Molar microwear and dietary reconstructions of fossil cercopithecoidea from the Plio-Pleistocene deposits of South Africa

The South African Plio-Pleistocene cave deposits have yielded a diverse cercopithecoid fauna. In this study, the possible dietary proclivities of these extinct species are examined using details of molar microwear. Although sample sizes are often small, wear patterns suggest possible temporal changes in the diets of Parapapio jonesi from Makapansgat to Sterkfontein, of Papio robinsoni from Sterkfontein to Swartkrans, and Cercopithecoides williamsi from Makapansgat to Sterkfontein to Swartkrans. However, there does not appear to have been a significant change in the dietary habits of Parapapio broomi over time. The microwear patterns of the two temporally successive congeners, Theropithecus darti and T. oswaldi show no significant differences from one another. The sympatric congeners, Parapapio broomi and Pp. jonesi, have microwear signatures that differ significantly at Makapansgat (Members 3 and 4) but not at Sterkfontein (Member 4). Finally, the microwear analyses suggest that the extinct cercopithecoid species did not necessarily have diets similar to those of their closest living relatives.     

记广东首次发现巨羊及扬子鳄化石

<正> 1984年,广东罗定县博物馆在苹塘区普查时,在下山洞采集了近40种脊椎动物化石,其中的巨羊和扬子鳄在广东是首次发现,本文就此作简要的记述.下山洞属罗定苹塘区管辖,距苹塘区4公里.洞穴发育在奥陶系石灰岩中,洞口向西北,洞身窄而长,入洞后有两个分支,主洞长(可见部分)20米,宽1.5-2米(图1,A-C),主洞及支洞均有堆积物,地层出露如次(图2).     

贵州毕节发现古人类化石与哺乳动物群

2008年12月在贵州毕节团结乡首次发现麻窝口洞化石点,经2009年、2012年和2013年3次发掘,在麻窝口洞上部砂质黏土地层中共发现了四千余件哺乳动物牙齿化石。2013年7月发现的3枚古人类牙齿,分别为左上犬齿、左上第一臼齿和右上第二臼齿。人类牙齿尺寸偏小,臼齿咬合面沟纹简单,没有复杂的咬合面皱纹和附尖齿带结构,牙根短而不显粗壮,上述特点有别于我国已经发现的直立人和早期智人,可归入解剖学上的现代人。与人类相伴的哺乳动物化石,经初步鉴定共计8目20科43属53种,动物群组合反映出亚热带森林生态环境。根据动物群的时代特点,地貌地层及堆积物的光释光年代测定,指示毕节麻窝口洞古人类的时代可能为中更新世晚期,或者晚更新世早期,毕节古人类牙齿的发现为东亚地区现代人的起源及演化增添了新的证据。     

湖北郧西黄龙洞古人类遗址2006年发掘报告

2004—2005年,在湖北省郧西县境内的黄龙洞的两次发掘中,发现了5枚人类牙齿化石、20余件石制品及大量的动物化石。初步分析显示这是一处重要的更新世晚期的人类遗址。我们在2006年对该遗址进行了第三次发掘,又发现了2枚人类牙齿化石、11件古人类打制的石制品与6件骨制工具、1500余件动物化石以及其它古人类活动证据。野外工作期间我们还对黄龙洞洞穴堆积及山体地貌的考察,在此基础上对该洞穴发育及古人类在洞穴内的生活状况进行了初步推测。本文介绍了2006年的野外工作情况。     

Sequence of mammalian fossils, including hominoid teeth, from the Bubing Basin caves, South China

