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Barn owls are the most widely distributed group of owls in the world and are among the most common accumulators of small vertebrate remains at archeological and paleontological sites. Despite its importance as a bone remains accumulator and predictor of paleoenvironmental conditions due to its generalist habits, the vertebrate prey of this raptor has been scarcely studied from an ecological community perspective, especially considering the diverse range of prey it captures. Archeological, paleontological, and taphonomic studies typically reveal taxon-specific patterns, focusing primarily on small rodents. In order to overcome this problem, we studied an assemblage of vertebrate bones from barn owl pellets in the central Monte Desert of Argentina. Our analysis included the full range of prey taxa, including rodents, marsupials, birds, and reptiles, addressed from both an ecological and neo-taphonomic perspective. We compare the taxonomic and taphonomic findings with those from regional small vertebrate records obtained from various sampling types over the past 50 years to explore recent environmental changes within the Anthropocene. The assemblage of small vertebrate prey presented here comprises five species of cricetids, one species from the Caviidae family, and at least one ctenomyid rodent species. Additionally, the assemblage includes one species of didelphid marsupial, one reptile species, and at least six passeriform bird species that belong to separate families. The overall taphonomic trends are consistent with the typical barn owl pattern. However, our analysis identified a larger percentage of postcranial elements exhibiting signs of digestion compared to pellet-derived vertebrate bone assemblages previously documented. Furthermore, it is important to note that a significant proportion of avian bone fragments exhibit distinct signs of digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major complications in the palaeopathological analysis of burnt human remains include distinguishing whether bone was fresh or dry at the time of burning, and whether trauma/damage was inflicted 'perimortem' or postmortem. Some prehistoric societies are suggested to have defleshed human remains prior to cremation, mostly classified based on the lack of warping and thumbnail fractures. The distinction between perimortem and postmortem sharp force trauma (SFT) characteristics has rarely been investigated on burnt bones. This study investigates whether these features are distinguishable on burnt bone, as well as assessing the rate of cutmark survival, and the presence of heat-induced fractures in relation to the bone's pre-burnt collagen content. Pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) tibiae were left to decay in a field for 14, 34, 91, 180, and 365 days in Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire, UK. Prior to burning, bones were inflicted with SFT by a non-serrated and partially serrated knife and a flint blade (N = 15/bone). Fleshed bones with cutmarks and bones without trauma served as controls. Cutmark survival, features, and heat-induced fractures were recorded on the burnt bones and compared with the collagen extracted from unburnt bones at the abovementioned time intervals. Statistical analysis included linear regression and MANOVA. Heat-induced fractures did not depend on the limited collagen loss during the 1-year postmortem inverval (PMI) prior to burning. There was a loss (mean 18.4%) of identifiable cutmarks after burning. Significant alterations in the cutmark characteristics appeared after 6 months of exposure in burnt bones, marked by the increase in postmortem features, which can inform on the pre-burning PMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of high‐resolution silicone moulds for documenting bone surface modifications, such as cut marks, is common. However, it has not been evaluated whether moulding can affect the originals. In this work, the modification level derived from several moulding–demoulding processes on an experimental sample of cut marks has been characterised using geometric Morphometrics. It has been shown that moulds influence the morphology of cut marks, reducing their variability, and making the sample more homogeneous. These modifications do not affect the identification of cut marks, but if not considered, may have an effect on more specialised studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the discovery of metal objects is not common in Chalcolithic or Bronze Age sites, the study of bone surface microscopic grooves from animal butchering can yield evidence of the use of metal artefacts in these contexts. Additionally, the presence of slice marks made with metal objects in Chalcolithic and Bronze Age sites has highlighted the use of metal in common practices beyond their ornamental application, as usually expected at the early stages of metallurgy. Here, we present the study of the slice marks found at the Chalcolithic site of Zanjillas, using geometric morphometrics and machine learning algorithms, with the aim of identifying the nature of the tools used for carcass processing at the site. For this purpose, we replicate previous analyses considering slice marks produced with lint flakes and metal tools to generate a referential framework that serves as comparative to the Zanjillas sample. Our results suggest that most of the domestic activities related to carcass skinning, defleshing, or evisceration in Zanjillas were still performed with flint artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coleoid cephalopods are widespread from the Mesozoic till today. The extinct group of the Phragmoteuthida is thought to represent either stem-neocoleoids, stem-decabrachians, or stem-octobrachians. The well-known, almost complete specimens of Phragmoteuthis bisinuata from the Carnian Polzberg Konservat-Lagerstätte near Lunz am See (Lower Austria, Northern Calcareous Alps) and Cave del Predil (Northern Italy, Julian Alps) come from historical collections. These specimens do not reflect the entire coleoid assemblage within this environment. In order to obtain a more complete picture of the Carnian coleoid fauna, 430 coleoid specimens from the Polzberg locality and 60 specimens from contemporaneous localities around Cave del Predil were studied in detail. All available elements (phragmocones, proostraca, cartilages, hooks, beaks, ink sacs) attributed to the coleoid fauna were recorded, measured and evaluated taxonomically and taphonomically. Reviews of historical collection material permitted comparisons with recently collected material. The notation of co-occurrences of other faunal elements yielded insights into the palaeoecological context of this Upper Triassic environment within the Polzberg Basin. The new material from Polzberg does not support the previous assumption of a monospecific composition of the Polzberg coleoid fauna. Instead, we report the occurrence of the new phragmoteuthid Phragmoteuthis polzbergensis nov. sp. and a newly excavated specimen of Phragmoteuthis indicates the presence of ten arms within the group of the Phragmoteuthida for the first time. Phragmocones with small opening angles combined with cylindrical (roundly closed) body chambers, and arm hook types which are unusual for phragmoteuthids indicate the presence of the basal coleoid group comprising the rostrum-less genus Mojsisovicsteuthis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have observed that rainfall may re‐initiate decomposition in desiccated tissue; however, no conclusive research‐based evidence exists on the specific effects of rehydration on decomposition. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of artificial rehydration on the progression of decomposition following the advanced stage of decomposition. Twelve adult pig cadavers (8 experimental; 4 controls) were placed in the central Highveld of South Africa during cooler (April–July 2021) and warmer (August–November 2021) months. Decomposition was scored approximately biweekly to obtain the total body score, and accumulated degree days (ADD) were calculated for each pig. All pig cadavers were covered by chicken wire cages with transparent tarps to control for natural rehydration and scavenging. Once the experimental pig cadavers reached a three‐visit stasis in the advanced phase of decomposition, they were artificially rehydrated, and changes in the progression of decomposition between the control and experimental groups were plotted (ADD against TBS) for observation. The rehydrated experimental pig cadavers showed re‐initiation of decay and insect re‐colonization, while the control cadavers mainly remained in a state of stasis with insect activity ceased altogether. Greater cadaver decomposition islands and a color change post‐rehydration were also noted in some experimental cadavers. This supports the need for future research on the impact of rehydration, including associated soil moisture on decomposition rates, progression, and invertebrate colonization, which will enhance our understanding of the effects these environmental factors have on the accuracy of post‐mortem interval estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2022, human remains were discovered submerged 15 metres underwater, near Cubagua Island, Venezuela. The remains were intricately entangled and secured to the seafloor. The investigation was conducted by the Servicio Nacional de Medicina y Ciencias Forenses (SENAMECF) of Venezuela, and it involved an underwater recovery operation, followed by a comprehensive examination. The medicolegal, anthropological, odontological, and taphonomical analyses alongside diatom test were conducted to ascertain the identity of the remains, determine the cause of death, and estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI)/post-mortem submersion interval (PMSI). Collaborative efforts with international experts on adipocere and barnacle analyses allowed for the refinement of the enhanced the precision of information provided in plea announcements, which facilitated the identification of the subject. Forensic analyses on incomplete and highly decomposed human remains present inherent complexities, which are exacerbated in underwater environments. Compounded by the limited experience and expertise in aquatic forensics among law enforcement agencies worldwide, the present case exemplifies a successful professional collaboration that surmounted a diverse array of challenges. This case underscores the critical importance of knowledge-sharing within the continuously evolving field of forensic science, serves as an illustrative example, and provides guidelines for the investigation of similar cases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present-day geographic and phylogenetic patterns often reflect the geological and climatic history of the planet. Neontological distribution data are often sufficient to unravel a lineage's biogeographic history, yet ancestral range inferences can be at odds with fossil evidence. Here, I use the fossilized birth–death process and the dispersal–extinction cladogenesis model to jointly infer the dated phylogeny and range evolution of the tree fern order Cyatheales. I use data for 101 fossil and 442 extant tree ferns to reconstruct the biogeographic history of the group over the last 220 million years. Fossil-aware reconstructions evince a prolonged occupancy of Laurasia over the Triassic–Cretaceous by Cyathealean tree ferns, which is evident in the fossil record but hidden from analyses relying on neontological data alone. Nonetheless, fossil-aware reconstructions are affected by uncertainty in fossils' phylogenetic placement, taphonomic biases, and specimen sampling and are sensitive to interpretation of paleodistributions and how these are scored. The present results highlight the need and challenges of incorporating fossils into joint inferences of phylogeny and biogeography to improve the reliability of ancestral geographic range estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2022, human remains were discovered submerged 15 metres underwater, near Cubagua Island, Venezuela. The remains were intricately entangled and secured to the seafloor. The investigation was conducted by the Servicio Nacional de Medicina y Ciencias Forenses (SENAMECF) of Venezuela, and it involved an underwater recovery operation, followed by a comprehensive examination. The medicolegal, anthropological, odontological, and taphonomical analyses alongside diatom test were conducted to ascertain the identity of the remains, determine the cause of death, and estimate the post-mortem interval (PMI)/post-mortem submersion interval (PMSI). Collaborative efforts with international experts on adipocere and barnacle analyses allowed for the refinement of the enhanced the precision of information provided in plea announcements, which facilitated the identification of the subject. Forensic analyses on incomplete and highly decomposed human remains present inherent complexities, which are exacerbated in underwater environments. Compounded by the limited experience and expertise in aquatic forensics among law enforcement agencies worldwide, the present case exemplifies a successful professional collaboration that surmounted a diverse array of challenges. This case underscores the critical importance of knowledge-sharing within the continuously evolving field of forensic science, serves as an illustrative example, and provides guidelines for the investigation of similar cases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Morgado Superior Rock Shelter is located near the city of Tomar, in Central Portugal. This site presents important funerary contexts that according to published information encompass the Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. Other non-funerary uses have not yet been characterised but were briefly suggested. A faunal sample of the 1988 and 2012 interventions is analysed from a zooarchaeological and taphonomical perspective, focusing on the leporid remains that largely dominate the assemblage. Clear indicators of a human origin are absent, while a configurational approach allows the description of exogenous and intrusive origins. The characteristics of the registered consumption taphonomical indicators are suggestive of scat and non-ingested accumulation by foxes. Furthermore, this study allows us to discuss some aspects of the formation of the stratigraphy of this important cave necropolis, while also serving as an example of the expected results of foxes' action on leporid remains in an archaeological site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coprolites are relatively common trace fossils in Quaternary sites and are used to obtain a variety of information that goes from environment reconstruction to dating sites or recovering DNA among others. However, little attention is given to taphonomic processes undergone by the coprolites that might compromise their validity as sources of information. In this paper, we present the study of the Middle Pleistocene coprolites of Villanueva-1 from a taphonomic point of view and discuss the results of the analyses performed and how the taphonomic alterations identified have an effect on palaeoecological interpretations based on these fossils. Modifications prior to burial may be determined by direct observation of shape, colour, fractures and inclusions. Some diagenetic alterations can also be inferred from colour differences, but mostly require destructive analyses in order to identify the degree of chemical and structural changes that might interfere with content preservation, such as pollen, DNA, or organic carbon for dating purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa) provides an important fossil record of the evolutionary history of PlioPleistocene hominins. Cooper's Cave deposits have yielded a rich fossil faunal assemblage, as well as six remains attributed to Paranthropus robustus. This study provides the first taxonomic, taphonomic and palaeoecological description of the micromammal material from the 1.4 Ma assemblage of Cooper's D. The taphonomic signature of the assemblage indicates an accumulation by tytonid owls (probably Tyto alba) and advanced postdepositional disturbance probably related to trampling by the occupants of the cave, sorting of the bones along slope, and burying. The taxonomic analysis undertaken here at genus level describes at least 22 taxa of small mammals, including one extinct genus Proodontomys. This assemblage is dominated by Mystromys and Otomys, two rodent genera adapted to grassland habitats which are among the most common among pliopleistocene micromammal faunas from the region. The palaeoecological analysis suggests an open landscape with a predominance of grassland and savanna vegetation, and the proximity of rocky outcrops and a perennial river. These results support previous indications of a shift in the African climate and vegetation towards more open habitats during the Early Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) is one of the key challenges for forensic anthropologists. Although there are several methods referenced for this purpose, none is sufficiently effective. One of the main reasons justifying the complexity of this task is the influence of several taphonomic factors. The study of the Luminol technique has stood out as a promising method for estimating PMI, complementing the existing methods, since it is an economic, easy and reproducible method that operates as a presumptive test. However, it is not known which taphonomic factors can influence the results obtained by this technique. The aim of this study is to test the influence of taphonomic factors, such as temperature, humidity, soil type and pH, on the estimation of the PMI by the Luminol technique. In order to test the influence of the referred factors, a sample consisting of 30 clavicles, with known and similar PMI, collected from autopsies, was distributed as evenly as possible by six vases and buried with different decomposition conditions for a period of 12 months. After the exhumation and sample preparation, the Luminol technique was applied. It was possible to clearly observe differences in the results. Thus, according to our research, it is possible to conclude that the results obtained by the application of Luminol are influenced by taphonomic factors. Therefore, the context in which a body is found should always be considered for applying this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive study examines fossil remains from Niedźwiedzia Cave in the Eastern Sudetes, offering detailed insights into the palaeobiology and adversities encountered by the Pleistocene cave bear Ursus spelaeus ingressus. Emphasising habitual cave use for hibernation and a primarily herbivorous diet, the findings attribute mortality to resource scarcity during hibernation and habitat fragmentation amid climate