International audienceThe Mediterranean realm in Southeast France is located between three mounta... more International audienceThe Mediterranean realm in Southeast France is located between three mountainous regions (Alps, Pyrenees and Massif-Central) and divided by a main north-south river and valley named The Rhône. The hydrological basin of this river is very important and presently the influence of the Mediterranean climate is sensitive higher in this Rhône’ corridor. These geomorphological features condition some partitioning, with two sub-regions (Provence at east of Rhone, and Occitanie at west), as well as a wide coastal plains and more elevated zones at the border of reliefs. In this contribution we will propose a synthetic view and multi-approaches studies (paleontology, paleoecology, biogeography, ecometry…) about the large mammalian associations considered within a diachronic perspective, namely from Late Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene (from MIS 12 to MIS2). This time period is contemporaneous of major climatic phases (especially glacial vs interglacial stages), the succession of Neanderthal and Modern Human cultures, as well as a marked turnover in the faunal biomes known as an important limit between two sub-series: the Middle and the Late Pleistocene. More of 35 archeo-paleontological sites (and many more levels) record as many herbivore and carnivore associations through this space-time which can be analyzed in their dynamic sequence, quantifying several eco-biological factors (body-size, diet category..), including peculiar forms (ex. Cervid: Haploidoceros) and evolutive lineage or taxa replacement (ex. Canis, Bison, Equus…). We must note the importance of geographical factors in the taxa distribution together with the sea-level fluctuation especially marked in the west part of the region (Occitanie). Moreover, the area of Rhone delta and the corridor of this river condition strong wind flow which develop some thick deposits of eolian sands (loess), indicators of locally quite cold condition. Among evolutive traits, the particular case of caballine horses is interesting because showing special adaptive features related to the mild Mediterranean clime (peripheral zones) regardless of global climate conditions. Lastly, ecometrical analysis (meso- and micro-dental wear) developed on some sites and taxa are a valuable tool to precise local environmental features within the global climatic variations. It generally suggests a high resilience and adaptive capacities from the large and medium size herbivores (Equids, Bovids, Cervids). Paleofaunas constitute a well-documented terrestrial archives for paleoclimate reconstruction, raising issues about interactions with climate and local geographic factors; our study allow us to envision the real biological changes, responses or resilience of the mammalian guilds/biomes within this peculiar Western Mediterranean space
International audienceMorocco is a geographically and climatically highly fragmented territory oc... more International audienceMorocco is a geographically and climatically highly fragmented territory occupied for about 300,000 years by Homo sapiens. This area is currently characterized by the presence of four large mountain ranges but also plateaus, plains and coastlines subject to a Mediterranean-type and temperate Atlantic climate from the North to more open landscape in the South. The analysis of environmental parameters at a local level is therefore crucial for understanding the context and living environments of human populations. We present here a study of tooth wear analysis of different herbivores in human settlements distributed along a North-South axis in the sequences of Taforalt (Oujda region), El Khenzira (El Jadida region) and Bizmoune (Essaouira region) in order to review their diet. By considering these faunal associations and inferring the evolution of plant cover, we document paleoenvironmental variations according to the geographic distributions of theses 3 sites during the Upper Pleistocene
Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus... more Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus) sont abondants dans les séquences archéo-paléontologiques du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur du Sud de la France. L’étude biométrique des restes osseux et dentaires à partir de 11 sites (Camp-de-peyre, La Micoque, Igue des Rameaux, Payre, Lunel-Viel, Rigabe, Suard, Combe-Grenal, Pech de l’Azé II, Coudoulous II, Peyre) et 22 ensembles/niveaux, contrôlée par des analyses statistiques factorielles, permet de caractériser les adaptations contextuelles de chaque taxon et leurs tendances évolutives, et d’affiner leurs apports biochronologiques. Les analyses de méso- et micro-usure dentaire détaillent les comportements alimentaires de ces taxons et les environnements locaux dans lequel ils vivaient, intégrant les variations saisonnières. L’utilisation des deux approches, biométriques et écométriques, augmente significativement notre résolution des contextes paléo-environnementaux, pour chacun ...
