Hominin lower limb bones from Sterkfontein Caves, South Africa (1998–2003 excavations)

Pickering, Travis Rayne; Heaton, Jason L.; Clarke, Ronald J.; Stratford, Dominic; Heile, A.J.

doi:10.17159/sajs.2021/6758

Cited by 5 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…9: 220252 carnivore taxa. Only one accumulation has been interpreted as lion-made [2], and less than six leopardmade accumulations have been taphonomically studied [1,9,10,12,13]. This is also insufficient to determine the range of behavioural variability by these felids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intervention of scavenging agents is the rule rather than the exception. Brain [1,9,10,12,13] argued that hyenas, small canids and porcupines probably intervened in the leopard lairs that he documented. At Misiam, we document the intervention of hyenas by the biased representation of the axial skeleton, the intense fragmentation of a part of the long limb bone sub-assemblage, the presence of fragmented metapodials and the presence of large tooth-marks on bones, which contrast with the small size of leopard tooth-marks [55,62].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More recently, Cavallo [7] studied leopard carcass-caching behaviour and its taphonomic consequences in the Serengeti (Tanzania). Pickering and colleagues conducted experiments feeding baboon carcasses to captive leopards in South Africa and also collected baboon carcasses consumed by wild leopards [8][9][10]. These authors produced the most detailed description of taphonomic modifications underwent by baboons when consumed by leopards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings

et al. 2022

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Misiam is a modern wildebeest-dominated accumulation situated in a steep ravine covered with dense vegetation at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). It is interpreted here as a leopard lair to which carcasses have been transported for several years. Felid-specific bone damage patterns, felid-typical skeletal part profiles, taxonomic specialization and the physical presence of leopards observed by the authors show that leopards at Misiam can be specialized medium-sized carcass accumulators. Hyenas also intervened at intervals in the modification of the retrieved faunal assemblage. This makes Misiam a carnivore palimpsest. Here, we additionally show that leopards only transport and accumulate carcasses on occasions, that they can seem highly specialized despite being dietary generalists, and that such a behaviour may be prompted by seasonal competition or during the breeding season or both. Misiam is the first open-air leopard lair with a dense bone accumulation reported. There, leopards engaged in intensive accumulation of carcasses during the wet season, when the southern Serengeti short-grass plains undergo the effect of the famous wildebeest migration and this migratory species reaches the gorge. The ecological importance of this behaviour and its relevance as a proxy for reconstructing prehistoric carnivore behaviours are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings

et al. 2022

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“…13 For instance, previous studies of the postcranial assemblage from the Jacovec Cavern revealed an interesting mosaic of features, with the femur having a very long neck relative to a small head but a round-sectioned shaft, and with a clavicle (StW 606) that has morphological similarities to extant chimpanzees. 2,14 Accordingly, StW 578 has the potential to contribute to our understanding of morphological variation and taxonomic diversity within Australopithecus in the late Pliocene.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shape analysis of the StW 578 calotte from Jacovec Cavern, Gauteng (South Africa)

Beaudet

Dumoncel²,

Heaton

et al. 2022

S. Afr. J. Sci.

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The fossiliferous deposits within the lower-lying Jacovec Cavern in the locality of Sterkfontein yielded valuable hominin remains, including the StW 578 specimen. Because StW 578 mainly preserves the calotte, the taxonomic status of this specimen has been a matter of discussion. Within this context, here we employed high-resolution microtomography and a landmark-free registration method to explore taxonomically diagnostic features in the external surface of the StW 578 calotte. Our comparative sample included adult humans and common chimpanzees as well as one Australopithecus africanus specimen (Sts 5). We partially restored the StW 578 calotte digitally and compared it to extant specimens and Sts 5 using a landmark-free registration based on smooth and invertible surface deformation. Our comparative shape analysis reveals morphological differences with extant humans, especially in the frontal bones, and with extant chimpanzees, as well as intriguing specificities in the morphology of the StW 578 parietal bones. Lastly, our study suggests morphological proximity between StW 578 and Sts 5. Given the intimate relationship between the brain and the braincase, as well as the integration of the hominin face and neurocranium, we suggest that cranial vault shape differences between StW 578 and extant humans, if confirmed by further analyses, could be either explained by differences in brain surface morphology or in the face. Besides providing additional information about the morphology of the Jacovec calotte that will be useful in future taxonomic discussion, this study introduces a new protocol for the landmark-free analysis of fossil hominin cranial shape.

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“…Building on seminal study, additional research concerning carnivore modification on baboons by leopards and hyenas has been conducted (e.g. Pickering 2001aPickering , 2001bPickering et al 2011). But neither Brain (1981) or Pickering et al (2004) could undeniably show that leopards were the main accumulating agent of the Australopith remains from Sterkfontein, although a large carnivore was proposed as the more plausible agent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterising leopard as taphonomic agent through the use of micro-photogrammetric reconstruction of tooth marks and pit to score ratio

et al. 2019

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Leopards have been the focus of taphonomic research due to their capacity to create bone accumulations, prey on some hominin groups or potentially provide scavenging opportunities to early hominins. Some of the variables explored to characterise felids as taphonomic agents have presented problems of equifinality, such as the frequency of tooth marks on long bone shafts or the dimensions of tooth pits and scores. Recently, new methodologies based on microphotogrammetry and geometric morphometrics have been developed for the morphologic analysis of taphonomic marks, such as tooth marks. Through a review of Bob Brain's neotaphonomic collection, the present study applies these new techniques to reconstruct leopard tooth marks and compare these with tooth marks from lions and spotted hyenas. Along with this, the ratio pit to score, a taphonomic variable previously characterised in lions and spotted hyenas, has been analysed. Results show that tooth marks inflicted by leopards, spotted hyenas and lions can be statistically differentiated based on their morphology. On the other hand, the ratio pit to score inflicted by the leopard is closer to hyenas.

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Hominin lower limb bones from Sterkfontein Caves, South Africa (1998–2003 excavations)

Cited by 5 publications

References 46 publications

Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings

Neo-taphonomic analysis of the Misiam leopard lair from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): understanding leopard–hyena interactions in open settings

Shape analysis of the StW 578 calotte from Jacovec Cavern, Gauteng (South Africa)

Characterising leopard as taphonomic agent through the use of micro-photogrammetric reconstruction of tooth marks and pit to score ratio

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