Journals A-Z
All Subjects
Free Journals
sciepub.com
American Journal of Zoological Research
ISSN (Print): 2373-678X ISSN (Online): 2373-6771 Website: https://www.sciepub.com/journal/ajzr Editor-in-chief: Apply for this position
Open Access
Journal Browser
Go
Issue 4, Volume 2
Article Metrics
  • 17419
    Views
  • 14124
    Saves
  • 3
    Citations
  • 37
    Likes
Export Article
American Journal of Zoological Research. 2014, 2(4), 55-61
DOI: 10.12691/ajzr-2-4-1
Open AccessArticle

Cave Usage by Multiple Taphonomic Agents: Issues towards Interpreting the Fossil Bearing Cave Deposits in South Africa

Alexandra C. Bountalis1 and Brian F Kuhn2,

1School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, WITS, South Africa

2Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, WITS, South Africa

Pub. Date: December 31, 2014
View Full Text Full Text PDF Full Text ePUB

Cite this paper:
Alexandra C. Bountalis and Brian F Kuhn. Cave Usage by Multiple Taphonomic Agents: Issues towards Interpreting the Fossil Bearing Cave Deposits in South Africa. American Journal of Zoological Research. 2014; 2(4):55-61. doi: 10.12691/ajzr-2-4-1

Abstract

The current use of caves in South Africa by three distinct collectors of faunal remains, leopard (Pantherapardus), brown hyaena (Parahyaena brunnea) and porcupine (Hystrixafricaeaustralis) as well as other species of taphonomic significance raises serious questions with regard to the interpretation of the hominin bearing caves. As part of study using multiple camera traps to monitor a number of caves in the Cradle of Humankind over a period of at least 20 months, we found that an individual cave may be used by no less than seven species. The results indicate that identifying a single collector or modifier from a fossil assemblage which may span thousands of years is not as straightforward as previously hypothesized.

Keywords:
behavior taphonomy bone collecting brown hyaena warthog honey badger jackal porcupine leopard cave usage

Creative CommonsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Figures

Figure of 4

References:

[1]  Sutcliffe, A. J.,“Spotted hyena: crusher, gnawer, digester, and collector of bones,”Nature.(London) 227, 1110-1113, 1970.
 
[2]  Maguire, J., Pemberton, D. and Collet, M., “The Makapansgatlime works grey breccia: hominids, hyaenas, hystricids, or hill wash?,” Palaeontologia Africana, 23, 75-98, 1980.
 
[3]  Brain, C.K., The hunters or the hunted? An introduction to African cave Taphonomy, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1981, 365.
 
[4]  Haynes, G., “A Guide for Differentiating Mammalian Carnivore Taxa Responsible for Gnaw Damage to Herbivore Limb Bones,” Paleobiology, 9(2), 164-172, 1983.
 
[5]  Cruz-Uribe, K., “Distinguishing hyaena from hominid bone accumulations,” Journal of Field Archaeology, 18, 467-486, 1991.
 
[6]  Marean, C. W., Spencer, L.M., Blumenschine, R.J., and Capaldo, S.D. “Captive Hyaena Bone Choice and Destruction, the Schelpp Effect and Olduvai Archaeofaunas,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 19,101-121, 1992.
 
[7]  Selvaggio, M.M.,“Carnivore tooth marks and stone tool butcher marks on scavenged bones: archaeological implications,” Journal of Human Evolution, 27, 215-228, 1994.
 
[8]  Capaldo, S., “Simulating the Formation of Dual-Patterned Archaeofaunal Assemblages with Experimental Control Samples,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 25, 311-330, 1998.
 
[9]  deRuiter, D. and Berger, L., “Leopards as Taphonomic Agents in Dolomitic Caves- Implications for Bone Accumulations in the Hominid-bearing Deposits of South Africa,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 27, 665-684, 2000.
 
[10]  Selvaggio, M.M. and Wilder, J., “Identifying the Involvement of Multiple Carnivore Taxa with Archaeological Bone Assemblages,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 28, 465-470, 2001.
 
[11]  Pickering, T.R., “Reconsideration of criteria for differentiating faunal assemblages accumulated by hyenas and hominids,” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 12, 127-141, 2002.
 
[12]  Pickering, T.R., Clarke, R.J. and Moggi-Cecchi, J., “Role of carnivores in the accumulations of the Sterkfontein member 4 hominid assemblage: A taphonomic reassessment of the complete hominid fossil sample (1936-1999),” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 125, 1-15, 2004.
 
