Los Batanes: A trap for the Pyrenean wild goat during the Late Pleistocene (Spain)

Los Batanes cave (1025 m.a.s.l.) is a karstic system formed by pressure ducts, near the locality of Biescas in the Upper Gallego Valley (Huesca, Spain). Many fossil remains were retrieved from the cave sediments. The minimum sediment calendar age was determined to be 12.770 ± 60 BP. This date indicates that the deposit was formed before the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene transition at the Pyrenees. Here we analyze the faunal assemblage of the site that is only conformed by remains of Pyrenean wild goat (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica), which is a recently extinct subspecies of Iberian wild goat (C. pyrenaica). In the site, 1079 remains of Iberian wild goat have been recovered being one of the most numerous both in minimum number of individuals (MNI) and number of identified specimens (NISP) recovered until now in a natural trap in the Spanish Pyrenees. The population of Los Batanes shows a wide range of ages between juvenile and senile individuals and the MNI estimated from the number of right metatarsus is nine. The taphonomic features indicate that the cave acted as a trap for the goats which inhabited the vicinity of the cave. These goats probably stumbled and fell to the bottom of the pit and they could not get out, dying inside. Due to the origin of the accumulation numerous complete bones have been recovered. These fossil allow us to perform a biometric analysis that indicates that population of Los Batanes is in the range size of other goats from Late Pleistocene of Iberian Peninsula

Bucardos y osos fósiles del Pirineo: recuperación de restos paleontológicos, catalogación y datación de los yacimientos del Pleistoceno-Holoceno de las cavidades el Pirineo oscense

[ES] Durante el desarrollo del proyecto de investigación “Recu-peración de restos paleontológicos, catalogación y datación de los yacimien-tos del Pleistoceno-Holoceno de las cavidades del Pirineo oscense”, se han prospectado diversas cavidades del Pirineo oscense en busca de nuevos yaci-mientos paleontológicos. Estas cavidades se hallaban situadas en la sierra de Secús, Barranco Jardín, los Lecherines, la sierra de Tendeñera y el Serrato Gallisué. En dichas zonas se ha encontrado o se ha confirmado la presen-cia de ocho nuevos yacimientos paleontológicos. Además, se ha continuado la excavación de yacimientos en los que se había trabajado previamente, como la cueva de la Brecha del Rincón y la de los Osos de Lecherines. Mediante el estudio de los restos faunísticos recuperados en estos yacimientos, se ha cons-tatado la presencia de numerosos restos de Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica (bucar-do), Ursus arctos (oso pardo) y Ursus deningeri. En la cueva de los Bucardos se han recuperado dos esqueletos de bucardo prácticamente completos. A par-tir de dataciones realizadas con carbono-14 se comprobó que tenían una anti-güedad comprendida entre los 5500 y los 3500 años antes del presente. Estos esqueletos son los restos de bucardo fósiles más completos del registro mun-dial. Por otro lado, en esa misma cavidad se recuperaron restos de otros dos bucardos fósiles mucho más antiguos, del periodo isotópico MIS3, de entre 50000 y 40000 años. Esta datación nos indica que la presencia de bucardos en el Pirineo oscense es más antigua que la anteriormente propuesta por diversos autores. Por otra parte, se ha ampliado el registro de osos del Pirineo con la recuperación de restos de Ursus deningeri (Pleistoceno medio) en la recien-temente descubierta cueva de la Brecha del Rincón y restos óseos de Ursus arctos en otras cavidades. Además, se registraron señales de la vida de estos osos, como camas de hibernación en la cueva de los Osos de Lecherines y marcas de zarpazos en la de Forato de la Sierra.[EN] During the development of the research project “Recovery of paleontological, remains, cataloging and dating of the Pleistocene-Holocene deposits of Huesca Pyrenees caves” various cavities of Huesca Pyrenees have been prospected in search of new paleontological sites. Eight cavities located in the Sierra de Secús, Barranco Jardín, Los Lecherines, Sierra de Tendeñera and Serrato Gallisué were found or confirmed as new paleontological sites. We have also continued the excavation of sites previously worked such as Brecha del Rincón cave and Osos de Lecherines cave. By studying the faunal remains recovered from these deposits we confirmed the presence of numerous remains of Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica (Pyrenean wild goat locally named bucardo), Ursus arctos (brown bear) and Ursus deningeri. In the Bucardos Cave two nearly complete bucardo skeletons Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica have been recovered. These remains gave a radiocarbon age of 5500-3500 years before present, respectively. These skeletons are the most complete remains of this mountain goat subspecies in the global record. In the same cavity, fossil remains from two much older (isotopic period MIS3) bucardo specimens gave a radiocarbon age of 50 000 – 40 000 years BP. This dating indicates that the presence of bucardos in the Huesca Pyrenees is older than previously stated by several authors. Besides, the record of ursids from the Pyrenees has been remarkably broadened by the recovery of Ursus deningeri fossil remains (Middle Pleistocene) from the recently discovered Brecha del Rincón cave, and Ursus arctos fossil remains from several cavities. In addition, traces of the ursids occupation were observed, such as hibernation beds in the Osos de Lecherines cave and scratches in Forato de la Sierra cave.Peer reviewe

