Megafauna

Extinctions, scenarios, and assumptions: Changes in latest Pleistocene large herbivore abundance and distribution in western North America

by Eric Scott

Scott, Eric. 2010. Extinctions, scenarios, and assumptions: Changes in latest Pleistocene large herbivore abundance and distribution in western North America. Quaternary International 217: 225-239.

Proposed explanations for the terminal Pleistocene large mammal extinction event in North America include climate... more Proposed explanations for the terminal Pleistocene large mammal extinction event in North America include climate warming and/or cooling, overhunting by early humans, disease, and bolide detonation or impact. A key assumption common to all these scenarios is that large mammals present in North America near the end of the Pleistocene were also present in similar abundance, with similar geographic distributions, during earlier, equally severe periods of climate change (e.g., w130 ka BP). This assumption is challenged here. An important difference in the latest Pleistocene was the profusion and geographic extent of the genus Bison, particularly in the American West. During the late Pleistocene, south of the glacial ice, the species Bison antiquus was more widely distributed and present in greater profusion than earlier species such as the larger B. latifrons. The increased abundance of these large, aggressive, herd dwelling ruminants in the late Pleistocene constitutes a critical difference between this time period and earlier, similarly intense interglacials. Extinction scenarios for Pleistocene North America should avoid assuming a relatively static long-term faunal component, and account for the impacts of non-human immigrant species on natives, particularly when immigration events are close in time and space with climate changes.

Perameles sobbei sp. nov.(Marsupialia, Peramelidae), a Pleistocene bandicoot from the Darling Downs, south-eastern Queensland

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., 2002. Perameles sobbei sp. nov. (Marsupialia, Peramelidae), a Pleistocene bandicoot from the Darling Downs, south-eastern Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 48, 193-197.

Perameles sobbei sp. nov. is described from Pleistocene fluviatile sediments from King Creek on the eastern Darling... more Perameles sobbei sp. nov. is described from Pleistocene fluviatile sediments from King Creek on the eastern Darling Downs. Perameles sobbei falls within the size range of modern Perameles species, but its molar morphology indicates a closer affinity with the early Pliocene species, P. bowensis. Both species retain the plesiomorphic states of possessing straight cristid obliquas with closely approximated trigonid cuspids, and the synapomorphic state of the reduction of the hypoconulid on M3. However, the great size difference and slight molar morphology differences between the two are considered sufficient to warrant specific separation. Perameles sobbei sp. nov. is the third fossil Perameles species described and the first from Pleistocene deposits.

Taxonomy and palaeobiology of the largest‐ever marsupial, Diprotodon Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontidae, Marsupialia)

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., 2008. Taxonomy and palaeobiology of the largest-ever marsupial, Diprotodon Owen 1838 (Diprotodontidae, Marsupialia). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 153, 389-417.

To determine accurately the rates of late Pleistocene megafaunal loss, it is fundamentally important to have accurate... more To determine accurately the rates of late Pleistocene megafaunal loss, it is fundamentally important to have accurate taxonomic information for every species. In Australia, accurate taxonomic information is lacking for several Pleistocene groups, including the largest marsupial ever to live, Diprotodon Owen, 1838. Diprotodon taxonomy has been complicated by early nomenclatural problems and by the occurrence of two distinct size classes of individuals that do not reflect an ontogenetic series. Traditionally, the two size classes have been regarded as separate species. However, a taxonomic investigation of large samples (> 1000 teeth) of Diprotodon material from several different fossil localities in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria suggests that there is little evidence for the discrimination of more than one morphospecies. Thus, Diprotodon is here considered a monotypic genus and the single morphospecies, D. optatum Owen, 1838 is considered to have been highly sexually dimorphic. By drawing analogy with extant sexually dimorphic megaherbivores and marsupials, the large form was probably male, and the small form was probably female. Diprotodon optatum probably moved in small, gender-segregated herds, and exhibited a polygynous breeding strategy. As a single morphospecies, D. optatum had a near-continental geographical distribution, similar to that of extant megaherbivores, possibly indicating its niche as a habitat generalist

Morphological variation within an individual Pleistocene Diprotodon optatum Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontinae; Marsupialia): implications for taxonomy within …

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., Sobbe, I.H., 2011. Morphological variation within an individual Pleistocene Diprotodon optatum Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontinae; Marsupialia): implications for taxonomy within diprotodontoids. Alcheringa: An Australasian Journal of Palaeontology 35, 21 - 29.