[13]  Pickering, T.R., Dominquez-Rodrigo, M., Egeland, C. and Brain, C.K., “Beyond Leopards: tooth marks and the contribution of multiple carnivore taxa to the accumulation of the Swartkrans Member 3 fossil assemblage,” Journal of Human Evolution, 46, 595-604, 2004.
 
[14]  Pickering, T.R., Dominguez-Rodrigo, M., Egeland, C.P.and Brain, C.K., “The Contribution of Limb Bone Fracture Patterns to Reconstructing Early Hominid Behaviour at Swartkrans Cave (South Africa): Archaeological Application of New Analytical Method,” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 15, 247-260, 2005.
 
[15]  Kos, A.M., “Characterization of post-depositional taphonomic processes in the accumulation of mammals in a pitfall cave deposit from southeastern Australia,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 30, 781-796, 2003.
 
[16]  Lacruz, R. and Maude, G., “Bone Accumulations at Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) Den Sites in the Makgadikgadi Pans, Northern Botswana: Taphonomic, Behavioural and Palaeoecological Implications.,” Journal of Taphonomy, 3(1), 43-54, 2005.
 
[17]  Faith, J.T., “Sources of variation in carnivore tooth-mark frequencies in a modern spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) den assemblage, Amboseli Park, Kenya,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 34, 1601-1609, 2007.
 
[18]  Faith, J.T., Marean, C. W. andBehrensmeyer, A.K., “Carnivore competition, bone destruction, and bone density,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 34, 2025-2034, 2007.
 
[19]  O’Regan, H.J. andMenter, C.G., “Carnivora from the Plio-Pleistocene hominin site of Drimolen, Gauteng, South Africa,” Geobios, 42, 329-350, 2009.
 
[20]  Boydston, E., Kapheim, K. andHolekamp, K., “Patterns of den occupation by the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta),” African Journal of Ecology, 44, 77-86, 2006.
 
[21]  Kuhn, B.F., “The Faunal Assemblages and Taphonomic Signatures of Five Striped Hyaena (hyaena hyaenasyriaca) Dens in the Desert of Eastern Jordan,” Levant,37, 221-234, 2005.
 
[22]  Kuhn, B.F., Hyaenids: Taphonomy and Implications for the Palaeoenvironment. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, London, 2011, 220.
 
[23]  Pokines, J.T. and KerbisPeterhans, J.C., “Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) den use and taphonomy in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 34, 1914-1931, 2007.
 
[24]  Barrett, L., Gaynor, D., Rendall, D., Mitchell, D. and Henzi, S.P., “Habitual cave use and thermoregulation in chacma baboons (Papiohamadrysursinus),” Journal of Human Evolution, 46, 215-222, 2004.
 
[25]  Pruetz, J.D., “Evidence of cave usage by savannah chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Fongoli, Senegal: implications for thermoregulatory behavior,” Primates, 48, 316-319, 2007.
 
[26]  Jagnow, D., “Bat usage and cave management of Torgac cave, New Mexico,” Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, 60 (1), 33-38, 1998.
 
[27]  Berger, L.R., Pickering, R., Kuhn, B., Backwell, L., Hancox, P.J., Kramers, J.D. andBoshoff, P., “A Mid-Pleistocene in situ fossil brown hyaena (Parahyaena brunnea) latrine from Gladysvale Cave, South Africa,” Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 279, 131-136, 2009.
 
[28]  Martini, J.E.J. and Keyser, A.W., “The caves of the John Nash Reserve in the Krugersdorp area,” Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association, 30, 39-45, 1989.
 
[29]  Kuhn, B. F., Berger, L. R. and Skinner, J. D., “Examining Criteria for Identifying and Differentiating Fossil Faunal Assemblages Accumulated by Hyaenas and Hominins using Extant Hyaenid Accumulations,” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 20(1), 15-35, 2010.
 
[30]  Berger, L.R., de Ruiter, D.J., Chruchill, S.E., Schmid, P., Carlson, K.J., Dirks, P. andKibii, J.M., “Australopithecus sediba: a new species of homo-likeAustralopith from South Africa,” Science, 328, 195-204, 2010.
 
[31]  Dirks, P.H.G.M., Kibii, J.M., Kuhn, B.F., Steininger, C., Churchill, S.E., Kramers, J.D., Pickering, R., Farber, D.L., Meriaux, A., Herries, A.I.R., King, G.C.P. and Berger, L., “Geological Setting and Age of Australopithecus sediba from Southern Africa,” Science, 328, 205-208, 2010.
 
