Cervidae

Nature's contributions to people (NCP) are all the contributions of living nature, both beneficial and detrimental, to the societies' life's quality. Ungulates play this dual role of providers of beneficial and detrimental NCP, as they are responsible of the supply of benefits (e.g. extractive experiences, habitat maintenance) and detriments (e.g. crops damage, traffic collisions). Our aim was to analyze the NCP provided by wild ungulates through examining the scientific priorities and the shepherds' perceptions in peninsular Spain. We reviewed scientific articles of NCP provided by ungulates in Spain and conducted questionnaires regarding NCP to shepherds in farming systems where domestic and wild ungulates cohabit. Then, we compared whether the scientific priorities match with those perceived by shepherds. Both stakeholders highlight more detrimental than beneficial NCP, although there are some mismatches between scientific priorities and shepherds' perceptions. Regarding detrimental NCP, soil alteration, silvicultural damage, human safety or traffic collision were included in scientific literature but not mentioned by shepherds. Contrarywise, shepherds mainly considered grazing competence and damage to animals (i.e. game species and livestock) as important detrimental NCP. Concerning beneficial NCP, whilst hunting was prominent in the publications, shepherds did not conceived it as an important beneficial contribution and considered the regulation of organisms (i.e. scavenging alternative prey) important benefits. These results can have twofold implications. The emphasis on detrimental NCP (studied and perceived) can reinforce the idea that ungulates can threaten humans rather than contribute to societies' wellbeing. The fact that research does not address the interests of shepherds can affect the social tolerance towards ungulates as the damages experienced or perceived by shepherds are not studied. Our results show the relevance of considering local knowledge held by shepherds and their perceptions, something highlighted by the NCP approach.

Three assemblages of fallow deer (Dama sp.) bones excavated from the early middle Pleistocene (oxygen isotope stage 18) layers of the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov, Israel, furnish evidence of systematic and repeated exploitation of complete carcasses by hominins.
The excellent state of preservation of the bones and the presence of only minimal signs of carnivore involvement permit an investigation of the role of hominins as the primary agents responsible for the damage to these bones. Hominin expertise in dealing with fallow deer carcasses is manifested by cut marks, percussion marks, and hack marks on the bones. The archaeozoological analysis of the anatomical position and
frequency of these marks suggests that carcass processing followed systematic practices that reflect an in-depth knowledge of fallow deer anatomy and a consistent behavioral strategy. These assemblages represent one of the earliest examples of methodological butchering practices in Eurasia. The evidence of carcass processing observed at Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov resembles that seen in late Pleistocene sites in Israel, which were inhabited by modern humans. We interpret the Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov data as indicating that the Acheulian hunters at the site (1) were proficient communicators and learners and (2) possessed anatomical knowledge, considerable manual skill, impressive technological abilities, and foresight.

En este trabajo reportamos la identidad taxonómica de los cérvidos capreolinos de un yacimiento fosilífero del centro-occidente de México que corresponde al Pleistoceno tardío y a la edad biogeocronológica de mamíferos terrestres norteamericanos del Rancholabreano...

The taxonomy, systematics, morphology and evolution of Praemegaceros (Nesoleipoceros) cazioti and Praemegaceros (Nesoleipoceros) solilhacus are discussed in the present paper. The morphology of antlers and dentition suggest that the species under study belong to the same phylogenetic lineage and represent a smaller island form and its giant mainland relative. Two chronosubspecies of the insular species are recognized: the riss-würmian subspecies P. (Nesoleipoceros) cazioti cazioti Depéret and the late-würmian subspecies P. (Nesoleipoceros) cazioti algarensis Comaschi Caria. The evolutionary model for P. (Nesoleipoceros) cazioti from Corsica and Sardinia is proposed. Apparently, the true dwarfing process did not occur in the evolution of the insular Nesoleipoceros.