A comprehensive understanding of morphological and morphometrical variation for systematically important characters is... more A comprehensive understanding of morphological and morphometrical variation for systematically important characters is a prerequisite for reliable taxonomic analyses of extinct morphospecies. However, perception of such variation is commonly limited due to a paucity of fossil material that forms the basis of such analyses. Here we report a new record of Pleistocene <i>Diprotodon optatum</i> Owen, 1838 (Diprotodontoidea) represented by near-complete upper tooth rows that exhibit a high degree of individual variation within systematically important upper premolars. The individual possesses features (e.g. development of parastyle, anterocristae and anterior longitudinal groove) that are considered to be close to the polar extremes of premolar variation within the morphospecies, but occurring on either side of the palate. Although such morphologies were previously recognized on the basis of isolated specimens, they have never been observed as having occurred on either side of the tooth row within a single indvidual. The observation of such extreme variation in premolar form within a single individual means that although the diprotodontoid P³ may serve some systematic importance in distinguishing certain taxa, the weight placed upon perceived differences within any single character of the premolar must be gauged by an understanding of broader variation within the group.

Megafaunal Dwarf-Tossing-New evidence refutes the long-held view that the Australian koala is a dwarf descendent of a prehistoric giant, but the results …

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., 2009. Megafaunal dwarf-tossing. Australasian Science 30, 17-19.

It would be fair to say that the Australian koala lives its life in the slow-lane. With a typical day comprising... more It would be fair to say that the Australian koala lives its life in the slow-lane. With a typical day comprising nearly 19 hours of sleeping and lazing about in the tree-tops, koalas have earned themselves the unenviable reputation of beingmental lightweights, with their ecological role frequently compared to that of a sloth. At the same time they’re cute, they’re cuddly, they’re iconic, and we love them. But where did Australia’s endearing marsupial come from?

Fossil bandicoots (Marsupialia, Peramelidae) and environmental change during the Pleistocene on the Darling Downs, southeastern Queensland, Australia

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., 2005[2004]. Fossil bandicoots (Marsupialia, Peramelidae) and environmental change during the Pleistocene on the Darling Downs, southeastern Queensland, Australia. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 2, 347-356.

Systematic collecting from fluviatile Pleistocene fossil deposits of the Darling Downs, southeasternQueensland,... more Systematic collecting from fluviatile Pleistocene fossil deposits of the Darling Downs, southeasternQueensland, Australia, has led to an increase in the region’s fossil record of bandicoots. Isoodon obesulus, Perameles bougainville and P. nasuta are reported for the first time in the Darling Downs fossil record. Accelerator mass spectrometry 14C dates based on charcoal from bandicoot fossil-bearing stratigraphic horizons indicates deposition 45–40 ka. Additional material attributed to the recently described Darling Downs P. sobbei is also described. P. sobbei retains plesiomorphic characters in the upper dentition including reduction of themetaconule onM3 and the lack of posterior cingula on M2 and M3. Phylogenetic interpretation of dental characters suggests that P. sobbei has closer affinities to the Pliocene P. bowensis than to any modern species. The presence of extant species such as P. bougainvilleandI. obesulus as fossils provides evidence that scrublandsandclosed woodlands with dense understories existed on the Darling Downs during the Pleistocene. The Darling Downs bandicoot assemblage represents the only known fauna, fossil or modern, where I. obesulus, P. bougainvilleandP. nasuta occur sympatrically. ThePleistoceneDarlingDownsmayhavehadamore equable climate than occurs today and a greater range of habitat niches to support such populations. The southern and western contraction of the geographical ranges of I. obesulus and P. bougainville between the Pleistocene and the present was probably the result of significant environmental change
that may have involved the contraction of woodlands and expansion of grasslands. The persistence of P. nasuta populations on the Darling Downs from the Pleistocene to the present may reflect that species’ ability to adapt to a wide range of habitats.