[32]  Mucnina, L. and Rutherford, M.C., (eds) The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Sterlizia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 2006.
 
[33]  Kuhn, B.F., “Short Communication: A preliminary assessment of the carnivore community outside Johannesburg, South Africa,” South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 44(1), 95-98, 2014.
 
[34]  deRuiter, D.J. and Berger, L. R. “Leopard (Pantherapardus Linneaus) cave caching related to anti-theft behaviour in the John Nash Nature Reserve, South Africa,” African Journal of Ecology, 39, 1-3, 2001.
 
[35]  Lansing, S.W., Cooper, S.M., Boydston, E.E. and Holekamp, K.E. “Taphonomic and zooarchaeological implications of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) bone accumulations in Kenya: a modern behavioral ecological approach,” Paleobiology, 35(2), 289-309, 2009.
 
[36]  Skinner, J.D., Davis, S. and Hani, G. “Bone Collecting by Striped Hyaenas, Hyaena hyaena, in Israel,” Palaeontologia.africana., 23, 99-104, 1980.
 
[37]  Lotan, E., “Feeding the Scavengers. Actualistic Taphonomy in the Jordan Valley, Israel,” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 10, 407-425, 2000.
 
[38]  KerbisPeterhans, J. C. and Singer, R.,“Taphonomy Of A Lair Near The Peers (Or Skildegat) Cave in fish hoek,Western Cape province, South Africa,” The South African Archaeological Bulletin, 61(183), 2-18, 2006.
 
[39]  deRuiter, D. J., Brophy, J.K., Lewis, P.J., Churchill, S.E. and Berger, L.R., “Faunal assemblage composition and paleoenvironment of Plovers Lake, a Middle Stone Age locality in Gauteng Province, South Africa,” Journal of Human Evolution, 55, 1102-1117, 2008.
 
[40]  Diedrich, C. “Late Pleistocene Hystrix (Acanthion) brachyuran Linnaeus 1758 from the Fuchsluken Cave Near Saalfeld (Thuringia, Germany)- A porcupine and Hyena Den and Contribution to their Palaeobiogeography in Europe,” The Open Palaeontology Journal, 2, 1-9, 2009.
 
[41]  Villa, P. and Bartram, L., “Flaked bone from a hyena den,” Paleo, 8, 1-22, 1996.
 
[42]  Kuhn, B.F., Berger, L.R. and Skinner, J.D., “Variation in tooth mark frequencies on long bones from the assemblages of all three extant bone-collecting hyaenids,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 36, 297-307, 2009.
 
[43]  Delany-Rivera, C., Plummer, T.W., Hodgson, J.A., Forrest, F., Hertel, F. and Oliver, J.S., “Pits and pitfalls; taxonomic variability and patterning in tooth mark dimensions,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 36, 2597-2608, 2009.
 
[44]  Villa, P., Goni, M.F.S., Bescos, G.C., Grun, R., Ajas, A., Pimienta, J.C.G. and Lees, W., “The archaeology and paleoenvironment of an Upper Pleistocene hyena den: An integrated approach,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 37(5), 919-935, 2009.
 
[45]  Galdikas B., “Orangutan death and scavenging by pigs,” Science, 200(4337), 68-70, 1978.
 
[46]  Kruuk, H., “Surplus killing by carnivores,” Journal of Zoology (London), 166, 233-244, 1972.
 
[47]  Bearder, S.K., “Feeding habits of spotted hyaenas in a woodland habitat,” East African Wildlife Journal, 15, 263-280, 1977.
 
[48]  DeGraaf, G., (1981). The Rodents of Southern Africa, Butterworths. Pretoria.
 
[49]  Duthie, A.G. and Skinner J.D., “Osteophagia in the Cape porcupine Hystrixafricaeaustralis,” South African Journal of Zoology, 21, 316-318, 1986.
 
[50]  Gow, C.E., “Gnawing of rock outcrop by porcupines,” South African Journal of Geology, 95, 74-75, 1992.
 
[51]  Dominguez- Rodrigo, M. and Piqueras, A., “The use of tooth pits to identify carnivore taxa in tooth-marked archaeofaunas and their relevance to reconstruct hominid carcass processing behaviours,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 30, 1385-1391, 2003.
 
[52]  Dominguez-Solera, S.D. and Dominguez-Rodrigo, M., “A Taphonomic Study of Bone Modification and of Tooth-Mark Patterns on Long Limb Bone Portions by Suids,” International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 19, 345-363, 2009.
 