shifts. Taphonomic analysis indicates that the cave was extensively used by successive generations of bears, virtually unexposed to the impact of predators. The study also reveals that alkaline conditions developed in the cave during the post-depositional taphonomic processes. Mortality patterns, notably among juveniles, imply dwindling resources, indicative of environmental instability. Skeletal examination reveals a high incidence of forelimb fractures, indicating risks during activities like digging or confrontations. Palaeopathological evidence unveils vulnerabilities to tuberculosis, abscesses, rickets, and injuries, elucidating mobility challenges. The cave's silts exhibit a high zinc concentration, potentially derived from successive bear generations consuming zinc-rich plants. This study illuminates the lives of late cave bears, elucidating unique environmental hurdles faced near their species' end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eocene Geiseltal Konservat-Lagerstätte (Germany) is famous for reports of three dimensionally preserved soft tissues with sub-cellular detail. The proposed mode of preservation, direct replication in silica, is not known in other fossils and has not been verified using modern approaches. Here, we investigated the taphonomy of the Geiseltal anurans using diverse microbeam imaging and chemical analytical techniques. Our analyses confirm the preservation of soft tissues in all body regions but fail to yield evidence for silicified soft tissues. Instead, the anuran soft tissues are preserved as two layers that differ in microstructure and composition. Layer 1 comprises sulfur-rich carbonaceous microbodies interpreted as melanosomes. Layer 2 comprises the mid-dermal Eberth–Katschenko layer, preserved in calcium phosphate. In addition, patches of original aragonite crystals define the former position of the endolymphatic sac. The primary modes of soft tissue preservation are therefore sulfurization of melanosomes and phosphatization of more labile soft tissues, i.e., skin. This is consistent with the taphonomy of vertebrates in many other Konservat-Lagerstätten. These findings emphasize an emerging model for pervasive preservation of vertebrate soft tissues via melanosome films, particularly in stagnation-type deposits, with phosphatization of more labile tissues where tissue biochemistry is favorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme global warming and environmental changes associated with the Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ~183 Mya) profoundly impacted marine organisms and terrestrial plants. Despite the exceptionally elevated abundances of fossil insects from strata of this age, only assemblages from Germany and Luxembourg have been studied in detail. Here, we focus on the insect assemblage found in strata recording the T-OAE at Alderton Hill, Gloucestershire, UK, where <15% of specimens have previously been described. We located all known fossil insects (n = 370) from Alderton Hill, and used these to create the first comprehensive taxonomic and taphonomic analysis of the entire assemblage. We show that a diverse palaeoentomofaunal assemblage is preserved, comprising 12 orders, 21 families, 23 genera and 21 species. Fossil disarticulation is consistent with insect decay studies. The number of orders is comparable with present-day assemblages from similar latitudes (30°–40°N), including the Azores, and suggests that the palaeoentomofauna reflects a life assemblage. At Alderton, Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Orthoptera are the commonest (56.1%) orders. The high abundance of Hemiptera (22.1%) and Orthoptera (13.4%) indicates well-vegetated islands, while floral changes related to the T-OAE may be responsible for hemipteran diversification. Predatory insects are relatively abundant (~10% of the total assemblage) and we hypothesise that the co-occurrence of fish and insects within the T-OAE represents a jubilee-like event. The marginally higher proportion of sclerotised taxa compared to present-day insect assemblages possibly indicates adaptation to environmental conditions or taphonomic bias. The coeval palaeoentomofauna from Strawberry Bank, Somerset is less diverse (9 orders, 12 families, 6 genera, 3 species) and is taphonomically biased. The Alderton Hill palaeoentomofauna is interpreted to be the best-preserved and most representative insect assemblage from Toarcian strata in the UK. This study provides an essential first step towards understanding the likely influence of the T-OAE on insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A minuscule fraction of the Earth's paleobiological diversity is preserved in the geological record as fossils. What plant remnants have withstood taphonomic filtering, fragmentation, and alteration in their journey to become part of the fossil record provide unique information on how plants functioned in paleo‐ecosystems through their traits. Plant traits are measurable morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, or phenological characteristics that potentially affect their environment and fitness. Here, we review the rich literature of paleobotany, through the lens of contemporary trait‐based ecology, to evaluate which well‐established extant plant traits hold the greatest promise for application to fossils. In particular, we focus on fossil plant functional traits, those measurable properties of leaf, stem, reproductive, or whole plant fossils that offer insights into the functioning of the plant when alive. The limitations of a trait‐based approach in paleobotany are considerable. However, in our critical assessment of over 30 extant traits we present an initial, semi‐quantitative ranking of 26 paleo‐functional traits based on taphonomic and methodological criteria on the potential of those traits to impact Earth system processes, and for that impact to be quantifiable. We demonstrate how valuable inferences on paleo‐ecosystem processes (pollination biology, herbivory), past nutrient cycles, paleobiogeography, paleo‐demography (life history), and Earth system history can be derived through the application of paleo‐functional traits to fossil plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rituals and feasting ceremonies at Polynesian marae depict culturally complex relationships between humans and animals that cannot be explained by subsistence alone. In Central‐East Polynesia, this topic still requires the elaboration of a “ritual zooarchaeology” framework. Using sea turtle assemblages from three sacred sites on Fakahina atoll (Tuamotu), this study offers a preliminary approach to faunal deposits from ritual contexts. Following systematic excavations of marae on Fakahina, analysis aimed to determine whether faunal deposits could be linked with intentional feasting and offering behaviours. To detect how ritual actions were organised through space, skeletal and taphonomic variables were examined for both overall sites and “sub‐assemblages” within sites based on the spatial associations of fauna with site features.At certain site features, derived quantitative units such as %MAU and recovery rate could identify potential offering behaviours through the intentional sorting of culturally significant body parts. The taphonomic signatures of site features could also identify open or closed deposition environments, assisting with the identification of disturbed features as either exposed platforms or enclosed cists. In addition to highlighting previously undocumented complexity in the use of site features, an overall comparison of turtle remains from the three sites shows the potential of these methods to explore variation in ritual practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil concentrations are a conspicuous feature of the Monte León Formation (Lower Miocene), providing the opportunity to carry out combined sedimentological and paleontological studies that allow elucidating the processes involved in its genesis and contributing to the knowledge of the depositional paleoenvironment. With these objectives, the stratigraphic, sedimentological, and paleontological features of fossil concentrations containing turritelline gastropods were analyzed in rocks exposed at Restinga Norte (Santa Cruz Province). Four representative samples were extracted, and the taphonomic features of recovered turritelline specimens were analyzed in the laboratory. The textural analysis of the sediments that make up the matrix of the concentrations and the adjacent beds was also carried out. The results allowed them to be classified as "turritelline-dominated assemblages" constituting mixed biogenic-sedimentologic concentrations, with characteristics given by the behavior of the turritellines and their final reworking within the habitat. The abundance of turritellines and the diversity of bryozoans as sclerobionts suggest a habitat of nutrient-rich marine waters, probably associated with upwelling. The good preservation and the high percentage of empty shells—together with the characteristics of the sediment—suggest that their accumulation on the bottom was favored by a low-energy environment. These shells would have been oriented by a unidirectional current that promoted —favored also by a high sedimentary supply—their rapid burial and preservation. The results established that the turritelline-dominated assemblages were formed in a shallow marine shelf in the transition between the retrogradational and progradational facies of the