A Plio-Pleistocene to Holocene faunal sequence has been recovered from four carefully excavated caves in the Bubing Basin, adjacent to the larger Bose Basin of South China. The caves vary in elevation; we suggest that the higher caves were formed and filled with sediments prior to the lower caves. The highest deposits, which are from Mohui Cave, contain hominoid teeth and other fossilized remains of mammalian taxa most similar to late Pliocene and early Pleistocene faunas. Wuyun Cave ( approximately 50m lower in elevation than Mohui) contains a late middle Pleistocene fauna, which is supported by U-series age constraints from 350 to 200ka. Lower Pubu Cave ( approximately 23m below Wuyun) is assigned to the late Pleistocene, while the Cunkong Cave (the lowest, approximately 2m lower elevation than Lower Pubu) preserves a Holocene fauna. The four faunal assemblages indicate species-level changes in Ailuropoda, Stegodon, and Sus, the appearance of Elephas, the local disappearance of Stegodon, and the migration of Equus hemionus to South China. These initial results of our work call into question the continued value of the Stegodon/Ailuropoda Fauna, a category long used to characterize the Pleistocene faunas of South China. Excavation of karstic caves of varying elevation within the basins of South China holds promise for defining local sequences of mammalian fossils that can be used to investigate faunal variations related to climate change, biogeographic events, and evolutionary change over the past two million years. Stable isotopic analysis of a small sample of mammalian teeth from Bubing Basin caves is consistent with 100% C(3) vegetation in the Bubing/Bose region, with certain delta(13)C values consistent with a canopied woodland or forest. A preliminary assessment of the hominoid teeth indicates the presence of diverse molar and premolar morphologies including dental remains of Gigantopithecus blacki and a sample with similarities to the teeth reported from Longgupo.     

北京房山十渡西太平洞晚更新世哺乳动物化石

北京市房山区十渡镇西太平村发现的动物化石是首次在该镇辖区发现的更新世化石。动物群由6目、15科、22属的22种组成,以岩羊、香麝及鼯鼠等为主,为典型的北方山区动物群。该动物群的时代为晚更新世晚期,~(14)C年代为距今29335～37350年,与山顶洞及田园洞动物群基本同期。西太平洞动物群中有76%的种曾出现于周口店田园洞动物群,而只有38%的种曾出现于山顶洞。目前在此发现的可鉴定到种的化石材料均可归入现生种,但其中有23%的种已经在北京地区消失,消失属种以大中型动物为主。在该地点发现的西伯利亚飞鼠和复齿鼯鼠材料是首次在华北地区发现的此类化石记录。该地点是我国北方地区已报道的第四纪化石点中含香麝和岩羊材料最丰富的地点之一。在国内有关文献中,岩羊化石的分类命名一直没有得到统一,这次发现的新材料,有利于澄清该类化石的分类命名问题。     

古人类遗址湖北郧西黄龙洞的铀系年代

湖北郧西黄龙洞为近年来发现的晚期智人遗址。本文报道该地点具明确层位意义的洞穴次生碳酸盐岩和骨化石样铀系测年的结果。含文化堆积下伏一局部钙板的年代为约100ka BP, 其中部偏上一局部钙板为约77ka BP, 表层钙板形成于27—57ka BP间。人类化石和石制品出土于文化堆积的底部, 其年代应在57—100ka BP, 并很可能在77—100ka BP间。与人牙化石同层的四枚犀牛牙化石在35—72ka BP间, 与基于次生碳酸盐岩的年代框架没有冲突。本文结果为中国现代人类的早期出现和距今40—100ka BP间有人类活动提供了有力证据。     

桂林宝积岩发现的古人类化石和石器

在桂林宝积岩灰黄色堆积物中发现了与更新世晚期“含真人化石的大熊猫—剑齿象动物群”伴存的两枚人牙、12件人工打制的石器。与“大熊猫—剑齿象动物群”一起发现打制石器在广西尚属首次。这对于研究广西的旧石器文化序列关系具有意义。     

陕西蓝田锡水洞啮齿动物群的性质与时代

锡水洞啮齿动物化石共6科19属25种.其中大部分为东洋界种类,因此具有强烈的南方色彩;喜湿热的现生啮齿类占绝对优势,它反映了一个气候相对湿热的时期,表明锡水洞遗址当时具有亚热带森林环境.该啮齿动物群的时代为中更新世;它既可与南方歌乐山期各动物群直接对比,又可与北方周口店第一地点动物群对比,因此在研究南北动物群对比上具有重要意义;它的时代比公王岭动物群的晚,比陈家窝动物群的可能也稍晚.     