5. Climatic forcing for Pleistocene megafaunal extinction: evidence from eastern Australia

by Gilbert Price

Price, Gilbert J. (Invited speaker) 2007. Climatic forcing for Pleistocene megafaunal extinction: Evidence from eastern Australia. In: Cupper, M.L. and Gallagher, S.J. (Eds.) Selwyn Symposium 2007, Climate Change or Human Impact? Australia’s Megafaunal Extinction, Geological Society of Australia, Victoria Division, Extended Abstracts, 79: 25-29.

New records of Plio-Pleistocene koalas from Australia: palaeoecological and taxonomic implications

by Gilbert Price

Price, G.J., Zhao, J.-x., Feng, Y.-x., Hocknull, S.A., 2009. New records of Plio-Pleistocene koalas from Australia: palaeoecological and taxonomic implications. Records of the Australian Museum 61, 39-48.

Koalas (Phascolarctidae, Marsupialia) are generally rare components of the Australian fossil record. However, new... more Koalas (Phascolarctidae, Marsupialia) are generally rare components of the Australian fossil record. However, new specimens of fossil koalas were recovered during recent systematic excavations from several eastern Plio-Pleistocene deposits of Queensland, eastern Australia, including the regions of Chinchilla, Marmor and Mt. Etna. The new records are significant in that they extend the temporal and geographic range of Plio-Pleistocene koalas from southern and southeastern Australia, to northeastern central Queensland. We provide the first unambiguous evidence of koalas in the Pliocene Chinchilla Local Fauna (phascolarctid indet. and Ph. ?stirtoni): important additions to an increasingly diverse arboreal mammalian assemblage that also includes tree kangaroos. The persistence of koalas and local extinction of tree kangaroos in the Chinchilla region today suggests that significant habitat and faunal reorganization occurred between the Pliocene and Recent, presumably reflecting the expansion of open woodlands and grasslands. Other koala records from the newly U/Th-dated Middle Pleistocene Marmor and Mt. Etna fossil deposits (Phascolarctos sp. and Ph. ?stirtoni), along with independent palaeohabitat proxies, indicate the former presence of heterogeneous habitats comprised of rainforests, open woodlands and grasslands. The lack of such habitat mosaics in those regions today is likely the product of significant Middle Pleistocene climate change.

New records of Plio-Pleistocene koalas from Australia: palaeoecological and taxonomic implications

by Scott Hocknull

Patchiness of epibenthic megafauna on the outer Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

by Jean-Marc Gagnon

David C Schneider, Jean-Marc Gagnon, Kent D Gilkinson
Marine Ecology Progress Series (1987) Volume: 39, Issue: 1976, Pages: 1-13

Photographic transects were used to investigate the distribution of megafauna in relation to substrate variability on... more Photographic transects were used to investigate the distribution of megafauna in relation to substrate variability on the outer Grand Banks. Sedimentary cover consisted of reworked glacial deposits arranged in alternating bands of gravel and sand. Megafaunal density was higher along transects with elevational gradients of l m km-1 than along transects with less gradient. Sessile, discretely motde, crawling, and swimming animals were spahally autocorrelated as Indicated by significant increase in variability with increase in length scale. Cross-correlation with substrate was stronger at large 100 m) than at smaller spatial scales in sessile, discretely motile, crawhng, and swimming animals. Local decoupling from substrate features was observed in swimming animals. Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that mobhty determines the spatial scales over which the densities of benthic organisms are associated with substrate variability.

Distribution of C3 and C4 plants in the Late Pleistocene of South Australia recorded by isotope biogeochemistry of collagen in megafauna

