Taphonomic and spatial analyses from the Early Pleistocene site of Venta Micena 4 (Orce, Guadix-Baza Basin, southern Spain)

Abstract

Venta Micena is an area containing several palaeontological sites marking the beginning of the Calabrian stage (Early Pleistocene). The richness of the fossil accumulation including species of Asian, African and European origin, makes Venta Micena a key site for the the palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental study of southern Europe during the Early Pleistocene. Thus, research has been focused on Venta Micena 3, which was originally interpreted as a single palaeosurface associated with a marshy context, in which most of the fauna was accumulated by Pachycrocuta brevirostris. Recent excavations have unearthed a new site, Venta Micena 4, located in the same stratigraphic unit (Unit C) and in close proximity to Venta Micena 3. Here we show the first analyses regarding the taphonomic and spatial nature of this new site, defining two stratigraphic boundaries corresponding to two different depositional events. Furthermore, the taphonomic analyses of fossil remains seem to indicate a different accumulative agent than Pachycrocuta, thus adding more complexity to the palaeobiological interpretation of the Venta Micena area. These results contribute to the discussion of traditional interpretations made from Venta Micena 3.

Déjà vu: A reappraisal of the taphonomy of quarry VM4 of the Early Pleistocene site of Venta Micena (Baza Basin, SE Spain)

“…In summary, the comparison of the faunal assemblages from both excavation quarries (Tables 1-2) only shows some minor differences in taxa abundance for horse, megaherbivores, and carnivores other than the hyaena, as well as the presence in VM3 of some remains of two small ungulates (a roe deer-sized cervid and a chamoissized bovid) and two small carnivores (Table 1), which are not reported by Luzón et al 1 . Given their comparatively low number of specimens studied at VM4, it is reasonable to expect that the latter taxa, which are poorly represented in VM3, will also appear in future excavations.…”

“…The distribution of MNI values among taxa in VM4 and VM3 (Table 2, right part) does not differ from the expectations of a random distribution according to the low c 2 value of the contingency table. Only the adjusted residual for megaherbivores, which are slightly overrepresented in VM4 according to the data of Luzón et al 1 , is statistically signi cant, while their abundance in VM3 is slightly lower than expected. Moreover, the probabilities of obtaining in the randomization tests the cumulative c 2 values observed for the NISP and MNI values of each species (p < 0.001 and p > 0.97, respectively; Fig.…”

“…In this paper, we: (i) compare the taphonomic data provided by Luzón et al 1 for VM4 with those available in the larger assemblage from VM3, and also with new data from an analysis by M.P. (updated from ref.…”

“…Age mortality pro les. Luzón et al 1 indicate that two megaherbivores, elephant Mammuthus meridionalis and rhino Stephanorhinus aff. hundsheimensis, show frequencies of non-adults that are close to, or even higher than, those of adults, as happens in VM3 (Table 1).…”

“…Patterns of skeletal abundance. The limitations and inaccuracies cited above result from the small sample analysed by Luzón et al 1 in VM4 (1,578 remains of large mammals of which only 420 could be determined taxonomically and anatomically, compared to 8,150 and 6,331 remains in VM3, respectively: Table 1). These limitations apply also to their inferences on the skeletal pro les of ungulates.…”