Faunal assemblage seriation of southern African Pliocene and Pleistocene fossil deposits

Fossil assemblages from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of southern Africa were seriated in order to give a better idea of their relative chronology. Time-sensitive mammals were selected for calculation of the Faunal Resemblance Index among 17 site units. On the basis of a logistical seriation and subsequent site analysis, the following sequence of sites was deemed most probable: Makapansgat Member 3, Makapansgat Member 4, Taung Dart deposits, Sterkfontein Member 4 and Taung Hrdli?ka deposits, Sterkfontein Member 5 (in part) and Kromdraai B, Kromdraai A and Swartkrans Member 1, Swartkrans Member 2, Swartkrans Member 3, Plovers Lake, Cornelia, Elandsfontein Main Site, Cave of Hearths Acheulian levels, Florisbad and Equus Cave and Klasies River Mouth. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) population and its prey from the Late Pleistocene Teufelskammer Cave hyena den besides the famous Paleolithic Neandertal Cave (NRW,NW Germany)

Remains from at least seven individuals of the Late Pleistocene Ice Age spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) from the Teufelskammer Cave in the Neandertal valley (North Rhine-Westphalia, northwest Germany) are described. The small cave was a well-frequented hyena den of the Early to Middle Late Pleistocene which was only 100 m from the famous small Feldhofer Cave, where the first Neandertal human skeleton was found. The high amount of hyena bone material (37%) and its strongly chewed and incomplete prey remains of the mixed mammoth steppe and boreal forest megafauna prove one more of 11 recently known hyena den caves in the Rhenish Massif. Hyenas and cave bears have used the cave, but Neandertal humans lived possibly not at the same time in the same valley. Although hyenas occupied mainly the smaller caves such as the Teufelskammer Cave, humans preferred large portal cave entrances such as in the Neandertal valley with the Small Feldhofer Cave.     

船帆洞旧石器遗址洞穴形成过程与地层划分

本文根据最近发掘所获资料,对万寿岩山船帆洞旧石器时代晚期遗址洞穴的形成过程、洞内地层划分以及与洞外沉积物关系等问题进行初步探讨。提出:船帆洞洞穴的发育明显与区域性断裂及岩体的剪切节理有关;洞内经历数次堆积和冲刷;依岩性、地层关系和哺乳动物化石组合,洞内堆积物可分为Ⅰ(中更新世晚期)、Ⅱ(晚更新世早期)、Ⅲ(晚更新世晚期)和Ⅳ(全新世)4个地层单元。     

江苏丹徒莲花洞动物群

1981年3月和5月中至6月初,先后从丹徒县西南白龙岗山的莲花洞中采集到一颗智人牙齿及15种哺乳动物化石。人类牙齿为—M_2,可能属于一青少年个体;哺乳动物组合性质表明莲花洞堆积物的时代为晚更新世,早于溧水神仙洞,晚于江苏句容洞穴堆积物的时代。     

猿人洞的溶洞演化和堆积旋回与北京猿人生活环境

猿人洞的溶洞演化过程按岩溶洞穴发生发展规律可划分为６个阶段．在洞穴发育的填充过程中,依据堆积物的成因类型,猿人洞中的中更新世洞穴堆积层可分为７个堆积旋回．每个堆积旋回可与年代相当的黄土堆积旋回和深海气候旋回—一对应．堆积旋回所显示的气候和洞穴环境变化均与北京猿人生活环境及其旧石器文化的发展有着密切的关系．     

A Mass Burial of Fossil Lions (Carnivora,Felidae, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Panthera</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leo</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">ex gr. fossilis-spelaea</Emphasis>) from Eurasia

The vertebrate fauna from the cave deposits in Imanai Cave in the Southern Urals (53°02′ N, 56°26′E) has been studied. It contains 715 bones that belonged to at least 11 individuals of fossil lion (Panthera (Leo) ex gr. fossilis-spelaea). It has been established that this is one of the largest Eurasian burial sites of fossil lions. The bones were accumulated due to the natural death of animals inside the cave. The age and sex estimations have shown that at least six adult males and five adult females died there. According to the accompanying fauna, radiocarbon, geochemical, and mineralogical analyses and archaeological finds, the interval of the lion bone accumulation is determined as the first half to middle of Late Pleistocene (OIS 5–3).     