by Darren Gröcke

Stable carbon-isotope analyses (expressed as a 13C:12C ratio relative to that of a standard: d13C‰) on fossilised... more Stable carbon-isotope analyses (expressed as a 13C:12C ratio relative to that of a standard: d13C‰) on fossilised collagenic material in megafaunal bones can provide information regarding the palaeodiet (e.g. C3 and/or C4 plants) of these animals. Isotope analyses were performed on collagenic material extracted from bones of Sthenurus spp., Diprotodon spp. and Macropus spp. from Cooper Creek, Henschke Cave, Baldina Creek, Dempsey’s Lake and Rocky River in South Australia. The percentage of trees and shrubs estimated from palaeofloral records in south-eastern Australia and the dietary preferences of megafauna were found to be positively correlated. The dietary preferences of megafauna analysed from South Australian localities indicate that megafauna were opportunistic and changed their diet in response to environmental change. This suggests that megafauna diet can not be founded on dental morphology alone. Fossilised collagenic material in vertebrate remains can provide an insight into the broadscale nature of the vegetation. This approach is a good compliment for other palaeoecological data (e.g. sedimentology, spore–pollen, diatoms) by providing evidence for past climates in relation to the proportion of C3 and C4 plants.

Late Quaternary mammal ecology: insight from new approaches

by Herve Bocherens

Bocherens, H., Pacher, M. 2011. . Quaternary International 245: 183–185. DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2011.07.030

Seed-dispersal and seedling recruitment patterns by the last Neotropical megafaunal element in Amazonia, the tapir

by Jean Huffman

Estimating the body mass of Pleistocene canids: discussion of some methodological problems and a new 'taxon free' approach

by Darren Gröcke

no abstract no abstract

Paleoecological reconstruction of a lower Pleistocene large mammal community using biogeochemical (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, Sr:Zn) and ecomorphological approaches

by Darren Gröcke

Ecomorphological and biogeochemical (trace element, and carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope ratios) analyses have... more Ecomorphological and biogeochemical (trace element, and carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope ratios) analyses have been used for determining the dietary niches and habitat preferences of large mammals from lower Pleistocene deposits at Venta Micena (Guadix-Baza Basin, Spain). The combination of these two approaches takes advantage of the strengths and overcome the weak- ness of both approaches. The range of δ13Ccollagen values for ungulate species indicates that C3 plants were dominant in the diet of these mammals. δ13Ccollagen values vary among ungulates: perissodactyls have the lowest values and bovids the highest ones, with cervids showing intermediate values. The hypsodonty index measured in lower molar teeth and the relative length of the lower premolar tooth row indicate that the horse, Equus altidens, was a grazing species, whereas the rhino, Stephanorhinus etruscus, was a mixed feeder in open habitats. The similar δ13Ccollagen values shown in both perissodactyls does not reflect differences in feeding behavior with other ungulates, but rather a lower isotope enrichment factor in these monogastric herbivores than in ruminants, owing to their lower metabolic efficiency. The cervids Eucladoceros giulii and Dama sp. show low hypsodonty values, indicating that they were mixed feeders or browsers from forested habitats, an ecomorphologically based conclusion corroborated in the former by its low δ15Ncollagen content (canopy effect). Bovid species (Bovini aff. Leptobos, Soergelia minor, and Hemitragus albus) presumably inhabited open environments, according to their comparatively high hypsodonty and δ15Ncollagen values. Carnivore species (Homotherium latidens, Megantereon whitei, Pachycrocuta brevirostris, Canis falconeri, and Canis etruscus) exhibit higher δ15Ncollagen values than ungulates. These results record the isotopic enrichment expected with an increase in trophic level and are also supported by low bone Sr:Zn ratios. The elevated δ15Ncollagen value for a sample of Mammuthus meridionalis, which came from an individual with unfused epiphyses, confirms that it was a suckling animal. The δ15Ncollagen value of the scimitar-cat H. latidens is well above that obtained for the young individual of Mammuthus, which indicates that juvenile elephants were an important part of its diet. The hippo, Hippopotamus antiquus, yielded unexpectedly high δ15Ncollagen values, which suggest feeding on aquatic, non-N2-fixing plants. The high δ18Ohydroxyl values of bovids Hemitragus and Soergelia and of cervid Dama indicate that these ungulates obtained most of their water requirements from the vegetation. The megaherbivores and Eucladoceros exhibit the lowest δ18Ohydroxyl values, which suggest increased water dependence for them. Paleosynecological analysis was based on the relative abundance of species of large mammals from different ecological categories, determined by feeding behavior and locomotion types. The comparison of the frequencies of such categories in Venta Micena with those found in modern African communities indicates that the composition of the paleocommunity closely resembles those of savannas with tall grass and shrubs. The net above-ground primary productivity estimated for the on-crop biomass of the mammalian species preserved in the fossil assem- blage also yields a figure congruent with that expected for an open environment.