Boutillier-Uzunidis Antigone. Antigone Uzunidis-Boutillier (2017) – Grands herbivores de la fin d... more Boutillier-Uzunidis Antigone. Antigone Uzunidis-Boutillier (2017) – Grands herbivores de la fin du Pléistocène moyen au début du Pléistocène supérieur dans le Sud de la France. Implications anthropologiques pour la lignée néandertalienne. Thèse de doctorat sous la direction de J.-P. Brugal (DR1 CNRS), soutenue le 21 novembre 2017 à Aix-Marseille université devant le jury composé de P.-O. Antoine (président, professeur à l’université Montpellier 2), J.-P. Bracco (examinateur, professeur à Aix-Marseille Uni-versité), J.-P. Brugal (directeur, DR1 CNRS), S. Costamagno (examinatrice, DR2 CNRS), J.-L. Gua-delli (rapporteur, DR2 CNRS) et F. Rivals (rapporteur, professeur à l’IPHES, Tarragone). In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 115, n°1, 2018. pp. 154-156
The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France,... more The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France, is an important site, well-known for its diversified vertebrate remains dated to the second half of the Middle Pleistocene. Following a brief presentation of the historical context, preliminary data, collected through new research, are discussed, focusing on the general fossil distribution and new analyses of leporids, carnivores, rhinocerotids and cervids to better define their taxonomy, paleoecology and biochronology.
Dental microwear analysis is a proxy for analysing the diet in extinct and extant vertebrates, es... more Dental microwear analysis is a proxy for analysing the diet in extinct and extant vertebrates, especially mammals. The limits of these approaches are still rather poorly known, especially in terms of taphonomic impacts. Indeed, several physical or chemical phenomena may have altered the microscopic features linked to the diet and compromised their study. In this article, we evaluate the effect of sediment abrasion on teeth on low-magnification tooth wear studies. We used a tumbling machine in order to reproduce abrasion marks on 57 molars and premolars of Equus sp., Capra hircus and Sus scrofa employing two types of sediments: a mixture of clay and sand sediment with small (150-200 μm) and rounded particles and a sandy one with larger (350-500 μm) and sub-angular particles. The teeth underwent up to 2 h of tumbling simulation, and casts were made at regular intervals in order to evaluate the evolution of the taphonomic impact over time. Our experiment shows that (1) both sediments strongly alter the teeth after a certain time; (2) the fine particles contained in the mix of sand and clay sediment have a much stronger impact on the enamel than the sand; (3) the mix of clay and sand sediment tends to increase the number of pits and reduce the number of scratches, vice versa for the sand; and (4) sedimentary and dietary marks do not have the same morphology and can be distinguished. The abrasion marks (compared to dietary scratches) tend to be wider, shorter, with an isotropic distribution, more frequent on the most exposed parts of the teeth (such as the cusps or the edges). The pits resulting from sediment tumbling present an irregular morphology in comparison with dietary pits, which are rounder. Both sediments have an impact on the enamel surfaces. Thus, when signs of taphonomic alteration (e.g. presence of abrasion marks, taphonomic pits, notches in the edges of enamel) are documented, we recommend avoiding studying the tips of the cups of the Suidae (and probably other bunodont teeth) and the portions of enamel at the edge of equid teeth which are more affected by taphonomic processes, especially in the mix of sand and clay sediment. This work has important implications for microwear studies applied to fossil samples. It makes it possible to recognize some taphonomic features linked to mechanical abrasion of the enamel, to consider with more caution the teeth that have been preserved in fine sediment and to choose, in order to characterise the diet, the areas least impacted by taphonomic alterations.
Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus... more Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus) sont abondants dans les sequences archeo-paleontologiques du Pleistocene moyen et superieur du Sud de la France. L’etude biometrique des restes osseux et dentaires a partir de 11 sites (Camp-de-peyre, La Micoque, Igue des Rameaux, Payre, Lunel-Viel, Rigabe, Suard, Combe-Grenal, Pech de l’Aze II, Coudoulous II, Peyre) et 22 ensembles/niveaux, controlee par des analyses statistiques factorielles, permet de caracteriser les adaptations contextuelles de chaque taxon et leurs tendances evolutives, et d’affiner leurs apports biochronologiques. Les analyses de meso- et micro-usure dentaire detaillent les comportements alimentaires de ces taxons et les environnements locaux dans lequel ils vivaient, integrant les variations saisonnieres. L’utilisation des deux approches, biometriques et ecometriques, augmente significativement notre resolution des contextes paleo-environnementaux, pour chacun ...