与南京汤山直立人伴生的偶蹄类及其古环境浅析

在汤山葫芦洞大洞发现的偶蹄类化石共有 4个科、 5个属种 ,其中化石毛冠鹿为首次在华东地区发现。除德氏水牛相似种以外 ,其它属种与周口店第 1地点的标本相比具有个体较大(如李氏野猪、葛氏斑鹿和肿骨鹿 )或形态较进步 (如李氏野猪、似德氏水牛 )。这些动物所反映的古环境为植被丰富 ,并以阔叶乔木和灌木为主 ,间有局部开阔草地。当时的年平均气温与现在相似 ,但冬季偏冷。     

广西崇左泊岳山巨猿洞早更新世的鼠科化石

最近在广西崇左泊岳山巨猿洞采集到大量步氏巨猿、猩猩、长臂猿等高等灵长类及伴生的属种丰富的哺乳动物化石。本文系统记述了该化石点小哺乳动物群中的优势群体——鼠科化石:似锡金小鼠(Mus cf.M.pahari)、似大林姬鼠(Apodemus cf.A.peninsulae)、细狨鼠(Hapalomys gracilis)、狭齿狨鼠(Hapalomys angustidens)、先社鼠(Niviventer preconfucianus)、安氏白腹鼠(Niviventer andersoni)、拟爱氏巨鼠(Leopoldamys edwardsioides)和似始家鼠(Rattus cf.R.pristinus)共6属8种,其中包括了5个绝灭种。研究表明,泊岳山巨猿洞鼠类主要属种的形态特征显然要比同地区的三合大洞显得原始,而较相似于重庆巫山龙骨坡的相关鼠类,因此推测其时代为早更新世早期,这与古地磁的测年结果(距今约180万年)相吻合。泊岳山巨猿洞的鼠类大部分均为东洋界成员以及树栖、半树栖及林地生活的种类,反映当时的自然景观为热带-亚热带的森林-林灌环境。泊岳山巨猿洞鼠科化石的研究丰富了我国南方早更新世巨猿-中华乳齿象动物群中小哺乳动物化石的记录,这对于探讨我国南方第四纪生物地层的划分将提供重要的信息。     

Neutron microtomography‐based virtual extraction and analysis of a cercopithecoid partial cranium (STS 1039) embedded in a breccia fragment from sterkfontein member 4 (South Africa)

The Plio‐Pleistocene karstic sedimentary deposits of Sterkfontein Cave, South Africa, yielded numerous fossil primate specimens embedded in blocks of indurated breccia, including the partial cercopithecoid cranium labelled STS 1039. Because the surrounding matrix masks most of its morphology, the specimen remains taxonomically undetermined. While the use of X‐ray microtomography did not allow extracting any structural information about the specimen, we experimented a new investigative technique based on neutron microtomography. Using this innovative approach, we successfully virtually extracted, reconstructed in 3D and quantitatively assessed the preserved dentognathic structural morphology of STS 1039, including details of its postcanine maxillary dentition. Following comparative analyses with a number of Plio‐Pleistocene and extant cercopithecoid taxa, we tentatively propose a taxonomic attribution to the taxon Cercopithecoides williamsi. Our experience highlights the remarkable potential of this novel imaging method to extract diagnostic information and to identify the fossil remains embedded in hard breccia from the South African hominin‐bearing cave sites. Am J Phys Anthropol 159:737–745, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

贵州省中部和西南部新发现的洞穴遗址调查简报

贵州以更新世洞穴遗址发育在我国古人类学和旧石器时代考古学领域占有重要地位。本文对近年来贵州中部和西南部洞穴遗址的调查发现进行报道。新发现的9处洞穴遗址均分布在珠江水系的盘江流域,文化遗物主要为石制品。黔中遗址的石制品原料主要为燧石和硅质灰岩,而黔西南石制品原料多以河流成因的石英岩砾石居多;剥片技术主要为锤击法;黔中石制品的个体较小,而黔西南石制品的个体相对较大;石器组合以刮削器占多数。区域对比显示这些遗址的年代大致在距今3万年后的更新世末期至全新世初期。本次调查丰富了更新世末期古人类在贵州的活动信息,其中惠水清水苑大洞、长顺马路大洞和安龙路边大洞具有较大的工作前景。