Estudio de la megafauna del Pleistoceno del arroyo de Guerreros, Guadalupe, Zacatecas

by Jose Ruben Guzman-Gutierrez

Co-authored with Carlos Alfredo Carrillo Rodríguez, Daniel Hernández Palestino, Carlos Mendoza Cáceres, Silvia Puga Pérez, Jorge Miguel Veizaga Rosales.

En las últimas dos décadas la paleontología ha dado pasos agigantados en el terreno científico, destacándose como una... more En las últimas dos décadas la paleontología ha dado pasos agigantados en el terreno científico, destacándose como una disciplina que sin lugar a dudas, ha tomado la vanguardia de las ciencias antropológicas. El intenso trabajo de campo desarrollado por los pocos paleontólogos mexicanos y el trabajo interdisciplinario a escala internacional, ha dado frutos teóricos dignos de consideración por las demás ciencias antropológicas.            Siguiendo este ejemplo, se pretende concluir un salvamento paleontológico de restos de mamut y otras evidencias de megafauna, encontradas recientemente en las inmediaciones del arroyo de los Guerreros, en el ejido de Guadalupe, municipio del mismo nombre en el estado de Zacatecas.            El hallazgo realizado en noviembre de 1990 por el señor Pablo Chávez, vecino del ejido de Guadalupe y artista local, constituye un evento de primordial importancia para el patrimonio paleontológico del estado de Zacatecas. A partir de la localización de ésta y otras evidencias de megafauna realizadas recientemente, puede llevarse a cabo una reconstrucción paleoambiental  del pleistoceno tardío y con ello brindar posibles hipótesis y explicaciones de la formación histórica de la región, antes de la llegada del hombre temprano al norte de Mesoamérica.

A diverse Pleistocene marsupial trackway assemblage from the Victorian Volcanic Plains, Australia

by Aaron Camens

A diverse assemblage of late Pleistocene marsupial trackways on a lake bed in south-western Victoria provides the... more A diverse assemblage of late Pleistocene marsupial trackways on a lake bed in south-western Victoria provides the first information relating to the gaits and morphology of several megafaunal species, and represents the most speciose and best preserved megafaunal footprint site in Australia. The 60e110 ka volcaniclastic lacustrine sedimentary rocks preserve trackways of the diprotodontid Diprotodon optatum, a macropodid (probably Protemnodon sp.) and a large vombatid (perhaps Ramsayia magna or ‘Phascolomys’ medius) and possible prints of the marsupial lion, Thylacoleo carnifex. The footprints were imprinted within a short time period, demonstrating the association of the taxa present, rather than the time-averaged accumulations usually observed in skeletal fossil deposits. Individual manus and pes prints are distinguishable in some trackways, and in many cases some digital pad morphology is also present. Several parameters traditionally used to differentiate ichnotaxa, including trackway gauge and the degree of print in-turning relative to the midline, are shown to be subject to significant intraspecific variation in marsupials. Sexual dimorphism in the trackway proportions of Diprotodon, and its potential for occurrence in all large bodied, quadrupedal marsupials, is identified here for the first time.

Megafauna from the Late Pleistocene-Holocene deposits of the Upper Ribeira karst area, southeast Brazil

by Aline Marcele Ghilardi

Published in "Quaternary International", co-authored by Marcelo Adorna Fernandes and Maria Elina Bichuette
Download available in: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.04.018 / or send me an e-mail - alinemghilardi@yahoo.com.br