In this paper, we consider human mobility through their herbivore prey. Human mobility and territ... more In this paper, we consider human mobility through their herbivore prey. Human mobility and territorial management are driven by many factors, including the specific acquisition of targeted resources, depending on their behaviour and their availability in the nearby environment. Animal acquisition for subsistence requires specific Human group organization. The observation of micro-wear on herbivore teeth can provide information about the relative duration of human occupation in a given stratigraphic level. The comparison of duration accumulation patterns from archaeological and paleontological sequences contributes to identifying specifically human behaviours. For this preliminary study, we focus on Equus and Bos from the South of France between the Lower Palaeolithic and the Middle Palaeolithic, as the first taxon is often well represented in Palaeolithic sites while the second is less common. We worked on 17 fossil populations from archaeological and paleontological sites. This study shows different patterns for human and hyena acquisition of horses. The pluri-seasonal pattern for this species suggests selective acquisition of horses by human groups and more opportunistic procurement for Bos. This refines the hypothesis of analogous hyena and pre-Neanderthal behaviour and underlines the importance of paleontological sites for defining human-specific behavioural traits.
Knowledge about the origin and evolutionary history of the bison has been improved recently owing... more Knowledge about the origin and evolutionary history of the bison has been improved recently owing to several genomic and paleogenomic studies published in the last two years, which elucidated large parts of the evolution of bison populations during the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene in Eurasia. The produced data, however, were interpreted in contradicting manners. Here, we have gathered, reanalyzed and compared previously published or unpublished morphometric and genetic data that have not yet been integrated and that we synthesize in a unified framework. In particular, we re-estimate dates of divergence of mitogenome lineages based on an extended dataset comprising 81 complete ancient bison mitogenomes and we revisit putative gene flow between the Bos and Bison genera based on comparative analyses of ancient and modern bison genomes, thereby questioning published conclusions. Morphometric analyses taking into account sexual dimorphism invalidate a previous claim that Bison schoeten...
Equus is a very sensitive genus which has expanded over a large area and lived in Europe despite ... more Equus is a very sensitive genus which has expanded over a large area and lived in Europe despite the climatic instability of the Pleistocene. Its persistence and abundance are helpful in understanding and describing environmental and climatic regional parameters. In this study, we present the result of dental mesowear and microwear analysis and post-cranial skeleton biometry on Equus populations located in two regions in the South of France from ten sites, corresponding to twelve assemblages dated from MIS 12 to MIS 5. The areas refer to two major climatic zones: the oceanic or subcontinental climate for the South West of France, and the Mediterranean for the South East. The first objective of this study is to integrate and compare biometric data, dental wear, and other already-published environmental proxies. The goal is to discuss the validity of horse body shape adaptations on a small geographical scale. The second objective is to describe the impact of environmental features on the horse population through time in the two regions. We observe that the Equus diet was quite diverse, according to microwear analysis which shows adaptations according to seasonal variations. However, they remained mostly grazers over a long period of time. Estimated body mass of Equus in the localities studied here varies from a mean of 468 up to a mean of 570 kg, but these variations failed to be correlated with the diet, the climatic period, or the geographical position of the horse population, probably because of the sample size or the restricted time-span or geographical scale. However, the conformation of the metapodials and the width of the third phalanges may have been linked with environmental and behavioural parameters. The width of the third phalange may be correlated with the recurrence of the snow cover, while the robustness of the metapodial co-occurs with a humid climate. Also, diet may influence the conformation of the bones, since the tall and slender horses seem to be preferentially grazers all year long and seasonally browser horses are tall and robust. Seasonally mixed-feeder horses, all coming from the Mediterranean area, were found to be smaller, perhaps in relation to a less productive environment. The correspondence of the dietary and morphometrical data could suggest high pressure on the horse population, which caused rapid body adaptation. Thus, the combination of these different proxies allows us to suggest more accurate large mammal paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France,... more The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France, is an important site, well-known for its diversified vertebrate remains dated to the second half of the Middle Pleistocene. Following a brief presentation of the historical context, preliminary data, collected through new research, are discussed, focusing on the general fossil distribution and new analyses of leporids, carnivores, rhinocerotids and cervids to better define their taxonomy, paleoecology and biochronology.