Was the European cave bear an occasional scavenger?

The cave bear Ursus spelaeus fossils remains are quite abundant in the Late Pleistocene site of Coro Tracito (Huesca, Spain). The site constitutes the highest mountain record of cave bears in the Iberian Peninsula. Being a monospecific locality, it permits the study of the biology and dietary habits of this species. The study of the limb bones established first, the mortality pattern of this population of Ursus spelaeus and, second, the alteration pattern due to carnivore tooth‐marks. Some authors have performed similar analyses in the same kind of skeletal elements in other cave bear localities all over Europe and, therefore it has been possible to compare our results with those from other sites. The tooth‐marks found in the bones of cave bears, especially in monospecific sites, have been attributed to a scavenging behaviour. In agreement with the authors, our analysis presented here supports the hypothesis of scavenging behaviour for cave bears. □Behaviour, Late Pleistocene, Spain, taphonomy, tooth‐marks, Ursus spelaeus

An overview to the Cenozoic tracksites of Aragón (Spain)

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Measurements of pits and punctures from Los Rincones faunal assemblage.

<p>Measurements of pits and punctures from Los Rincones faunal assemblage according to bone type (cancellous and dense cortical) and length/width.</p

Graphical representation of % Surv. according to skeletal elements recovered in Los Rincones.

<p>Graphical representation of skeletal survival rate (% Surv.) according to skeletal elements and size categories established in Los Rincones faunal assemblage.</p

Examples of carnivore damage from Los Rincones faunal assemblage.

<p>Examples of carnivore damage from Los Rincones faunal assemblage : A, vertebra of <i>C. pyrenaica</i> with puncture in both sides of the vertebral body Ri10/N1/39; B, phalanx of <i>E. ferus</i> with furrowing and pits Ri10/N10/68; C, radius of <i>P. pardus</i> with pits and scores in both ephysis Ri10/N10/216; D, phalanx of <i>E. ferus</i> with scores and pits Ri10/O13/71; E, atlas of <i>C. pyrenaica</i> with crenulated edges Ri10/O13/82.</p

NR with carnivore damage according to taxa, size and skeletal element.

<p>NR (Number of remains) with carnivore damage according to taxa, size categories and skeletal elements from the Los Rincones faunal assemblage. In brackets the total number of elements for every taxa. Note several type of alterations can be located on same skeletal element and therefore, NR can be higher than total NR with carnivore damage.</p

Criteria used for the classification of unidentified remains from Los Rincones assemblage.

<p>Criteria used for the classification of unidentified remains from Los Rincones assemblage.</p

NR, NISP, MNE, MNI by taxa and size categories from Los Rincones faunal assemblage.

<p>NR, NISP, MNE, MNI by taxa and size categories from Los Rincones faunal assemblage.</p