transgressive-regressive cycle proposed for the Monte León Formation in the study area. Las concentraciones fósiles son un rasgo conspicuo de la Formación Monte León (Mioceno Inferior), proveyendo la oportunidad de realizar estudios sedimentológicos y paleontológicos combinados que permitan dilucidar los procesos involucrados en su génesis y contribuir al conocimiento del paleoambiente depositacional. Con estos objetivos, se analizaron los rasgos estratigráficos, sedimentológicos y paleoecológicos de concentraciones fósiles con gasterópodos Turritellinae, presentes en Restinga Norte (provincia de Santa Cruz). Se extrajeron cuatro muestras representativas y se analizaron en laboratorio los rasgos tafonómicos de los especímenes de turritélidos recuperados. Adicionalmente, se realizó el análisis textural de los sedimentos que conforman la matriz de las concentraciones y de los niveles adyacentes. Los resultados permitieron clasificarlas como ensambles dominados por gasterópodos Turritellinae ("turritelline-dominated assemblages"), constituyendo concentraciones mixtas biogénico-sedimentológicas, con características dadas por el comportamiento de los turritélidos y su retrabajo final dentro del hábitat. La abundancia de turritélidos junto con la diversidad de briozoos como esclerobiontes sugieren un hábitat de aguas marinas ricas en nutrientes, probablemente asociado a surgencia de aguas profundas. La buena preservación y el alto porcentaje de conchillas vacías, junto con las características del sedimento sugieren que su acumulación sobre el fondo fue promovida en un ambiente de baja energía. Éstas habrían sido orientadas por una corriente unidireccional promoviendo, en conjunto con un alto aporte sedimentario, su enterramiento rápido y preservación. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que los ensambles se formaron en una plataforma marina somera, en la transición entre las facies retrogradantes y progradantes del ciclo transgresivo-regresivo propuesto para la Formación Monte León en el área de estudio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental microwear is a common and wellestablished technique which allows the short-term reconstruction of the dietary behaviour in extinct and extant vertebrates, allowing inferences about daily, seasonal, or regional variations in diets. However, the use of this method may be limited because taphonomic processes can affect enamel surfaces and modify or obliterate dietary microwear features. Considering the substantial number of agents which can impact the archaeological record, dental microwear alteration processes are poorly known, producing a potential bias in dietary interpretations. In this study, the effect of trampling on dental occlusal surfaces, one of the most common processes recorded in archaeological assemblages, has been experimentally investigated for the first time. The results allowed us to (1) distinguish taphonomic and dietary marks; (2) assess the impacts of trampling on occlusal surfaces; and (3) infer the agents which modified the dental microwear from the teeth obtained from the archaeological sites. The importance of this work lies in the specific guidelines it offers to discriminate trampling marks from microwear features, improving the reliability of dietary interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to characterise the modifications caused by the Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus) to the bones and teeth of its prey in the Espinal and Dry Chaco environments, in central Argentina. Plant remains, invertebrate remains, and vertebrate bones and teeth were recovered from a set of more than 180 faeces. From an actualistic perspective, we evaluated the taphonomic signature of this predator in the remains of snakes, birds and mammals recovered in its faeces. We achieved a high rate of taxonomical identification and recovered remains of exotic and native fauna, such as Ovis aries and Lagostomus maximus, respectively. The most remarkable aspects recorded in this taphonomic study were a high frequency of breakage, a low frequency of tooth marks (only observed in large prey), and a high frequency and intensity of digestion damage. The information generated in this study contributes to the evaluations of accumulating agents in archaeological and palaeontological sites of South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different biological models can be evaluated using mathematical models in both qualitative and quantitative ways. A fractional bone mineralization model involving Caputo’s fractional derivative is presented in this work. The fractional mathematical model is beneficial because of its memory carrying property. An appropriate fractional order of the derivative can be chosen that is more closely related to experimental or actual data. The dynamical system of equations for the process of bone mineralization is examined qualitatively and quantitatively in this article. A numerical simulation has been performed for the model. The model’s parameters have undergone sensitivity analysis and their effects on the model variables have been explored. By studying the mineralization patterns in bone, different diseases can be cured, and it can also be examined how the deviations from healthy mineral distributions lead to specific bone diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impressions of vertebrate bodies or their parts, such as trace fossils and natural molds of bones, are a valuable source of information about ancient faunas which may supplement the standard fossil record based on skeletal elements. Whereas trace fossils of animal activity are relatively common and actively studied within the field of ichnology, and natural impressions of internal or external surfaces are a frequent preservation mode in fossil invertebrates, natural molds of bones are comparatively rare and less extensively documented and discussed. Among them, internal molds (steinkerns) of turtle shells are a relatively well-known form of preservation, but the mechanisms and taphonomic prerequisites leading to their formation are poorly studied. External shell molds are even less represented in the literature. Herein, we describe a historic specimen of a natural external turtle plastron mold from the Triassic (Norian) Löwenstein Formation of Germany–a formation which also yielded a number of turtle steinkerns. The specimen is significant not only because it represents an unusual form of preservation, but also due to its remarkably large size and the presence of a potential shell pathology. Although it was initially interpreted as Proterochersis sp., the recent progress in the knowledge of proterochersid turtles leading to an increase in the number of known taxa within that group allows us to verify that assessment. We confirm that the specimen is morphologically consistent with the genus and tentatively identify it as Proterochersis robusta, the only representative of that genus from the Löwenstein Formation. We note, however, that its size exceeds the size observed thus far in Proterochersis robusta and fits within the range of Proterochersis porebensis from the Grabowa Formation of Poland. The marks interpreted as shell pathology are morphologically consistent with Karethraichnus lakkos–an ichnotaxon interpreted as a trace of ectoparasites, such as leeches. This may support the previously proposed interpretation of Proterochersis spp. as a semiaquatic turtle. Moreover, if the identification is correct, the specimen may represent a very rare case of a negative preservation of a named ichnotaxon. Finally, we discuss the taphonomy of the Löwenstein Formation turtles in comparison with other Triassic turtle-yielding formations which show no potential for the preservation of internal or external shell molds and propose a taphonomic model for the formation of such fossils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brain is thought to be among the first human organs to decompose after death. The discovery of brains preserved in the archaeological record is therefore regarded as unusual. Although mechanisms such as dehydration, freezing, saponification, and tanning are known to allow for the preservation of the brain on short time scales in association with other soft tissues (≲4000 years), discoveries of older brains, especially in the absence of other soft tissues, are rare. Here, we collated an archive of more than 4400 human brains preserved in the archaeological record across approximately 12 000 years, more than 1300 of which constitute the only soft tissue preserved amongst otherwise skeletonized remains. We found that brains of this type persist on time scales exceeding those preserved by other means, which suggests an unknown mechanism may be responsible for preservation particular to the central nervous system. The untapped archive of preserved ancient brains represents an opportunity for bioarchaeological studies of human evolution, health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We outline issues with a recent publication by Mein and Williams (2023), which is primarily based on the morphology and quantification of osteocyte lacunae, microscopic cavities that house cells (osteocytes) which sustain bone tissue in living vertebrates. Using 26 rats (Rattus rattus) of unreported age and sex, the authors propose a method whereby post-mortem bone degradation on a short timescale can be quantified by analysing subtle shape changes of osteocyte lacunae. However, a lack