"Biśnik Cave (Poland). The giant deer from Biśnik is represented by a rather small-sized form. Upper and lower tooth rows are generally shorter than in the sample from Ireland, just slightly overlapping with the smallest individuals from Ireland. The lower premolar series is relatively longer than in Irish giant deer and the available material does not show overlapping of premolar/molar ratio of the compared samples. The upper tooth series lengths and proportions of the giant deer from Biśnik Cave are quite similar to those of Megaloceros giganteus from Italy reported by Caloi (1973). A very weak development of the cingulum, which is hardly visible in the majority of molars is another peculiar character of the giant deer dentition from Biśnik. Only few specimens show a moderate development of cingulum. The postcranial material from Biśnik is also rather small: the complete radius Nr. 1703 is significantly smaller than the specimen from Schlutup, Germany (according to data from Pfeiffer, 1999) and still smaller if compared to the specimen of Irish giant deer stored in the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The radius from Biśnik is also characterized by the relatively narrowest upper epiphysis among forms involved in the comparison. The size and proportions of the metacarpal Nr. 1654 suggest that the giant deer from Biśnik belongs to the group of short-limbed forms, such as Irish giant deer from Dublin, and the sample from Bruine Bank (Holland). Again, the metatarsal from Biśnik is characterized by the narrowest epiphyses among the compared forms.
Częstochowska Upland (Poland). Although the complete metatarsus from the Częstochowska Upland (the exact location is unknown) can not be directly compared to the sample from the Biśnik Cave, apparently it belongs to a different form of giant deer. The metatarsal bone under consideration is very long, much longer than the metatarsal from Brynzeni-I and involved in the study specimens from Dublin, but also is longer than the metatarsal of a large and long-limbed form from Lysmosen (Danemark). The metatarsal from the Częstochowska Upland is characterized by the relatively narrowest epiphyses among the compared forms of giant deer, thus belonging to a particularly long-limbed gracile form of giant deer.
Ofatinti and Duruitoarea Veche (Moldova). The oldest remains of giant deer from Moldova are yielded by the late Mikulian interglacial period deposits of Ofatinti (120 000 – 130 000 years: fide Anisiutkin, 2001) and Riss glacial strata of Duruitoarea Veche (ca. 70 000 years: ibidem). The lower mandible thickness and length of lower molar series from Ofatinti and Duruitoarea Veche are similar to samples from Ireland and Rhine Basin. However, unlike the sample form from Ireland, the only known in Moldova complete lower tooth row from Duruitoarea Veche is characterized by relatively long premolar series as in the giant deer from Biśnik. Cingulum in upper molars of the giant deer from Moldova is also very weak as in the sample from Poland. Therefore, one can assume that the earliest giant deer from Moldova are characterized by “normal” large body size; however they still maintain a relatively long premolar series and weak development of cingulum. Lister (1994) reports comparatively small teeth for the synchronous giant deer from Ipswichian/Eemian Interglacial of Western Europe, but this, apparently, is not the case of the giant deer from Moldova.
Brynzeni-I (Moldova). The third layer of Brynzeni-I corresponds to the early stage of Late Paleolithic (radiometric dating indicated the age varying from 26 000 to 18 000 years: Rogachev & Anikovich, 1984). The complete upper tooth row is rather large, slightly exceeding the total length of the largest specimens from Ireland, and falling within the range of size variation of the sample from Rhine Basin of Holland and Germany (according to data from Caloi, 1973). Unlike the Irish form of giant deer, the specimen from Brynzeni-I is characterized by relatively long premolar series, as the samples from Biśnik Cave and Rhine Basin. The giant deer from Brynzeni-I also is characterized by very weak development of cingulum. The single complete metatarsal from Brynzeni-1 approaches the Moldavian giant deer to short-limbed forms, such as the giant deer from Ireland.