International audienceThe Mediterranean realm in Southeast France is located between three mounta... more International audienceThe Mediterranean realm in Southeast France is located between three mountainous regions (Alps, Pyrenees and Massif-Central) and divided by a main north-south river and valley named The Rhône. The hydrological basin of this river is very important and presently the influence of the Mediterranean climate is sensitive higher in this Rhône’ corridor. These geomorphological features condition some partitioning, with two sub-regions (Provence at east of Rhone, and Occitanie at west), as well as a wide coastal plains and more elevated zones at the border of reliefs. In this contribution we will propose a synthetic view and multi-approaches studies (paleontology, paleoecology, biogeography, ecometry…) about the large mammalian associations considered within a diachronic perspective, namely from Late Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene (from MIS 12 to MIS2). This time period is contemporaneous of major climatic phases (especially glacial vs interglacial stages), the succession of Neanderthal and Modern Human cultures, as well as a marked turnover in the faunal biomes known as an important limit between two sub-series: the Middle and the Late Pleistocene. More of 35 archeo-paleontological sites (and many more levels) record as many herbivore and carnivore associations through this space-time which can be analyzed in their dynamic sequence, quantifying several eco-biological factors (body-size, diet category..), including peculiar forms (ex. Cervid: Haploidoceros) and evolutive lineage or taxa replacement (ex. Canis, Bison, Equus…). We must note the importance of geographical factors in the taxa distribution together with the sea-level fluctuation especially marked in the west part of the region (Occitanie). Moreover, the area of Rhone delta and the corridor of this river condition strong wind flow which develop some thick deposits of eolian sands (loess), indicators of locally quite cold condition. Among evolutive traits, the particular case of caballine horses is interesting because showing special adaptive features related to the mild Mediterranean clime (peripheral zones) regardless of global climate conditions. Lastly, ecometrical analysis (meso- and micro-dental wear) developed on some sites and taxa are a valuable tool to precise local environmental features within the global climatic variations. It generally suggests a high resilience and adaptive capacities from the large and medium size herbivores (Equids, Bovids, Cervids). Paleofaunas constitute a well-documented terrestrial archives for paleoclimate reconstruction, raising issues about interactions with climate and local geographic factors; our study allow us to envision the real biological changes, responses or resilience of the mammalian guilds/biomes within this peculiar Western Mediterranean space
International audienceMorocco is a geographically and climatically highly fragmented territory oc... more International audienceMorocco is a geographically and climatically highly fragmented territory occupied for about 300,000 years by Homo sapiens. This area is currently characterized by the presence of four large mountain ranges but also plateaus, plains and coastlines subject to a Mediterranean-type and temperate Atlantic climate from the North to more open landscape in the South. The analysis of environmental parameters at a local level is therefore crucial for understanding the context and living environments of human populations. We present here a study of tooth wear analysis of different herbivores in human settlements distributed along a North-South axis in the sequences of Taforalt (Oujda region), El Khenzira (El Jadida region) and Bizmoune (Essaouira region) in order to review their diet. By considering these faunal associations and inferring the evolution of plant cover, we document paleoenvironmental variations according to the geographic distributions of theses 3 sites during the Upper Pleistocene
Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus... more Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus) sont abondants dans les séquences archéo-paléontologiques du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur du Sud de la France. L’étude biométrique des restes osseux et dentaires à partir de 11 sites (Camp-de-peyre, La Micoque, Igue des Rameaux, Payre, Lunel-Viel, Rigabe, Suard, Combe-Grenal, Pech de l’Azé II, Coudoulous II, Peyre) et 22 ensembles/niveaux, contrôlée par des analyses statistiques factorielles, permet de caractériser les adaptations contextuelles de chaque taxon et leurs tendances évolutives, et d’affiner leurs apports biochronologiques. Les analyses de méso- et micro-usure dentaire détaillent les comportements alimentaires de ces taxons et les environnements locaux dans lequel ils vivaient, intégrant les variations saisonnières. L’utilisation des deux approches, biométriques et écométriques, augmente significativement notre résolution des contextes paléo-environnementaux, pour chacun ...