of consideration is given to the natural variation and other biological factors influencing osteocyte lacunar morphology; the proposed diagenetic composition of lacunae is not determined; and the methods employed, including the animal model used, are unfit for the purpose of the study. Given these issues, we believe the conclusions presented by the authors should be treated cautiously and not extended to forensic investigations of post-mortem interval, particularly in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine conservation deposits ('Konservat-Lagerstätten') are characterized by their mode of fossil preservation, faunal composition and sedimentary facies. Here, we review these characteristics with respect to the famous conservation deposit of the Besano Formation (formerly Grenzbitumenzone; including the Anisian–Ladinian boundary), and the successively younger fossil-bearing units Cava inferiore, Cava superiore, Cassina beds and the Kalkschieferzone of Monte San Giorgio (Switzerland and Italy). We compare these units to a selection of important black shale-type Lagerstätten of the global Phanerozoic plus the Ediacaran in order to detect commonalities in their facies, genesis, and fossil content using principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses. Further, we put the Monte San Giorgio type Fossillagerstätten into the context of other comparable Triassic deposits worldwide based on their fossil content. The results of the principal component and cluster analyses allow a subdivision of the 45 analysed Lagerstätten into four groups, for which we suggest the use of the corresponding pioneering localities: Burgess type for the early Palaeozoic black shales, Monte San Giorgio type for the Triassic black shales, Holzmaden type for the pyrite-rich black shales and Solnhofen type for platy limestones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the significance of rapid burial in preserving fossils, with a particular focus on free-living echinoderms. Experiments were based on ophiuroids to simulate burial under different turbiditic flows. The results showed that a bed thickness of around 10 cm is a limit for the preservation of whole skeletons in most cases. The type of sediment can affect the integrity of the buried skeletons, with sand deposition resulting in higher rates of autotomy. However, mud deposition did not show any numbing effect, as previously believed for echinoderms. In contrast, freshwater-rich sediments can play a critical role, paralysing specimens and preventing escape postures through rapid changes in salinity. From this, the study highlights the importance of extrabasinal turbidites, generated outside the marine basin, in the fossilization of marine invertebrates. Such sediments are rich in fresh water and can be more efficient burial traps compared to other intrabasinal deposits generated by storm waves or submarine landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long fragments of isocrinid stalks belonging to the stalked crinoid genus Isselicrinus (Isocrinida, Isselicrininae) were found at Cambrigar, near Ferrara di Monte Baldo (Verona province, northeastern Italy) in the strata called "Harpactocarcinus punctulatus and Pentacrinus diaboli horizon", traditionally ascribed to the lower Eocene (Ypresian). Morphometric analysis of this material allowed us to identify two distinct species filtering their food at different levels of the water column. The first species, characterized by a mostly pentagonal stalk section, is ascribable to Isselicrinus diaboli (Bayan), a taxon frequently cited from the lower Eocene of northeastern Italy but until now poorly known. The other species has a marked star-shaped stalk section presenting a combination of pedomorphic characters and is ascribed to the new taxon Isselicrinus baldoensis n. sp. A detailed analysis of numerous columnals and pluricolumnals of Isselicrinus diaboli from the type-locality of San Pancrazio near Mossano (Berici Hills, Vicenza province, northeastern Italy) allowed us to propose a revised and more complete diagnosis of this taxon. The particular burial conditions and the ecology of these two species are discussed as well as a reappraisal of the age of the "Harpactocarcinus punctulatus and Pentacrinus diaboli horizon". Based on new calcareous nannofossil data, and confirmed by the larger foraminiferal assemblages, the isocrinids from Cambrigar are firmly assigned to the Lutetian (middle Eocene). Calcareous nannofossils identified in the matrix of historical hand specimens from the classical locality of San Pancrazio indicate a similar age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classic depictions of human evolutionary ecology cast Homo as predator and other hominins, including Paranthropus robustus, as prey. Such hypotheses rest on a small number of fossils that exhibit evidence of carnivore predation, including the iconic SK 54 cranium from Swartkrans in South Africa. Here we demonstrate that the SK 54 cranium shares its closest affinities with H. erectus sensu lato rather than P. robustus. Demonstrating that Homo was prey for leopards at Swartkrans weakens the historically significant hypothesis that Homo was better able to avoid predation because of being behaviourally and technologically advanced compared to Paranthropus. Subsequent ideas about hominin palaeobiology derived from this hypothesis warrant reconsideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen preserved in caves provides a little-appreciated opportunity to study past vegetation and climate changes in regions where conventional wetland sediments are either unavailable, contain little organic matter, and/or are difficult to date accurately. Most palynology in caves has focused on clastic infill sediments, but pollen preserved in growing speleothems provides important new opportunities to develop vegetation and climatic records that can be dated accurately with radiometric methods. However, when pollen is present in speleothems, concentrations can vary by orders of magnitude, highlighting how little we know about the processes that transport pollen into caves and onto speleothem surfaces, and that determine the pollen's preservation probability. To explore these aspects of speleothem pollen taphonomy, we investigated the distribution of pollen and microscopic charcoal within several stalagmites from southwest Australia. We examined spatial patterns in pollen and charcoal preservation in order to distinguish whether observed gradients result from preservation or are products of systematic transport processes working along stalagmite surfaces. We find that pollen grains and charcoal fragments are located preferentially on the flanks of most stalagmites. This suggests that pollen grain and charcoal deposition on speleothems is influenced by transport and accumulation of detrital debris on growing surfaces. These insights will assist in future sampling campaigns focusing on speleothem pollen and charcoal contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diverse sessile barnacle fauna from a Miocene shallow‐water deposit at Dolnja Stara vas in Slovenia is described. It includes the first descriptions of early post settlement juveniles of Actinobalanus sloveniensis attached to mangrove leaves. These represent three distinct growth phases, the earliest being interpreted as being less than 24 h post settlement, the others being 1 to 2 days post settlement. An assessment of their taphonomy is provided. Associated adult balanomorphs are attached to a variety of organic substrates, including mangrove leaves and branches, fragments of the conifers ?Taxodioxylon, Carapoxylon, pine cones, molluscs, and cetacean bones. The barnacles include A. sloveniensis, Amphibalanus venustus, and Perforatus perforatus—many with opercula retained within the shells. A. venustus retains some of the original shell color. This is the second record of barnacle–plant associations from the Central Paratethys from Kamnik and Trbovlje. The paleoecology and paleogeography of the site are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifts in projectile technology potentially document human evolutionary milestones, such as adaptations for different environments and settlement dynamics. A relatively direct proxy for projectile technology is projectile impact marks (PIM) on archaeological bones. Increasing awareness and publication of experimental data sets have recently led to more identifications of PIM in various contexts, but diagnosing PIM from other types of bone-surface modifications, quantifying them, and inferring point size and material from the bone lesions need more substantiation. Here, we focus on PIM created by osseous projectiles, asking whether these could be effectively identified and separated from lithic-tipped weapons. We further discuss the basic question raised by recent PIM research in zooarchaeology: why PIM evidence is so rare in archaeofaunal assemblages (compared to other human-induced marks), even when they are explicitly sought. We present the experimental results of shooting two ungulate carcasses with bone and antler points, replicating those used in the early Upper Paleolithic of western Eurasia. Half of our hits resulted in PIM, confirming that this modification may have been originally abundant. However, we found that the probability of a skeletal element to be modified with PIM negatively correlates with its preservation potential, and that much of the produced bone damage