The Mas des Caves site at Lunel-Viel (Hérault, Southeast France) has yielded abundant and diversified Late Middle Pleistocene faunal remains, among which Stephanorhinus hemitoechus. The recent discovery of a well-preserved skull in 2021 has led to new investigation on this taxon and all the material collected since the beginning of scientific investigations in those cavities. Here, we present the first integrated analysis of the demographic structure and ecological adaptations of this cohort. A minimum of nine individuals was identified on the basis of postcranial and dental remains with at least two very young (below 2 months), three young (between 6 months and 1.5 years), two older juveniles (between 1.5 and 4 years) and two adults (above 5.5 years). The imbalance between juvenile cranial remains and adult postcranial elements suggests differential accumulator agents and, among them, the crucial role of hyenas. Dental microwear analysis of deciduous and permanent teeth reveals a mixed-feeding regime with grazing tendencies, consistent across age classes, suggesting similar plant selection between the various age classes. The dietary niche of S. hemitoechus compared with other sympatric herbivores indicates that it was among the herbivore species that selected the most abrasive plants.
Stephanorhinus hemitoechus (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) from the cave site of Mas des Caves (Lunel-Viel, SE France, MIS7): demography and ecology of a paleontological cohort
Pandolfi, Luca;
2026-01-01
Abstract
The Mas des Caves site at Lunel-Viel (Hérault, Southeast France) has yielded abundant and diversified Late Middle Pleistocene faunal remains, among which Stephanorhinus hemitoechus. The recent discovery of a well-preserved skull in 2021 has led to new investigation on this taxon and all the material collected since the beginning of scientific investigations in those cavities. Here, we present the first integrated analysis of the demographic structure and ecological adaptations of this cohort. A minimum of nine individuals was identified on the basis of postcranial and dental remains with at least two very young (below 2 months), three young (between 6 months and 1.5 years), two older juveniles (between 1.5 and 4 years) and two adults (above 5.5 years). The imbalance between juvenile cranial remains and adult postcranial elements suggests differential accumulator agents and, among them, the crucial role of hyenas. Dental microwear analysis of deciduous and permanent teeth reveals a mixed-feeding regime with grazing tendencies, consistent across age classes, suggesting similar plant selection between the various age classes. The dietary niche of S. hemitoechus compared with other sympatric herbivores indicates that it was among the herbivore species that selected the most abrasive plants.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
