively broken, especially the long bones. Seven hundred and fifty two specimens showed different kind of marks; some related to butchering and/or meat and marrow extraction, others related to carnivore and rodent action, and the rest exhibiting more than one kind of mark. Carnivore action was important: 35% of the specimens were attacked by scavengers. A sample of guanaco bones was dated to 460 ± 40 years 14C BP/1305-1447 years cal AD (2 sigmas). We argue that La Armonía Site Sample 2 represents a primary and secondary guanaco bone discard area of a base camp occupied in the warm season over several days.Fil: Gomez Otero, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; ArgentinaFil: Marani, Hernán Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Sede Puerto Madryn; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Sergio Iván. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentin

Cranial morphology of the late Oligocene Patagonian notohippid Rhynchippus equinus Ameghino, 1897 (Mammalia, Notoungulata) with emphases in basicranial and auditory region

"Notohippidae" is a probably paraphyletic family of medium sized notoungulates with complete dentition and early tendency to hypsodonty. They have been recorded from early Eocene to early Miocene, being particularly diverse by the late Oligocene. Although Rhynchippus equinus Ameghino is one of the most frequent notohippids in the fossil record, there are scarce data about cranial osteology other than the classical descriptions which date back to the early last century. In this context, we describe the exceptionally preserved specimen MPEF PV 695 (based on CT scanning technique and 3D reconstruction) with the aim of improving our knowledge of the species, especially regarding auditory region (petrosal, tympanic and surrounding elements), sphenoidal and occipital complexes. Besides a modular description of the whole skull, osteological correlates identified on the basicranium are used to infer some soft-tissue elements, especially those associated with vessels that supply the head, mainly intracranially. One of the most informative elements was the petrosal bone, whose general morphology matches that expected for a toxodont. The endocranial surface, together with the surrounding parietal, basisphenoid, occipital, and squamosal, enabled us to propose the location and communication of main venous sinuses of the lateral head wall (temporal, inferior and sigmoid sinuses), whereas the tympanic aspect and the identification of a posterior carotid artery canal provided strong evidence in support of an intratympanic course of the internal carotid artery, a controversial issue among notoungulates. Regarding the arrangement of tympanic and paratympanic spaces, the preservation of the specimen allowed us to appreciate the three connected spaces that constitute a heavily pneumatized middle ear; the epitympanic sinus, the tympanic cavity itself, and the ventral expansion of the tympanic cavity through the notably inflated bullae. We hope this study stimulates further inquires and provides potentially informative data for future research involving other representatives of the order.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Cranial morphology of the late Oligocene Patagonian notohippid Rhynchippus equinus Ameghino, 1897 (Mammalia, Notoungulata) with emphases in basicranial and auditory region

"Notohippidae" is a probably paraphyletic family of medium sized notoungulates with complete dentition and early tendency to hypsodonty. They have been recorded from early Eocene to early Miocene, being particularly diverse by the late Oligocene. Although Rhynchippus equinus Ameghino is one of the most frequent notohippids in the fossil record, there are scarce data about cranial osteology other than the classical descriptions which date back to the early last century. In this context, we describe the exceptionally preserved specimen MPEF PV 695 (based on CT scanning technique and 3D reconstruction) with the aim of improving our knowledge of the species, especially regarding auditory region (petrosal, tympanic and surrounding elements), sphenoidal and occipital complexes. Besides a modular description of the whole skull, osteological correlates identified on the basicranium are used to infer some soft-tissue elements, especially those associated with vessels that supply the head, mainly intracranially. One of the most informative elements was the petrosal bone, whose general morphology matches that expected for a toxodont. The endocranial surface, together with the surrounding parietal, basisphenoid, occipital, and squamosal, enabled us to propose the location and communication of main venous sinuses of the lateral head wall (temporal, inferior and sigmoid sinuses), whereas the tympanic aspect and the identification of a posterior carotid artery canal provided strong evidence in support of an intratympanic course of the internal carotid artery, a controversial issue among notoungulates. Regarding the arrangement of tympanic and paratympanic spaces, the preservation of the specimen allowed us to appreciate the three connected spaces that constitute a heavily pneumatized middle ear; the epitympanic sinus, the tympanic cavity itself, and the ventral expansion of the tympanic cavity through the notably inflated bullae. We hope this study stimulates further inquires and provides potentially informative data for future research involving other representatives of the order.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Tinamous Exploitation Pattern in the Norpatagonian Coast (Argentina) during the Late Holocene

En los últimos años se ha enfatizado la necesidad de evaluar el papel que tuvieron las aves de pequeño porte en la subsistencia de los cazadores-recolectores terrestres. En Patagonia septentrional, si bien se señaló su presencia en diferentes sitios arqueológicos, no se discutió verdaderamente su uso para la subsistencia. En este trabajo se presenta el análisis de restos de tinámidos recuperados en un conchero de la localidad arqueológica de Paesani (sondeo 5), costa Norpatagónica (Río Negro, Argentina), correspondiente al Holoceno tardío. El buen estado de preservación del conjunto avifaunístico permitió realizar una minuciosa identificación anatómica y taxonómica, así como el reconocimiento de huellas de corte permitiendo indagar acerca de los modos de procesamiento de presas de pequeño porte para su consumo.The need of evaluating the role played by small-sized birds in the subsistence of hunter-gatherer groups has been emphasized in recent years. Although their presence has been noted in different archaeological sites in northern Patagonia, their use as a subsistence resource has not been fully discussed. This paper presents the analysis of late Holocene Tinamous remains retrieved from a shell midden at the archaeological locality Paesani (site 5), north Patagonian coast (Río Negro, Argentina). Detailed anatomical identification and adequate taxonomic and cutting marks recognition was possible given the good state of preservation of the entire avifaunal record, thus providing clues about the food processing patterns of small prey.Fil: Marani, Hernán Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Borella, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Paleontológicas del Cuaternario Pampeano; Argentin

El cráneo más completo de Eurygenium latirostris Ameghino, 1895 (Mammalia, Notoungulata), un Notohippidae del Deseadense (Oligoceno tardío) de la Patagonia, Argentina

La familia Notohippidae Ameghino 1895 comprende a notoungulados que se registran desde el Eoceno Inferior (Bond y López, 1993) al Mioceno inferior de América del Sur (Reig, 1981; Cifelli, 1985, 1993; Bond, 1986; Shockey, 1999) y que a lo largo de su evolución desarrollaron formas con dentición hipsodonte, convergente con la de los équidos norteamericanos, por lo que se los considera como uno de los grupos de pastadores sudamericanos más antiguo (Bond, 1986).Fil: Marani, Hernán Ariel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Dozo, Maria Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentin