scholarly journals Bird remains from the Middle Paleolithic levels (MIS3) of Llonin Cave (Peñamellera Alta, Asturias, Spain)

Author(s):  
Carmen NÚÑEZ-LAHUERTA ◽  
Víctor SAUQUÉ ◽  
Alfred SANCHIS ◽  
Elsa DUARTE ◽  
undefined Marco de la RASILLA

Birds are abundant in fossil assemblages of Quaternary sites; they can be used in landscape recon­struction as they are well adapted to the environment. Here we present the analysis of the avian assemblage from the Middle Paleolithic levels of the Llonin Cave, where 558 bird remains have been recovered from levels G-VI and CP-VIII, belonging to at least ten different taxa: Aves indet., Galliformes indet., Lagopus lagopus Linnaeus, 1758, Tetrastes bonasia Linnaeus, 1758, Columba livia/oenas Gmelin, 1789/Linnaeus, 1758, Passeriformes indet., Alaudidae indet., Motacilla sp., Turdus sp., Corvidae indet., Garrulus glandarius Linnaeus, 1758, Pyrrhocorax sp., Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Linnaeus, 1758, Pyrrhocorax graculus Linnaeus, 1766 and Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758. This assemblage is similar to other assemblages from the Upper Pleistocene of the north of the Iberian Peninsula, and it reflects a mixed landscape, with open areas and woodland. The taphonomic analysis points to a mixed origin of the accumulation, mainly formed by medium-sized corvids dying in the cave, and also raptors accumulating their prey.

Author(s):  
I. Zolnikov ◽  
◽  
A. Vybornov ◽  
A. Anoikin ◽  
A. Postnov ◽  
...  

In the course of studies conducted by IAET SB RAS in the Lower Ob in 2016–2019, the understanding of the conditions for settlement of the Paleolithic population in the north of Western Siberia was significantly supplemented. Dating of a series of paleontological finds was carried out at the "Accelerated mass spectrometer of the Budker Institute of Nucle- ar Physics of SB RAS". The dates obtained show the distribution of the main representatives of the Upper Pleistocene fauna of Subarctica: Mammuthus primigenius – 50,000–15,000 BP, Coelodonta antiquitatis – 43,000–38,000 BP and 27,000–25,000 BP, Rangifer tarandus, Equus ferus – 40,000–10,000 BP, Bison sp. – 50,000–40,000 BP, Ovibos moschatus – 41,000–32,000 BP.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alba de la Vara ◽  
William Cabos ◽  
Dmitry V. Sein ◽  
Claas Teichmann ◽  
Daniela Jacob

AbstractIn this work we use a regional atmosphere–ocean coupled model (RAOCM) and its stand-alone atmospheric component to gain insight into the impact of atmosphere–ocean coupling on the climate change signal over the Iberian Peninsula (IP). The IP climate is influenced by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea. Complex interactions with the orography take place there and high-resolution models are required to realistically reproduce its current and future climate. We find that under the RCP8.5 scenario, the generalized 2-m air temperature (T2M) increase by the end of the twenty-first century (2070–2099) in the atmospheric-only simulation is tempered by the coupling. The impact of coupling is specially seen in summer, when the warming is stronger. Precipitation shows regionally-dependent changes in winter, whilst a drier climate is found in summer. The coupling generally reduces the magnitude of the changes. Differences in T2M and precipitation between the coupled and uncoupled simulations are caused by changes in the Atlantic large-scale circulation and in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, the differences in projected changes of T2M and precipitation with the RAOCM under the RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 scenarios are tackled. Results show that in winter and summer T2M increases less and precipitation changes are of a smaller magnitude with the RCP4.5. Whilst in summer changes present a similar regional distribution in both runs, in winter there are some differences in the NW of the IP due to differences in the North Atlantic circulation. The differences in the climate change signal from the RAOCM and the driving Global Coupled Model show that regionalization has an effect in terms of higher resolution over the land and ocean.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Mayoral ◽  
Ignacio Díaz-Martínez ◽  
Jéremy Duveau ◽  
Ana Santos ◽  
Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez ◽  
...  

AbstractHere, we report the recent discovery of 87 Neandertal footprints on the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula (Doñana shoreline, Spain) located on an upper Pleistocene aeolian littoral setting (about 106 ± 19 kyr). Morphometric comparisons, high resolution digital photogrammetric 3D models and detailed sedimentary analysis have been provided to characterized the footprints and the palaeoenvironment. The footprints were impressed in the shoreline of a hypersaline swamped area related to benthic microbial mats, close to the coastline. They have a rounded heel, a longitudinal arch, relatively short toes, and adducted hallux, and represent the oldest upper Pleistocene record of Neandertal footprints in the world. Among these 87 footprints, 31 are longitudinally complete and measure from 14 to 29 cm. The calculated statures range from 104 to 188 cm, with half of the data between 130 and 150 cm. The wide range of sizes of the footprints suggests the existence of a social group integrated by individuals of different age classes but dominated, however, by non-adult individuals. The footprints, which are outside the flooded area are oriented perpendicular to the shoreline. These 87 footprints reinforce the ecological scenario of Neandertal groups established in coastal areas.