Boutillier-Uzunidis Antigone. Antigone Uzunidis-Boutillier (2017) – Grands herbivores de la fin d... more Boutillier-Uzunidis Antigone. Antigone Uzunidis-Boutillier (2017) – Grands herbivores de la fin du Pléistocène moyen au début du Pléistocène supérieur dans le Sud de la France. Implications anthropologiques pour la lignée néandertalienne. Thèse de doctorat sous la direction de J.-P. Brugal (DR1 CNRS), soutenue le 21 novembre 2017 à Aix-Marseille université devant le jury composé de P.-O. Antoine (président, professeur à l’université Montpellier 2), J.-P. Bracco (examinateur, professeur à Aix-Marseille Uni-versité), J.-P. Brugal (directeur, DR1 CNRS), S. Costamagno (examinatrice, DR2 CNRS), J.-L. Gua-delli (rapporteur, DR2 CNRS) et F. Rivals (rapporteur, professeur à l’IPHES, Tarragone). In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 115, n°1, 2018. pp. 154-156
The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France,... more The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France, is an important site, well-known for its diversified vertebrate remains dated to the second half of the Middle Pleistocene. Following a brief presentation of the historical context, preliminary data, collected through new research, are discussed, focusing on the general fossil distribution and new analyses of leporids, carnivores, rhinocerotids and cervids to better define their taxonomy, paleoecology and biochronology.
Dental microwear analysis is a proxy for analysing the diet in extinct and extant vertebrates, es... more Dental microwear analysis is a proxy for analysing the diet in extinct and extant vertebrates, especially mammals. The limits of these approaches are still rather poorly known, especially in terms of taphonomic impacts. Indeed, several physical or chemical phenomena may have altered the microscopic features linked to the diet and compromised their study. In this article, we evaluate the effect of sediment abrasion on teeth on low-magnification tooth wear studies. We used a tumbling machine in order to reproduce abrasion marks on 57 molars and premolars of Equus sp., Capra hircus and Sus scrofa employing two types of sediments: a mixture of clay and sand sediment with small (150-200 μm) and rounded particles and a sandy one with larger (350-500 μm) and sub-angular particles. The teeth underwent up to 2 h of tumbling simulation, and casts were made at regular intervals in order to evaluate the evolution of the taphonomic impact over time. Our experiment shows that (1) both sediments strongly alter the teeth after a certain time; (2) the fine particles contained in the mix of sand and clay sediment have a much stronger impact on the enamel than the sand; (3) the mix of clay and sand sediment tends to increase the number of pits and reduce the number of scratches, vice versa for the sand; and (4) sedimentary and dietary marks do not have the same morphology and can be distinguished. The abrasion marks (compared to dietary scratches) tend to be wider, shorter, with an isotropic distribution, more frequent on the most exposed parts of the teeth (such as the cusps or the edges). The pits resulting from sediment tumbling present an irregular morphology in comparison with dietary pits, which are rounder. Both sediments have an impact on the enamel surfaces. Thus, when signs of taphonomic alteration (e.g. presence of abrasion marks, taphonomic pits, notches in the edges of enamel) are documented, we recommend avoiding studying the tips of the cups of the Suidae (and probably other bunodont teeth) and the portions of enamel at the edge of equid teeth which are more affected by taphonomic processes, especially in the mix of sand and clay sediment. This work has important implications for microwear studies applied to fossil samples. It makes it possible to recognize some taphonomic features linked to mechanical abrasion of the enamel, to consider with more caution the teeth that have been preserved in fine sediment and to choose, in order to characterise the diet, the areas least impacted by taphonomic alterations.
Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus... more Les restes fossiles des grands herbivores (genres Bos, Bison, Equus, Coelodonta et Stephanorhinus) sont abondants dans les sequences archeo-paleontologiques du Pleistocene moyen et superieur du Sud de la France. L’etude biometrique des restes osseux et dentaires a partir de 11 sites (Camp-de-peyre, La Micoque, Igue des Rameaux, Payre, Lunel-Viel, Rigabe, Suard, Combe-Grenal, Pech de l’Aze II, Coudoulous II, Peyre) et 22 ensembles/niveaux, controlee par des analyses statistiques factorielles, permet de caracteriser les adaptations contextuelles de chaque taxon et leurs tendances evolutives, et d’affiner leurs apports biochronologiques. Les analyses de meso- et micro-usure dentaire detaillent les comportements alimentaires de ces taxons et les environnements locaux dans lequel ils vivaient, integrant les variations saisonnieres. L’utilisation des deux approches, biometriques et ecometriques, augmente significativement notre resolution des contextes paleo-environnementaux, pour chacun ...