would not be identifiable in a typical Paleolithic faunal assemblage. This quantification problem still leaves room for an insightful qualitative study of PIM. We complement previous research in presenting several diagnostic marks that retain preservation potential and may be used to suggest osseous, rather than lithic, projectile technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the decomposition of vertebrate animals has advanced considerably in recent years and revealed complex interactions among biological and environmental factors that affect rates of decay. Yet this complexity remains to be fully incorporated into research or models of the postmortem interval (PMI). We suggest there is both opportunity and a need to use recent advances in decomposition theory to guide forensic research and its applications to understanding the PMI. Here we synthesise knowledge of the biological and environmental factors driving variation in decomposition and the acknowledged limitations among current models of the PMI. To guide improvement in this area, we introduce a conceptual framework that highlights the multiple interdependencies affecting decay rates throughout the decomposition process. Our framework reinforces the need for a multidisciplinary approach to PMI research, and calls for an adaptive research cycle that aims to reduce uncertainty in PMI estimates via experimentation, modelling, and validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary Taphonomy aims not only to study the analysis of the degradation of biological remains and their transformation into deposits from the past (Palaeontology and Archaeology) but also, together with other disciplines, such as Forensic sciences and Ecology, the study of depositional and postdepositional events concerning the degradation of biological remains in the present. Due to these interactions, Taphonomy has reached a new status as a transdisciplinary area that supports the interpretation of degradation processes in a broad sense, which would be applicable in the immediate future to other areas such as Material sciences or Medicine. However, such a wide and complex research panorama requires an agreement on common terminology. This is crucial in relation with the use of the concepts preservation and conservation, which are widely used in many scientific areas and represent nowadays a dilemma incorporated into Taphonomy. Using the Scopus database and network software analysis tools, we have explored the relationships between concepts and disciplines implicated in the taphonomic analysis. Our results show that both terms have acquired different nuances over time in each scientific discipline implicated in the study of degradation and, depending on the circumstances and language, are sometimes used as synonymous or even misused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of the archaeomagnetic dating method requires compiling new and older data of the Earth's magnetic field (EMF) variations for the last millennia. Combustion events from fumier sequences have been proposed as good directional EMF recorders. However, they are subjected to diverse taphonomical processes and how these affect the archaeomagnetic record has not yet been studied. In order to evaluate it, here we report the first archaeomagnetic and rock-magnetic results on samples from experimentally recreated fumiers since 2014 under controlled conditions. A facies description with unprecedent resolution was used to study the variation of magnetic properties in depth. Rock-magnetic analyses indicate a homogenous magnetic mineralogy dominated by pseudo-single domain magnetite as main carrier in all facies, with not very high and similar contribution of the finest (superparamagnetic) grains. The low values of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) indicate that the studied sample set is mainly isotropic. The directional behaviour in well-preserved burned facies (here described as G, LM and DGB), are jointly characterized by highly reversible thermomagnetic curves, high Koenigberger (Q n) ratio values and intense, univectorial and normal polarity orthogonal NRM demagnetization diagrams. On the contrary, specimens affected by mechanical alteration processes are less magnetic and show anomalous directional behaviours. The high thermomagnetic reversibility of ashes indicates that they reached ca. 600–700 °C, in line with the thermocouples' data. Temperatures of 460 °C were obtained for the DGB facies (subyacent black carbonaceous facies). Sampling of ashes located on the top of these combustion events should be avoided for archaeomagnetism. Being just beneath the last stabling episode they are the most prone to undergo mechanical alterations and do not preserve well the Earth's magnetic field direction. Despite their unlithified nature and the multiple taphonomic processes that fumier sequences may undergo, under certain quality criteria, they are valid geomagnetic field recorders providing both information of archaeological and geophysical interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to present the current state of multidisciplinary archaeobotanical approaches that are being undertaken at Cova Gran de Santa Linya. Information from studies of seeds, charcoal, pollen, and NPP recovered from the Holocene levels of the site contribute to research questions regarding the anthropogenic transformation of the landscape. The signal of human activity in the environment can be detected through the bioarchaeological signatures of deforestation, forest management or agriculture practices. In this sense, the Cova Gran de Santa Linya is a cave deposit located in the northeast of Iberia used as an occupation site, recording mainly domestic activities during the Neolithic period. The settlement was also used as a pen during the Late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age, preserving burnt and unburned dung layers that formed pen deposits, known as fumiers. The resolution provided by the multidisciplinary nature of this work shows how forests and fields created a mosaic landscape that provided crops, pastures, wood, and fuel and clearly reflects anthropogenic changes over time. The different methodological and analytical scales of this multidisciplinary approach, including taphonomic pollen alteration, provide a better understanding of the dynamics of the cave occupation and, from a broader perspective, the regional diversity related to the availability of plant resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundant shells and hardgrounds in the Cincinnatian Group (Upper Ordovician, Katian) of the upper midwestern United States were commonly encrusted and bored by a variety of organisms. Numerous studies of these sclerobiont communities have provided valuable data for models of ecological succession, symbiosis, space and food resource competition, and taphonomy. An underlying assumption of this work is that most of the skeletal encrusters have remained in place, firmly attached to their hard substrates. This is especially the case with the most common encrusters, thick trepostome bryozoan and cystoporate skeletons, on their most common substrates, flat strophomenide brachiopods. We present evidence here, though, that these bryozoans were often dislodged from their brachiopod hosts, leaving no evidence of their attachment other than horizontal borings in semi-relief from organisms that excavated tunnels (Trypanites and Palaeosabella) at the interface of the brachiopod shell and attaching bryozoan. Similar borings are found on the bases of dislodged bryozoans and in bryoimmured mollusc external moulds. These borings along the bryozoan attachment surfaces caution us that there are significant numbers of missing skeletal encrusters on these hard substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kuphus is a genus of teredinid bivalves whose modern counterpart, K. polythalamius, colonises oxygen-poor and restricted marine environments enriched in plant remains. In the Oligocene, Kuphus colonies are quite abundant worldwide, but their depositional setting has never been studied in detail. We describe the first report of Oligocene Kuphus beds from the Iberian Peninsula, cropping out in platform deposits of the Prebetic (Southeastern Spain). By means of anterior endings and taphonomic characters as orientation of Kuphus tubes, fragmentation, packing and mixing with other fauna, four skeletal concentrations were distinguished: SkC A represents in situ colonies with anterior endings well preserved and with local dolomitisation around the tubes and was recorded in the inner lagoon; SkC B, with parallel and horizontally reoriented tubes, was formed by tidal currents; SkC C records high-energy events breaking down the tubes and resedimenting them close to the source area; SkC D is characterised by fragmented tubes mixed with other bioclasts, deposited by storms in the outer platform. The recorded skeletal concentrations are consistent with the environmental setting of K. polythalamius, but the morphological differences and the absence of data on the presence of plant remains could possibly reflect adaptations to higher variety of palaeoenvironments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins are the most stable of the macromolecules that carry genetic information over long periods of time. Closed systems are more likely to retain endogenous proteins or their degradation products. Amino acid racemisation data in experimental and subfossil material suggests that mollusc shell and avian eggshell calcite crystals can demonstrate closed system behaviour, retaining endogenous amino acids. Here, Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) Argentine titanosaurian sauropod eggshells show dark, organic stains under light microscopy/photography and fluorescence imaging. Raman spectroscopy can yield bands consistent with various organic molecules, possibly including N-bearing molecules or geopolymers. