Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies

Predation is one of the most recurrent sources of bone accumulations. The influence of predation is widely studied for large mammal sites where humans, acting as predators, produce bone accumulations similar to carnivore accumulations. Similarly, small mammal fossil sites are mainly occupation level...

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Autores: Fernández-Jalvo, Yolanda, Andrews, Peter, Denys, Christiane, Sesé, Carmen, Stoetzel, Emmanuelle, Marín Monfort, M. D., Pesquero, María Dolores
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2016
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/130519
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/130519
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Predation
Digestion
Small mammals
Taxonomy
Taphonomy
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spelling Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studiesFernández-Jalvo, YolandaAndrews, PeterDenys, ChristianeSesé, CarmenStoetzel, EmmanuelleMarín Monfort, M. D.Pesquero, María DoloresPredationDigestionSmall mammalsTaxonomyTaphonomyPredation is one of the most recurrent sources of bone accumulations. The influence of predation is widely studied for large mammal sites where humans, acting as predators, produce bone accumulations similar to carnivore accumulations. Similarly, small mammal fossil sites are mainly occupation levels of predators (nests or dens). In both cases, investigations of past events can be compared with present day equivalents or proxies. Chewing marks are sometimes present on large mammal predator accumulations, but digestion traits are the most direct indication of predation, and evidence for this is always present in small mammal (prey) fossil assemblages. Digestion grades and frequency indicates predator type and this is well established since the publication of Andrews (1990). The identification of the predator provides invaluable information for accurate interpretation of the palaeoenvironment. Traditionally, palaeoenvironmental interpretations are obtained from the taxonomic species identified in the site, but rather than providing direct interpretations of the surrounding palaeoenvironment, this procedure actually describes the dietary preferences of the predators and the type of occupation (nests, marking territory, dens, etc). This paper reviews the identification of traits produced by predators on arvicolins, murins and soricids using a method that may be used equally by taxonomists and taphonomists. It aims to provide the “tools” for taxonomists to identify the predator based on their methodology, which is examining the occlusal surfaces of teeth rather than their lateral aspects. This will greatly benefit both the work of taphonomists and taxonomists to recognize signs of predation and the improvement of subsequent palaeoecological interpretations of past organisms and sites by identifying both the prey and the predator.Peer reviewedConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]2016info:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501http://hdl.handle.net/10261/130519reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSICinstname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)InglésSíinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:digital.csic.es:10261/1305192026-05-22T06:33:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
title Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
spellingShingle Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
Fernández-Jalvo, Yolanda
Predation
Digestion
Small mammals
Taxonomy
Taphonomy
title_short Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
title_full Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
title_fullStr Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
title_full_unstemmed Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
title_sort Taphonomy for taxonomists: Implications of predation in small mammal studies
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Fernández-Jalvo, Yolanda
Andrews, Peter
Denys, Christiane
Sesé, Carmen
Stoetzel, Emmanuelle
Marín Monfort, M. D.
Pesquero, María Dolores
author Fernández-Jalvo, Yolanda
author_facet Fernández-Jalvo, Yolanda
Andrews, Peter
Denys, Christiane
Sesé, Carmen
Stoetzel, Emmanuelle
Marín Monfort, M. D.
Pesquero, María Dolores
author_role author
author2 Andrews, Peter
Denys, Christiane
Sesé, Carmen
Stoetzel, Emmanuelle
Marín Monfort, M. D.
Pesquero, María Dolores
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [https://ror.org/02gfc7t72]
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Predation
Digestion
Small mammals
Taxonomy
Taphonomy
topic Predation
Digestion
Small mammals
Taxonomy
Taphonomy
description Predation is one of the most recurrent sources of bone accumulations. The influence of predation is widely studied for large mammal sites where humans, acting as predators, produce bone accumulations similar to carnivore accumulations. Similarly, small mammal fossil sites are mainly occupation levels of predators (nests or dens). In both cases, investigations of past events can be compared with present day equivalents or proxies. Chewing marks are sometimes present on large mammal predator accumulations, but digestion traits are the most direct indication of predation, and evidence for this is always present in small mammal (prey) fossil assemblages. Digestion grades and frequency indicates predator type and this is well established since the publication of Andrews (1990). The identification of the predator provides invaluable information for accurate interpretation of the palaeoenvironment. Traditionally, palaeoenvironmental interpretations are obtained from the taxonomic species identified in the site, but rather than providing direct interpretations of the surrounding palaeoenvironment, this procedure actually describes the dietary preferences of the predators and the type of occupation (nests, marking territory, dens, etc). This paper reviews the identification of traits produced by predators on arvicolins, murins and soricids using a method that may be used equally by taxonomists and taphonomists. It aims to provide the “tools” for taxonomists to identify the predator based on their methodology, which is examining the occlusal surfaces of teeth rather than their lateral aspects. This will greatly benefit both the work of taphonomists and taxonomists to recognize signs of predation and the improvement of subsequent palaeoecological interpretations of past organisms and sites by identifying both the prey and the predator.
publishDate 2016
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2016
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10261/130519
url http://hdl.handle.net/10261/130519
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Sí
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
instname:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
instname_str Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
reponame_str DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
collection DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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