Comments. According to Lister (2004), the earliest remains of M. giganteus are dated back to ca. 450 000 years. Therefore, the remains of the giant deer yielded by the lower layers of the Biśnik cave, dated by the period from Odranian Glaciation to early Vistulian and Torun stadials (Cyrek et al., 2010), are among the oldest remains of M. giganteus. The set of characters of the fossil material from Biśnik suggest that we are dealing with a smaller primitive form of giant deer with relatively long premolar series, weak cingula of molars, and short metapodials. The relatively narrower epiphyses of limb bones could be correlated with smaller body size of the giant deer from Biśnik. Megaloceros giganteus from Biśnik is quite different from the ancient form from Holsteinian of Steinheim (ca. 400 or 300 kyr BP), which is reported by Lister (1994) as a giant deer of “normal” body size (as large as the sample from Ireland), with possibly elongate distal limb elements. The Polish giant deer is also significantly smaller if compared to Lister’s (1994) supposed oldest known giant deer from the Late Anglian of Homersfield, Norfolk, England, characterized by particularly large size rivaling the largest specimens from Ireland. Van der Made (2006) analyzed the proportions of metacarpals of M. giganteus from Rhine Basin and distinguished two morphological forms: the older M. giganteus “antecedents/germaniae” with slender metacarpals, and younger Eemian M. giganteus ssp. with robust metacarpals. The position of metacarpal bone from Biśnik is rather uncertain if compared to the data of van der Made (ibidem). The specimen from Biśnik possesses rather narrow distal epiphysis as in the “slender” type, and comparatively broad and short shaft as in the “robust” type.
The mandibular pachyostosis is a constant character trough the time, since the earlier jaws, including the specimens reported in the present study, are as wide for their size as those from Ireland (Lister, 1994). The mandibles of females are relatively narrower than in males, therefore the  mandibular pachyostosis is exposed to a strong sexual dimorphism. It is important to note that, according to the mandible thickness, females are predominating in the samples from the Biśnik Cave and Moldavian grottos, unlike the sample from Ireland dominated by males (Barnosky, 1985). Therefore, the results of comparative analysis may be affected by the taphonomical conditions of fossil material accumulation. Lister (1994) regards the jaw thickening in M. giganteus as a part of a generally enhanced skeletal calcium store, related to the unusually large size of the antlers. Perhaps, the strongly ossified vomer, reduced size of foramen ovale and strong obliteration of cranial sutures should be regarded as characters caused by pachyostosis (Croitor, 2008). The nature of cingulum is unclear. This character is very variable. The cingulum is well-developed in the sample of giant deer from Ireland (but still very variable), while it is poorly developed in specimens discovered in Eastern Europe. Perhaps, the cingulum represents a sort of dental hypertrophy related to the hyperostosis of head skeleton in giant deer (Croitor, 2008). Therefore, the dental cingulum may be a dimorphic character biased by the male/female ratio in the sample.
References
Anisiutkin, N. K. 2001. Mousterian Age of South-West of Russian Plane. Sankt-Petersburg: “Evropeiskiy Dom Publishing House”, 308 p.
Barnosky, A. D. 1985. Taphonomy and herd structure of the extinct Irish elk, Megaloceros giganteus. Science, 228: 340–44.
Caloi, L. 1973. Cranio di Megaceros giganteus (Blum.) nel Muzeo del Servizio geologico d’Italia. Bolettino del Servizio geologico d’Italia, 93: 195-221.
Croitor, R., 2008. Giant deer Megaloceros giganteus (Cervidae , Mammalia) from Late Pleistocene of Moldova. Oltenia. Studiile şi comunicări. Ştiinţele Naturii, 24: 262-266, Craiova.
Cyrek K., Socha P., Stefaniak K., Madeyska T., Miroslaw-Grabowska J., Sudol M., Czyzewski L. 2010. Palaeolithic of Biśnik Cave (Southern Poland) within the environmental background. Quaternary International, 220: 5-30.
Lister, A. M. 1994. The evolution of the giant deer, Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach). Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 112: 65-100.
Made, van der J. 2006. The evolution and biogeography of the Pleistocene giant deer Megaloceros giganteus (Cervidae, Mammalia). Courrier Forsch.-Institut Senckenberg, 256: 117-129.
Pfeiffer, T. 1999. Der Riesenhirsch, Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach 1799) von Schlutup bei Lübeck mit einer Analyse funktioneller Adaptationen des Skelettes. Berichte des Vereins „Natur und Heimat“ und des Naturhistorischen Museums zu Lübeck, „Museum für Natur und Umwelt“, Heft 25/26: 138-159.
Rogachev, A. N. & Anikovich, M. V. 1984. Late Palaeolithic of Russian Plane and Crimea. Archaeology of the USSR: Palaeolithic of the USSR: Moscow, 162-271.
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A revision of Early Pliocene deer from Poland, Slovakia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, and South Russia is proposed in the present study. The following forms of Cervidae are described: Muntiacus polonicus/pliocaenicus (most probably, only one species), Eostyloceros pidoplitschkoi, Procapreolus moldavicus, Croizetoceros ramosus, “Cervus” warthae, “Cervus” lyra, Arvernoceros cf. ardei, Metacervocerus pardinensis. The article also includes discussion of systematical and taxonomical questions of the cervid genera Pliocervus, Pavlodaria, Capreolus, Croizetoceros, Axis, Rusa, Cervus, and Dama. Croizetoceros is regarded as genus incertae sedis. “Pliocervus kutchurganicus” is a junior synonyme of Procapreolus moldavicus. The ancestral type of deer, evolution, and phylogeny of Cervidae are discussed.

