- Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Universidad de Magallanes, Instituto de la Patagonia, Av. Bulnes 01890, CP 6200000 Punta Arenas, Chile
- Available online 8 June 2016
Abstract
This
paper presents information derived from the taphonomic reevaluation of
the Hauthal collection from Cueva del Milodón, Última Esperanza, Chile.
This is a bone assemblage recovered in 1899 and 1900 at that cave and
stored at the Museo de La Plata, Argentina. Mylodon darwini, Hippidion saldiasi, Panthera onca mesembrina
and Camelidae are among the most important extinct animals represented
at the site. These materials were studied and analyzed several times
between the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th Centuries.
However, a detailed study with a taphonomic perspective such as the one
presented here was lacking. Contrary to most previous evaluations, this
analysis shows that an archaeological component can be defended at the
end of the Pleistocene on the basis of the presence of cut marks on Hippidion
bones. However, Lehmann-Nitsche excellent description of damages
recorded on the ground sloth bones, that he attributed to humans, could
not be confirmed. Instead, those damages are here interpreted as large
carnivore tooth marks. They are concentrated on ground sloth remains and
are attributed to Panthera onca mesembrina. It is here
suggested that panthers used the cave and surroundings to prey on ground
sloths. The study of the marks and their distribution, especially on
ground sloth skulls, indicates the use of a hunting strategy which was
similar to that used by jaguars (Panthera onca) when hunting large prey.
Keywords
- Cueva del Milodón;
- Taphonomy;
- Ground sloth;
- Patagonian panther;
- Carnivores
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