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry reveals pyrolysates consistent with amino acids as well as aliphatic hydrocarbon homologues that are not present in modern eggshell, consistent with kerogen formation deriving from eggshell lipids. High-performance liquid chromatography reveals that their intra-crystalline fraction can be enriched in some of the most stable amino acids (Glx, Gly, Ala, and possibly Val) and are fully racemic (despite being some of the slowest racemising amino acids), indicating ancient origin. This preservation varies across localities, but similar ancient amino acid profiles were also observed in Late Cretaceous Spanish titanosaurians from several localities and Chinese putative hadrosaurid eggshell. These amino acid results are consistent with previous studies on degradation trends deduced from modern, thermally matured, sub-fossil, and ∼3.8–6.5 Ma avian eggshell, as well as ∼30 Ma calcitic mollusc opercula. Selective preservation of certain fully racemic amino acids, which do not racemise in-chain, and the concentration of free amino acids suggests likely complete hydrolysis of original peptides. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry supports this hypothesis by failing to detect any non-contamination peptide sequences from the Mesozoic eggshell. These closed-system amino acids are possibly the most thoroughly supported non-avian dinosaur endogenous protein-derived constituents, at least those that have not undergone oxidative condensation with other classes of biomolecules. Biocrystal matrices can help preserve mobile organic molecules by trapping them (perhaps with the assistance of resistant organic polymers), but trapped organics are nevertheless prone to diagenetic degradation, even if such reactions might be slowed in exceptional circumstances. Future work should survey fossil biocalcite to determine variability in amino acid preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New bioerosion traces produced by insects in bones are reported from the Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Carnian, Brazil). The bones are assigned to a single rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon mariensis individual and among the traces, the ichnogenera Osteocallis (Osteocallis mandibulus, Osteocallis infestans, and Osteocallis isp.) and Amphifaoichnus (Amphifaoichnus isp.) are recognized, along with two morphotypes of indiscrete traces: clusters of grooves and borings. All the traces are assigned to the action of insects exploring the rhynchosaur carcass. Osteocallis and associated clusters of grooves are interpreted as feeding traces, but whether they represent necrophagic or osteophagic behavior is still uncertain. The lack of direct evidence for the ethological interpretation of Amphifaoichnus precludes its sole correlation with osteophagy, and other possibilities, such as the construction of temporary domiciles related to feeding or sediment moisture, are discussed. The traces analyzed here indicate that the insects explored a buried carcass, challenging the automatic association of Osteocallis and prolonged subaerial exposure of bones, placing insects as relevant taphonomic agents that affect the preservation of vertebrate carcasses. Additionally, the first appearance record of Amphifaoichnus is expanded back more than 140 Ma, indicating that complex behaviors employed by insects in bone exploration were already established in the early Late Triassic, shortly after the oldest records of invertebrate bioerosion in bones on continental settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New bioerosion traces produced by insects in bones are reported from the Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone of the Santa Maria Supersequence (Carnian, Brazil). The bones are assigned to a single rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon mariensis individual and among the traces, the ichnogenera Osteocallis (Osteocallis mandibulus, Osteocallis infestans, and Osteocallis isp.) and Amphifaoichnus (Amphifaoichnus isp.) are recognized, along with two morphotypes of indiscrete traces: clusters of grooves and borings. All the traces are assigned to the action of insects exploring the rhynchosaur carcass. Osteocallis and associated clusters of grooves are interpreted as feeding traces, but whether they represent necrophagic or osteophagic behavior is still uncertain. The lack of direct evidence for the ethological interpretation of Amphifaoichnus precludes its sole correlation with osteophagy, and other possibilities, such as the construction of temporary domiciles related to feeding or sediment moisture, are discussed. The traces analyzed here indicate that the insects explored a buried carcass, challenging the automatic association of Osteocallis and prolonged subaerial exposure of bones, placing insects as relevant taphonomic agents that affect the preservation of vertebrate carcasses. Additionally, the first appearance record of Amphifaoichnus is expanded back more than 140 Ma, indicating that complex behaviors employed by insects in bone exploration were already established in the early Late Triassic, shortly after the oldest records of invertebrate bioerosion in bones on continental settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tridentinosaurus antiquus represents one of the oldest fossil reptiles and one of the very few skeletal specimens with evidence of soft tissue preservation from the Cisuralian (Early Permian) of the Italian Alps. The preservation and appearance of the fossil have puzzled palaeontologists for decades and its taphonomy and phylogenetic position have remained unresolved. We reanalysed T. antiquus using ultraviolet light (UV), 3D surface modelling, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), micro x‐ray diffraction (μ‐XRD), Raman and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the origin of the body outline and test whether this represents the remains of organically preserved soft tissues which in turn could reveal important anatomical details about this enigmatic protorosaur. The results reveal, however, that the material forming the body outline is not fossilized soft tissues but a manufactured pigment indicating that the body outline is a forgery. Our discovery poses new questions about the validity of this enigmatic taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several recent studies have demonstrated the complexity of funerary practices in megalithic burials. Mortuary taphonomy has proposed models to explain these practices, in which different actions, such as the generation of primary and secondary deposits, the selection and manipulation of bone remains, the extraction of materials from the grave, and so forth, can be identified. However, in the northern sub‐plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, the interpretation of funerary gestures related to megalithic tombs has not been systematically studied from the perspective of taphonomy. In this paper, we study two sites, Los Zumacales and La Lora, dated to the fourth millennium B.C. The analysis considers all the burial practices linked with megalithic tombs, with a focus on the social and natural processes involved in the formation of these complex mortuary deposits. In both examples, direct evidence of perimortem manipulation of human remains is documented by the presence of fresh fractures and cut marks in different long bones. As suggested in the discussion, this evidence may be related to secondary reduction practices following the initial deposition of the bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of a systematic survey of La Pastosa Islet, located 700 m off the west coast of Río Negro, Argentina. This small islet has the particularity of hosting the northernmost colony of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) to date and contains evidence of its use by hunter-gatherer groups during the late Holocene. This growing colony started around 2002 and has had a significant impact on the subsurface archeological record of the islet by increasing erosion and exposing buried materials through nest excavation, particularly lithic artifacts. The spatial analysis of the distribution of artifact and penguin burrows indicates that the actions of the latter generated a "snapshot" of the subsurface distribution of the lithic record. The observed distribution suggested higher discard rates at the center of the islet. Furthermore, this study shows the synergy between both types of records in the formation dynamics of the lithic landscape and the agency of penguins as active landscape engineers. Finally, the obtained results have important implications for the management of the protected sector of the recently established Islote Lobos National Park, within which the study area is located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary small mammals are important proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. The Brazilian record, although famous