La Reserva Nacional Nonguén (RNN) es un área silvestre protegida, incorporada al SNASPE el año 2010, y que limita en parte con la ciudad de Concepción, Región del Biobío.  Evaluamos la presencia de mesomamíferos mediante estaciones olfativas y trampeo fotográfico, estimamos la abundancia relativa de las especies detectadas y estudiamos la diversidad del ensamble por medio del índice de diversidad
de Simpson. En orden decreciente de abundancia en el sitio de muestreo sumados ambos métodos las especies son: zorro culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus), perro doméstico, pudú (Pudu pudu) y güiña (Leopardus guigna). El índice estimado revela una baja diversidad del ensamble de mesomamíferos en la RNN. Se discuten posibles efectos de la cercanía a ciudades y de la presencia de perros domésticos sobre la diversidad del ensamble de mesomamíferos.

The article describes morphology and biogeography of four cervid species from the Late Villafranchian site of Ceyssaguet (France): Eucladoceros ctenoides, Praemegaceros obscurus, Metacervocerus rhenanus, Dama cf. vallonnetensis. A special chapter is dedicated to systematical and taxonomical issues concerning the species under study.

Carnivores and their prey occurring at the extremes of their ecological niches face particular constraints in terms of habitat suitability (HS). We combined the use of camera traps and Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) to calculate HS for jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), and 4 prey species (3-banded armadillos, Tolypeutes tricinctus; 9-banded armadillos, Dasypus novemcinctus; collared peccaries, Pecari tajacu; and gray brocket deer, Mazama gouazoubira) in Serra da Capivara National Park (SCNP), located in the semiarid Caatinga biome of Brazil. We also evaluated HS in relation to water management applied in the Park since 1994. Considering the physiological limitations of the Caatinga's species, we used an " edge of niche " habitat-suitability algorithm. For all species examined, distance to waterholes was the ecogeographical variable with the greatest contribution for the ENFA. Water management implemented in SCNP helps to ensure the persistence of predators and prey species, since the combination of topographic characteristics and location of waterholes explained most of HS for the analyzed species. Os carnívoros e suas presas que ocorrem nos extremos dos seus nichos ecológicos enfrentam restrições particulares en termos de adequabilidade de habitat (AH). Neste estudo, combinamos o uso de armadilhas-fotográficas e a Análise Fatorial de Nicho Ecologico (ENFA-Ecological Niche Factor Analysis) para calcular a AH para a onça-pintada (Panthera onca), a onça-parda (Puma concolor) e 4 espécies presa (3 o tatu-bola, Tolypeutes tricintus; o tatu-galinha, Dasypus novemcinctus; o cateto, Pecari tajacu; e o veado-catingueiro, Mazama gouazoubira) no Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara (PNSC), localizado no bioma semiárido da Caatinga do Brasil. Também avaliamos os resultados da AH em termos de uma política de manejo de água aplicada no parque desde 1994. Considerando as limitações fisiológicas das espécies na Caatinga, utilizamos um algoritmo de AH de " beira de nicho ". Para todas as espécies analisadas, a distância a poços de água foi a variavel eco-geográfica com a maior contribuição para o ENFA. A política de manejo de água aplicada no PNSC contribui a asegurar a persitência dos predadores e presas, uma vez que a combinação de características topográficas e poços de água explicaram a maior parte da AH para as espécies analisadas. Acquiring reliable information about species distributions and building models that can explain and estimate species occurrences is a major concern for conservation efforts (Araújo and Williams 2000). Carnivores worldwide compete with humans for space and food and the alteration of habitats has led to escalated human–carnivore conflicts (Treves and Karanth 2003). As carnivores depend on their prey, reliable information on distribution and habitat suitability (HS) for

New osteological material of the endemic deer from Lunel-Viel and L’Igue des Rameaux (France) reveals its evolutionary specialization, and gives reason for establishing a new genus, Haploidoceros, with a single species H. mediterraneus (BONIFAY, 1967). The cranial proportions and morphology suggest that H. mediterraneus is close to the Late Villafranchian species Metacervocerus rhenanus, which may be a possible forerunner of the deer under study. The evolutionary origin of H. mediterraneus took place in the Iberian glacial refugia during the “Mindel glaciation” of the early Middle Pleistocene. The North-East distribution of H. mediterraneus was limited by unfavorable climate influence of the Arctic and Alpine Ice Shields.