TY - JOUR
T1 - Early occurrence of lion (Panthera spelaea) at the Middle Pleistocene Acheulean site of Notarchirico (MIS 16, Italy)
AU - Iannucci, Alessio
AU - Mecozzi, Beniamino
AU - Pineda, Antonio
AU - Sardella, Raffaele
AU - Carpentieri, Marco
AU - Rabinovich, Rivka
AU - Moncel, Marie Hélène
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - The long sedimentary sequence of Notarchirico has yielded evidence of one of the earliest Acheulean manifestations in Europe and of recurrent hominin occupation, spanning from the end of the interglacial MIS 17 to the glacial MIS 16 (~695–610 ka). Here, we report the new discovery of a lion, Panthera spelaea, from the site, based on a metatarsal from layer A. This part of the sequence dates to ~660–612 ka (MIS 16, 40Ar/39Ar age). Therefore, Notarchirico's lion represents the earliest confirmed occurrence of the species in southwestern Europe, although older findings are known from adjacent areas. Lions and several other large mammal species dispersed into Europe during the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition, which also witnessed the spread of the Acheulean. Ecological and behavioural adaptability was probably key, for hominins and other species, to cope with the intense and recurrent environmental fluctuations that occurred during this period.
AB - The long sedimentary sequence of Notarchirico has yielded evidence of one of the earliest Acheulean manifestations in Europe and of recurrent hominin occupation, spanning from the end of the interglacial MIS 17 to the glacial MIS 16 (~695–610 ka). Here, we report the new discovery of a lion, Panthera spelaea, from the site, based on a metatarsal from layer A. This part of the sequence dates to ~660–612 ka (MIS 16, 40Ar/39Ar age). Therefore, Notarchirico's lion represents the earliest confirmed occurrence of the species in southwestern Europe, although older findings are known from adjacent areas. Lions and several other large mammal species dispersed into Europe during the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition, which also witnessed the spread of the Acheulean. Ecological and behavioural adaptability was probably key, for hominins and other species, to cope with the intense and recurrent environmental fluctuations that occurred during this period.
KW - Carnivora
KW - Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition
KW - Europe
KW - Hominin occupation
KW - Panthera fossilis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196619541&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jqs.3639
DO - 10.1002/jqs.3639
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AN - SCOPUS:85196619541
SN - 0267-8179
VL - 39
SP - 683
EP - 690
JO - Journal of Quaternary Science
JF - Journal of Quaternary Science
IS - 5
ER -