and continuously growing, is hampered by poor chronological control due to the nature of most of the published assemblages. Here, we present a taphonomic analysis and paleoenvironmental reconstruction based on marsupials, bats, and rodents (480 remains) from the Gruta do Presépio archeological site (GPR, hereafter), Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. The site is a rock shelter located in an Atlantic Forest biome, an important biodiversity hotspot. The GPR sedimentary sequence spans the Early Holocene (8330 ± 30 years 14C BP) to recent Historical time (after the arrival of Europeans). Most of the small mammal remains were deposited by strigiforms, although for the oldest units some strongly digested remains could indicate the activity of diurnal birds or carnivorous mammals. The GPR small mammal assemblages include 28 taxa (five marsupials, nine chiropterans, and 14 rodents). Most of them indicate the occurrence and persistence of forested environments during the Holocene around the site, which is in overall agreement with regional palynological data. A major community change, implying the increment of rodents allied to disturbed ecosystems (e.g. Akodon, Oligoryzomys, Mus), is very recent and reflects human forest clearance as a signature of the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to provide a taphonomic analysis of bone fragments found in harpy eagle nests in the Brazilian Amazonia, utilizing the largest sample of prey remains collected to date. Harpy eagle kill samples were collected from nine nests, between June 2016 and December 2020 in Mato Grosso, Brazil. We identified the specimens, calculated the number of identified specimens (NISP) and minimum number of individuals (MNI). These metrics were used to estimate bone survivability and fragmentation. A total of 1661 specimens (NISP) were collected, representing a minimum number of 234 individuals (MNI). We identified at least nine species of primates, which represent 63.8% of the individuals in the kill sample. Harpy eagles preyed mostly on the medium‐sized capuchin and bearded saki monkeys (28.2% of the MNI), and two‐toed sloths (17.7% of the MNI). The large woolly monkeys also represented a significant portion of the sample (11.5% of the MNI). Three distinct patterns of bone survivability were found, one characterizing two‐toed sloths, another characterizing medium‐sized monkeys, and a third typical of woolly monkeys. We conclude that harpy eagle predation leaves an identifiable signature on the prey with a bone survivability pattern specific to each taxon. The intertaxon variations observed in the taphonomic signatures of harpy eagle kills should be taken into account when evaluating the potential influence of these raptors as accumulators of bone material in both paleontological and neontological assemblages. Research highlights: Harpy eagles are major accumulators of primate bones.Harpy eagle prey remains can be distinguished from those of other accumulators.Bone survivability shows three distinct patterns depending on the prey species.Taphonomic signature of harpy eagle prey remains are similar to other large raptors that consume primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a new palaeontological assemblage from the Sakmarian (Early Permian) of Moulin de Latour in the Saint-Affrique Basin (southern France). Pelitic beds show the co-occurrence of arthropod (Diplopodichnus biformis) and tetrapod (Batrachichnus salamandroides and Dromopus lacertoides) tracks with jellyfishes (Medusina atava). Ichnofossils also include some swimming tracks of fishes. They show several morphologies, including Undichna quadrisulcata and three morphotypes of Undichna isp. The content of the palaeontological assemblage as well as the lithological features of the fossiliferous levels suggest that the depositional environment was a lake/playa system periodically flooded. Terrestrial plants (Autunia conferta) show that this environment was bordered by a pteridosperm-dominated flora. The dense accumulation of jellyfishes observed in some surfaces is interpreted as mass mortality events in lakes during dry periods. The significance of this discovery is threefold: (1) The swimming trails of fishes are the first ones to be reported from the Saint-Affrique Basin, and they are extremely rare in Permian deposits from France; (2) The co-occurrence of Undichna with tetrapod tracks is not common in Permian deposits worldwide; and (3) The recurrent occurrence of jellyfishes in Permian freshwater environments suggests a peculiar 'taphonomic window' for that time interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salamanca cave (southern Mendoza province) is in the Andean piedmont, a transitional area in which small mammal communities may have been affected by climatic pulses. The site yields three archaeological components covering from the early to the late-Holocene with a mid-Holocene occupational and sedimentological hiatus. Taphonomic analyses of the small mammal assemblages indicate that barn owls (Tyto furcata) were the main accumulation agent, ensuring accurate palaeoecological inferences. Taxonomic composition of the site shows the dominance of Eligmodontia sp. followed by Thylamys pallidior, Phyllotis cf. P. vaccarum-pehuenche and Ctenomys sp., all of them indicative of shrubland and bare ground habitats. Palaeoclimatic inferences indicate a trend to warmer temperatures from the lower to the upper component with a slight increase in humidity in the middle component. This humid pulse is also supported by post-depositional taphonomic processes. The taxonomic structure and abundance of small mammals do not show deep changes amongst the three archaeological components, following the general trend observed in other archaeological sites from the Pampean region, southern Mendoza province and the arid and semi-arid zones of north Patagonia, in which changes in the taxonomic composition of small mammal communities are almost absent since Pleistocene–Holocene transition to late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is based on coralline red algal flora-dominated Lower Miocene carbonates of the Qom Formation from Central Iran Basin. Five assemblages, including corallinoid, lithophylloid, mastophoroid, melobesioid and sporolithoid corresponding to 11 genera of geniculate and non-geniculate, were identified. Also, growth forms and taphonomic characteristics of coralline-algal grains were assessed. The arborescent, layered to foliose lamellae, fruticose, lumpy, warty and encrusting growth forms of studied taxa are observed and five taphonomic traits belonging to both mechanical [abrasion, disarticulation, fragmentation] and biological [encrustation, bioerosion] processes were recognised. The relative abundance of assemblages, growth forms, and taphonomy of red algae visualised at thin-section scale were calculated. Our quantitative analysis highlights mechanical (abrasion > fragmentation) and biological (bioerosion> encrustation) processes. Moreover, layered to foliose and fruticose abundance peaks reveal higher than others. This kind of algal distribution in the examined region indicates that the Qom Formation was deposited on a marine carbonate shelf, which is a deepening depositional system in tropical and subtropical zone. This approach expresses more abundance of red algal assemblages on the deep part of inner and proximal to distal middle shelf settings along with a regime of moderately high towards low hydrodynamic energy and mesophotic – oligophotic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forensic taphonomic studies are regionally specific and improve time since death estimates for medico‐legal casework. Within forensic taphonomy and carrion ecology, vertebrate scavengers are under‐researched with many studies conducted using multiple, unclothed carcasses. This is a forensically unrealistic experimental design choice with unknown impact. The effect of variation in carrion biomass on the decomposition ecosystem, particularly where vertebrate scavengers are concerned, requires clarification. To assess the effect of carrion biomass load on vertebrate scavenging and decomposition rate, seasonal baseline data for single, clothed ~60 kg porcine carcasses were compared to clothed multiple‐carcass deployments, in a forensically relevant habitat of Cape Town, South Africa. Decomposition was tracked via weight loss and bloat progression and scavenging activity via motion‐activated cameras. The single carcasses decayed more quickly, particularly during the cooler, wetter winter, strongly correlated with concentrated Cape gray mongoose (Galerella pulverulenta) scavenging activity. On average and across seasons, the single carcasses lost 68% of their mass by day 32 (567 accumulated degree days [ADD]), compared to 80 days (1477 ADD) for multi‐carcass deployments. The single carcasses experienced substantially more scavenging activity, with longer visits by single and multiple mongooses, totaling 53 h on average compared to 20 h for the multi‐carcass deployments. These differences in scavenging activity and decay rate demonstrate the impact of carrion biomass load on decomposition for forensic taphonomy research. These findings need corroboration. However, forensic realism requires consideration in taphonomic study design. Longitudinally examining many single carcasses may produce more forensically accurate, locally appropriate, and usable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]