Early dispersal and niche partitioning in Canidae from an Early Pleistocene site of Spain (Fonelas P-1, Guadix-Baza basin, Granada)

[EN] The Fonelas P-1 site in southern Spain (~2.0 Ma) offers an exceptional window into the Early Pleistocene canid diversity and ecology in Europe. This study identifies two medium-sized canid morphotypes from the site, corresponding to the species Canis arnensis Del Campana, 1913 and Canis etruscu...

ver descrição completa

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Bartolini-Lucenti, Saverio, Madurell-Malapeira, Joan, Garrido Álvarez-Coto, Guiomar, Rook, Lorenzo, Arribas Herrera, Alfonso
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Recursos:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/399153
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/399153
https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/105006678642
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Spain
Adaptive strategies
Canis arnensis
Canis etruscus
Palaeoecology
Quaternary
Provincia Granada
Descrição
Resumo:[EN] The Fonelas P-1 site in southern Spain (~2.0 Ma) offers an exceptional window into the Early Pleistocene canid diversity and ecology in Europe. This study identifies two medium-sized canid morphotypes from the site, corresponding to the species Canis arnensis Del Campana, 1913 and Canis etruscus Forsyth Major, 1877. Morphological and ecomorphological analyses, integrating cranial, dental, and mandibular features, confirm their taxonomic identities and ecological differentiation. Canis arnensis at Fonelas P-1 expands the geographic and temporal range of this species, providing robust evidence of its presence in southern Europe before 2 Ma. The co-occurrence of C. arnensis and C. etruscus at this well-dated site underscores their ecological divergence, with C. arnensis exhibiting a mesocarnivorous dietary niche and C. etruscus showing adaptations closer to hypercarnivory. These findings illuminate the complexity of Early Pleistocene canid guilds, offering critical insights into their dispersal patterns, adaptive strategies, and interactions within taphocenoses.