The carbonate caves of the Upper Ribeira Valley, southeastern São Paulo State, Brazil, preserve an abundant fossil... more The carbonate caves of the Upper Ribeira Valley, southeastern São Paulo State, Brazil, preserve an abundant fossil record of Pleistocene-Holocene South American megafauna. Nevertheless, in comparison with other localities of the country, its paleontological knowledge still can be considered sparse and in need of further research. This work presents an update taxonomic survey of the megafauna material collected since the beginning of the explorations in the area. Based on this, it discusses paleobiogeographic and paleoecological questions. The fossil megafauna of the Upper Ribeira karst region include: Eremotherium laurillardi, Nothrotherium maquinense, Lestodon armatus, Catonyx cuvieri, ‘Ocnopus gracilis’, Ahytherium aff. aureum, Glyptodon clavipes, G. reticulatus, Hoplophorus cf., Toxodon spp., Stegomastodon waringi, Equidae (Hippidion cf.), Tapirus terrestris, Panthera onca and Smilodon populator. Only P. onca and T. terrestris still remain in the region. Despite the occurrence of some typical taxa of the pampean paleobiogeographical province, the fossil assemblage recorded shows greater affinity to the mega-mammal community of the intertropical region. The ecology of species found suggests the previous occurrence of fairly different environmental settings than the existing one in the area. There were more temperate climates – both dry and wet – until the current mesophytic forest was finally established. The studied material does not show any kind of chrono-correlation, given the type of genesis of the cave accumulations. These fossils depict different faunistic moments related to climate changes during the Quaternary. To better understand the information provided by these deposits, efforts on dating and detailed taphonomic investigations should be conducted. The studies of the Quaternary fauna in the state of São Paulo fill an important gap in the intricate biogeographical history of the South American megafauna.

National Register of Historic Places Nomination: the Coats-Hines Archaeological Site (40WM31), Williamson County Tennessee.

by Aaron Deter-Wolf

Site listed on the National Register of Historic Places, July 12, 2011.

The Coats-Hines Archaeological Site (40WM31) consists of a Paleoindian butchering site and Pleistocene bone bed... more The Coats-Hines Archaeological Site (40WM31) consists of a Paleoindian butchering site and Pleistocene bone bed located in northern Williamson County, TN. The modern site area is situated on a residential property immediately south of a deeply-incised wet weather stream channel. During the late Pleistocene epoch (ca. 27,000–11,000 BC) the site area included a shallow, intermittent pond, the maximum extent of which has not yet been archaeologically defined. Archaeological examinations since 1977 have documented remains from various species which visited the pond including horse, deer, muskrat, canid, turtle, and at least three mastodons. Excavations in 1994 recovered Paleoindian artifacts from the site in direct association with mastodon remains. Those excavations also identified cut marks on mastodon bones indicative of butchering with stone tools. Radiocarbon dates indicate that this butchering activity occurred between approximately 11,000 and 13,000 BC.

The Coats-Hines site has not been widely published to date, and consequently the integrity of the site and its potential to yield significant data on the lifeways of the earliest Americans have been largely overlooked by Paleoindan scholars. However, archaeological testing in October, 2010 by the Tennessee Division of Archaeology and Middle Tennessee State University reaffirmed that Coats-Hines contains intact deposits in the form of both Pleistocene faunal remains and Paleoindian artifacts. These deposits are sealed beneath nearly 9 feet of archaeologically-sterile overburden, and have been securely dated through a combination of radiocarbon and OCR analysis. The site maintains its preservation, context, and ability to contribute important archaeological data, and is consequently eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

The First American Cave Site Revisited

by Aaron Deter-Wolf

The Courier 47(2), pp. 4-5, June 2009.
http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/hist/pdf/CourierJun09.pdf

In August of 1971, the partial skeleton of a sabertooth cat (Smilodon floridanus) was discovered during construction... more In August of 1971, the partial skeleton of a sabertooth cat (Smilodon floridanus) was discovered during construction of the First American National Bank at the corner of 4th and Union Streets in downtown Nashville. This find captured the attention of the public, and was the subject of numerous local and national general-interest articles during the early 1970s. The Smilodon became an integral part of Nashville iconography in 1997 when it was selected as the logo for the Predators hockey team and the inspiration for their mascot, Gnash. Despite the initial interest that the find generated and the recent prevalence of sabertooth imagery along lower Broadway, the cave site was largely forgotten by the late-1970s, and was not revisited again by archaeologists until 2008. That year, staff from the Tennessee Division of Archaeology reentered the cave in order to assess its condition 37 years after its discovery.