1974 ◽  
Vol 29 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Poltz ◽  
Jürgen Jacob

The uropygial gland fats from four species of the family Corvidae are found to be mainly mono­ ester waxes, which consist of mono-, di-, and trimethyl substituted fatty acids and n- and methyl-branched alcohols. The positions of all methyl brandlings are even-numbered, the 2-position is preferred. About 2 - 40% of the secretions consist of triester waxes: Alkyl-hydroxy-malonic acids esterified with n-fatty acids and n-alcohols. Waxes of this type are very common in the uropygial gland fats of birds and therefore, in opposite to the monoester waxes, they are not usable for a chemotaxo­ nomy of birds.


2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Cifelli ◽  
Cynthia L. Gordon ◽  
Thomas R. Lipka

Multituberculates, though among the most commonly encountered mammalian fossils of the Mesozoic, are poorly known from the North American Early Cretaceous, with only one taxon named to date. Herein we describe Argillomys marylandensis, gen. et sp. nov., from the Early Cretaceous of Maryland, based on an isolated M2. Argillomys represents the second mammal known from the Arundel Clay facies of the Patuxent Formation (Lower Cretaceous: Aptian). Though distinctive in its combination of characters (e.g., enamel ornamentation consisting of ribs and grooves only, cusp formula 2:4, presence of distinct cusp on anterobuccal ridge, enlargement of second cusp on buccal row, central position of ultimate cusp in lingual row, great relative length), the broader affinities of Argillomys cannot be established because of non-representation of the antemolar dentition. Based on lack of apomorphies commonly seen among Cimolodonta (e.g., three or more cusps present in buccal row, fusion of cusps in lingual row, cusps strongly pyramidal and separated by narrow grooves), we provisionally regard Argillomys as a multituberculate of “plagiaulacidan” grade. Intriguingly, it is comparable in certain respects to some unnamed Paulchoffatiidae, a family otherwise known from the Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula.


Author(s):  
Fernando S. Rodrigo

The combined influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic (EA) patterns on the covariability of temperatures and precipitation in 35 stations of the Iberian Peninsula during the period 1950-2019 is analysed in this work. Four EA-NAO composites were defined from teleconnection patterns positive and negative phases: EA+NAO+, EA+NAO-, EA-NAO+, and EA-NAO-. Daily data of maximum and minimum temperature were used to obtain seasonal means (TX, and TN, respectively), and the covariability of these variables with accumulated seasonal rainfall (R) was studied comparing results obtained for different NAO and EA composites. Main results indicate slight differences in the spatial coverage of correlation coefficients between R and temperature variables, except in spring when the generalized negative relationship between R and TX under EA+NAO+ and EA-NAO- disappears under EA-NAO+ and EA+NAO- composites. This result may be useful to interpret and discuss historical reconstructions of Iberian climate.


2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-45
Author(s):  
Fabio Silva

This paper applies a combined landscape and skyscape archaeology methodology to the study of megalithic passage graves in the North-west of the Iberian Peninsula, in an attempt to glimpse the cosmology of these Neolithic Iberians. The reconstructed narrative is found to be supported also by a toponym for a local mountain range and associated folklore, providing an interesting methodology that might be applied in future Celtic studies. The paper uses this data to comment on the ‘Celticization from the West’ hypothesis that posits Celticism originated in the European Atlantic façade during the Bronze Age. If this is the case, then the Megalithic phenomenon that was widespread along the Atlantic façade would have immediately preceded the first Celts.


Author(s):  
Vyacheslav G. Kotov ◽  
◽  
Mikhail M. Rumyantsev ◽  
Dmitry O. Gimranov ◽  

Introduction. Imanai-1 Cave is a new monument of the Middle Paleolithic in the Southern Urals. It was discovered by the authors in 2009 and is located in the west of the Ural mountain system, in the interfluve of the Belaya and Nugush Rivers, on the border of the mountain-forest and steppe zones. Goals. The paper aims to introduce preliminary results of archaeological investigations into scientific discourse. Results. The cave is of a tunnel type, its 70 m long passage ending with a far hall which contained bones of a small cave bear and a cave lion. The monument is multi-layered. The first cultural horizon contained 399 items of stone and bone. Tools make up to 60 % of all stone products, while cores and scales are absent, therefore, primary and secondary processing was carried out outside the far hall. The stone industry is characterized by the use of shards and amorphous flint chips. The working areas were made out with monofacial and bifacial retouching, incisal cleavage. The tools are of the following types: 3 Mousterian bifacial points, 4 convergent side-scrapers with bifacial processing, butt knives, some with bifacial processing ― 6 items, carvers on fragments and amorphous chips ― 229 items (59 %), points ― 19 items (5 %), tools with a thorn ― 13 items (3 %), incisors ― 21 items (5 %). At the base of the first cultural horizon, a skull of a small cave bear with an artificial hole made with a stone spearhead was found. The industry of the site has numerous analogies at the Ilskaya-1 site in the North Caucasus and in the materials of the upper layer of the Kiik-Koba grotto in the Crimea, as well as at other sites of the Middle Paleolithic of the Tayacian tradition. Three uncalibrated dates show the interval from 26 to 42 thousand years. This indicates the finale of the Mousterian era.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document