[53]  Field, C.R., “Observations on the food habits of tame warthog and antelope in Uganda,” East African Wildlife Journal, 8, 1-17, 1970.
 
[54]  Cummings, D., (1975). “A field study of the ecology and behaviour of warthog,” Museum Memoir No.7. Trustees of the National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia, Salisbury.
 
[55]  Kruuk, H. and Mills, M.G.L., “Notes on Food and Foraging of the Honey Badger Mellivoracapensisin Kalahari Gemsbok National Park,” Koedoe, 26, 153-157, 1983.
 
[56]  Hewson, R. and Kolb, H.H., “Scavenging on sheep carcasses by foxes (Vulpesvulpes) and badgers (Melesmeles),” Journal of Zoology (London), 180, 496-498, 1976.
 
[57]  Straus, L.G., “Carnivores and Cave Sites in Cantabrian Spain,” Journal of Anthropological Research, 38(1), 75-96, 1982.
 
[58]  Hewson, R., “Scavenging and Predation Upon Sheep and Lambs in West Scotland,” Journal of Applied Ecology, 21(3), 843-868, 1984.
 
[59]  Minta, S.C., “Tests of Spatial and Temporal Interaction Among Animals,” Ecological Applications, 2(2), 178-188, 1992.
 
[60]  Andrews, P., “Experiments in Taphonomy,” Journal of Archaeological Science, 22. 147-153, 1995.
 
[61]  Begg, C.M., Feeding ecology and social organisation of honey badgers (Mellivoracapensis) in the southern Kalahari, PhD dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 2001.
 
[62]  Begg, C.M., Begg, K.S., Du Toit, J.T. and Mills, M.G.L.,“Spatial organization of the honey badger (Mellivoracapensis) in the southern Kalahari: home-range size and movement patterns,” Journal of Zoology (London), 265, 23-35, 2005.
 
[63]  Begg, C.M., Begg, K.S., Du Toit, J.T. and Mills, G.L., “Sexual and seasonal variation in the diet and foraging behaviour of a sexually dimorphic carnivore, the honey badger (Mellivoracapensis),” Journal of Zoology (London), 260, 301-316, 2003.
 
[64]  Carlson, K. J. and Pickering, T.R., “Intrinsic qualities of primate bones as predictors of skeletal element representation in modern and fossil assemblages,” Journal of Human Evolution, 44, 431-450, 2003.
 
[65]  Kuhn, B.F., Wiesel, I, and Skinner, J.D., “Diet of brown hyaenas (Parahyaena brunnea) on the Namibian coast,” Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 63(2), 150-159, 2008.
 
[66]  Doncaster, P. and Woodroffe, R. “Den Site Can Determine Shape and Size of Badger Territories: Implications for Group-Living,” Oikos, 66(1), 88-93, 1993.
 
[67]  Kruuk, H., “Feeding and social behaviour of the striped hyaena (Hyaena vulgaris Desmarest),” East African Wildlife Journal, 14, 91-111, 1976.
 
[68]  Mills, M.G.L. and Mills, E.J., “The diet of the brown hyaena (Hyaena brunnea) in the southern Kalahari,” Koedoe, 21, 125-149, 1978.
 
[69]  Owens, M.J. and Owens, D.D., “Feeding ecology and it influence on social organization in Brown hyenas (Hyaena brunnea, Thunberg) of the Central Kalahari Desert,” East African Wildlife Journal, 16, 113-135, 1978.
 
[70]  Skinner, J. D., “Bone collecting by hyaenas: a review,” Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 61, 4-7, 2006.
 
[71]  Van der Merwe, I., Tambling, C.J., Thorn, M., Scott, D.M., Yarnell, R.W., Green, M., Cameron, E.Z. and Bateman, P.W., “An assessment of diet overlap of two mesocarnivores in the North West Province, South Afric,” African Zoology, 44, 288-291, 2009.
 
[72]  Wiesel, I., “Killing of Cape fur seals (Arctocephaluspusilluspusillus) pups by brown hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea) at mainland breeding colonies along the coastal Namib Desert,” Actaethologica,13I, 93-100, 2010.
 
[73]  Wiesel, I. “Predatory and Foraging Behaviour of Brown Hyenas (Parahyaena brunnea (Thunberg, 1820)) at Cape Fur Seal (ArctocephaluspusilluspusillusSchreber, 1776) Colonies,” Bio-centreGrindel and Zoological Museum, University of Hamburg, Germany, 2006.
 
Manuscript template