In this paper, we consider human mobility through their herbivore prey. Human mobility and territ... more In this paper, we consider human mobility through their herbivore prey. Human mobility and territorial management are driven by many factors, including the specific acquisition of targeted resources, depending on their behaviour and their availability in the nearby environment. Animal acquisition for subsistence requires specific Human group organization. The observation of micro-wear on herbivore teeth can provide information about the relative duration of human occupation in a given stratigraphic level. The comparison of duration accumulation patterns from archaeological and paleontological sequences contributes to identifying specifically human behaviours. For this preliminary study, we focus on Equus and Bos from the South of France between the Lower Palaeolithic and the Middle Palaeolithic, as the first taxon is often well represented in Palaeolithic sites while the second is less common. We worked on 17 fossil populations from archaeological and paleontological sites. This study shows different patterns for human and hyena acquisition of horses. The pluri-seasonal pattern for this species suggests selective acquisition of horses by human groups and more opportunistic procurement for Bos. This refines the hypothesis of analogous hyena and pre-Neanderthal behaviour and underlines the importance of paleontological sites for defining human-specific behavioural traits.
Knowledge about the origin and evolutionary history of the bison has been improved recently owing... more Knowledge about the origin and evolutionary history of the bison has been improved recently owing to several genomic and paleogenomic studies published in the last two years, which elucidated large parts of the evolution of bison populations during the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene in Eurasia. The produced data, however, were interpreted in contradicting manners. Here, we have gathered, reanalyzed and compared previously published or unpublished morphometric and genetic data that have not yet been integrated and that we synthesize in a unified framework. In particular, we re-estimate dates of divergence of mitogenome lineages based on an extended dataset comprising 81 complete ancient bison mitogenomes and we revisit putative gene flow between the Bos and Bison genera based on comparative analyses of ancient and modern bison genomes, thereby questioning published conclusions. Morphometric analyses taking into account sexual dimorphism invalidate a previous claim that Bison schoeten...
Equus is a very sensitive genus which has expanded over a large area and lived in Europe despite ... more Equus is a very sensitive genus which has expanded over a large area and lived in Europe despite the climatic instability of the Pleistocene. Its persistence and abundance are helpful in understanding and describing environmental and climatic regional parameters. In this study, we present the result of dental mesowear and microwear analysis and post-cranial skeleton biometry on Equus populations located in two regions in the South of France from ten sites, corresponding to twelve assemblages dated from MIS 12 to MIS 5. The areas refer to two major climatic zones: the oceanic or subcontinental climate for the South West of France, and the Mediterranean for the South East. The first objective of this study is to integrate and compare biometric data, dental wear, and other already-published environmental proxies. The goal is to discuss the validity of horse body shape adaptations on a small geographical scale. The second objective is to describe the impact of environmental features on the horse population through time in the two regions. We observe that the Equus diet was quite diverse, according to microwear analysis which shows adaptations according to seasonal variations. However, they remained mostly grazers over a long period of time. Estimated body mass of Equus in the localities studied here varies from a mean of 468 up to a mean of 570 kg, but these variations failed to be correlated with the diet, the climatic period, or the geographical position of the horse population, probably because of the sample size or the restricted time-span or geographical scale. However, the conformation of the metapodials and the width of the third phalanges may have been linked with environmental and behavioural parameters. The width of the third phalange may be correlated with the recurrence of the snow cover, while the robustness of the metapodial co-occurs with a humid climate. Also, diet may influence the conformation of the bones, since the tall and slender horses seem to be preferentially grazers all year long and seasonally browser horses are tall and robust. Seasonally mixed-feeder horses, all coming from the Mediterranean area, were found to be smaller, perhaps in relation to a less productive environment. The correspondence of the dietary and morphometrical data could suggest high pressure on the horse population, which caused rapid body adaptation. Thus, the combination of these different proxies allows us to suggest more accurate large mammal paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France,... more The archeo-paleontological site of Mas des Caves at Lunel-Viel (Hérault), in Southeastern France, is an important site, well-known for its diversified vertebrate remains dated to the second half of the Middle Pleistocene. Following a brief presentation of the historical context, preliminary data, collected through new research, are discussed, focusing on the general fossil distribution and new analyses of leporids, carnivores, rhinocerotids and cervids to better define their taxonomy, paleoecology and biochronology.
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