The study of Neanderthal subsistence in northern Iberia through zooarchaeological analysis of faunal assemblages is a pivotal issue for the comprehension of the population dynamics of this human species. In this regard, El Castillo Cave has been an essential site for research on Middle Palaeolithic settlements in the Cantabrian region. From this perspective, the Mousterian level XXc of El Castillo provides relevant information for the comprehension of Neanderthal behaviour, subsistence strategies and human-carnivore interactions. Through the study of the faunal assemblage of this level, we establish the hunting spectrum of Neanderthal groups, identifying different strategies depending on the species, with a specific selection of prime adult individuals for red deer and an unselective strategy for large bovids and horses, with transport strategies focused on limb bones. A more intense role in the site formation of carnivore activity than expected was found; they had secondary access to the carcasses with an important role as scavengers in deleting certain anatomical elements.

This study explores the mobility and raw material circulation of Neanderthals at the El Castillo cave, located in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, with a particular focus on flint. The levels analyzed (XXab-XXf1.1) date between 45 and 70 ka BP, corresponding to the Mousterian period and, in some cases, to the Vasconian facies. Most of the flint varieties are of local origin (<10-30 km), but six additional sources have been identified, both regionally (30-120 km) and tracer (120-250 km), as well as a variety that would fall under the supertracer range (>250 km). These findings provide insights into patterns of lithic resource acquisition. Based on these data, together with the technotypological data and the quantitative representation of the different varieties of raw materials, it is proposed that the territory of these Neanderthals was larger than expected. Beyond their home range, they may have had an even larger 'social territory,' covering more than 600 km in length, from the Oviedo basin (Piedramuelle flint) to the Adour River (Tercis flint), including the Upper Ebro Basin (Treviño flint). Furthermore, this broad geographical region and the dates from the levels at El Castillo align with the spatial distribution of the Mousterian with cleavers or the Vasconian. The technotypological analysis of these assemblages suggests that the Vasconian may be more closely related to a broad view of the group and the sharing of ideas, rather than representing a strictly defined technological tradition.

New excavations at the Abri du Maras have yielded remains of hitherto unknown deposits (layer 6) from the base of the sequence, with a small lithic and faunal series dated to MIS 7. In this paper, we investigate this occupation, undoubtedly in a cave context, before the cave gradually gave way to a shelter where the last occupations took place. The faunal assemblage accumulated through anthropic activities, and cervids are the dominant species. There are no traces of carnivores at the site. The material indicates anthropogenic bone breakage and the use of fire, among other activities. The lithic series comprises flint gathered in the south (Cenozoic formations), on the plateau, and in the northwest (Cretaceous formations) along the Rhône Valley. This raw material procurement suggests a restricted logistical zone, in an area between one and 3-day walk from the site. The degree of reduction of cores and products (including some Levallois), the high rate of resharpening for retouched tools, evidence of recycling, and the significant fragmentation of operating chains tend to illustrate a pattern of consumption. The management and transport of Cretaceous raw materials from the north of the site could represent a residue of individual equipment consumed and reused on site, and/or correspond to a possible leftover stockpile. Despite the limited material, the strategies observed in layer 6 at the Abri du Maras can be compared to the MIS 8–6 phase in western Europe described as the Early Middle Palaeolithic.

Who the first inhabitants of Western Europe were, what their physical characteristics were, and when and where they lived are some of the pending questions in the study of the settlement of Eurasia during the Early Pleistocene epoch. The available palaeoanthropological information from Western Europe is limited and confined to the Iberian Peninsula1,2. Here we present most of the midface of a hominin found at the TE7 level of the Sima del Elefante site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain), dated to between 1.4 million and 1.1 million years ago. This fossil (ATE7-1) represents the earliest human face of Western Europe identified thus far. Most of the morphological features of the midface of this hominin are primitive for the Homo clade and they do not display the modern-like aspect exhibited by Homo antecessor found at the neighbouring Gran Dolina site, also in the Sierra de Atapuerca, and dated to between 900,000 and 800,000 years ago3. Furthermore, ATE7-1 is more derived in the nasoalveolar region than the Dmanisi and other roughly contemporaneous hominins. On the basis of the available evidence, it is reasonable to assign the new human remains from TE7 level to Homo aff. erectus. From the archaeological, palaeontological and palaeoanthropological information obtained in the lower levels of the Sima del Elefante and Gran Dolina sites4-8, we suggest a turnover in the human population in Europe at the end of the Early Pleistocene.

There is evidence that communal hunting of bison was a practice that occurred from the Middle Pleistocene to historic times and was also observed among Indigenous Americans. Within the subsistence strategies of Pleistocene humans, communal hunting was part of their range of behaviors. The level TD10.2-BB of the Gran Dolina in the Sierra de Atapuerca preserves a fossil record of this practice, with remains of at least 60 bison of different age classes. This study aims to evaluate the hypothesis that human exploitation of these bison was sustainable. To this end, we analyzed the mortality pattern of bison from TD10.2-BB through dental remains using ternary diagrams and life tables. We also used allometric equations to estimate the mean body mass of the bison population and the potential energy yield they could have provided. Our results suggest a catastrophic mortality profile for the TD10.2-BB bison, with individuals of all age classes and no selective bias toward specific age classes. The life table derived from this profile suggests a growing bison population, indicating that human exploitation could have been sustained without causing a population collapse. Furthermore, our results suggest that bison would provide meat and energy resources to support large groups of humans for several days. While the high protein content of bison carcasses may have limited their full utilization, the availability of other resources in the ecosystem likely facilitated the optimal use of bison.

Olduvai Gorge, nestled between the East African Rift Valley and the Mozambique Belt, is key to understanding human evolution. Even though extensive archaeological and palaeoanthropological findings have been unearthed here since the 1930s, the Middle Stone Age in this area has nonetheless received less attention than the Oldowan or the Acheulean. This paper presents the lithic technology analysis of Dorothy Garrod Site (DGS), a newly-documented MSA site located at the junction of the main gorge and the side gorge at Olduvai. DGS provides valuable additional knowledge to our understanding of the MSA groups that inhabited the region, offering insights into the mobility and settlement patterns of human groups in East Africa during MIS 4. This study focuses on the techno-typological characterization of the DGS lithic assemblage through an analysis of the raw material management strategies and knapping methods employed. The presence of discoid and Levallois methods, as well as single platform methods shows DGS to be a ‘typical’ MSA archaeological site, together with its associated fauna. The retouched pieces are scarce and characterized by a high presence of denticulates, retouched flakes and notches, as well as by the low presence of heavy-duty tools and total absence of points. All of these features make of DGS an exceptional MSA site at the heart of Olduvai.

Bone tool use is a hallmark of hominin behavioral evolution, yet its significance in Pleistocene contexts remains underexplored. We present a multi-method analysis of a bone fragment from Abri du Maras (Marine Isotope Stage 5, France), integrating qualitative use-wear assessment with quantitative 3D surface texture analysis via confocal microscopy and discriminant modeling. Results indicate that smoothing on the tool's tip is anthropogenic in origin rather than taphonomic, and originated from repeated contact with soft tissues, consistent with carcass flaying. This function diverges from the commonly proposed interpretation of similar tools being used for hide processing and aligns with ethnographic analogs. Its presence at a Neanderthal seasonal campsite suggests strategic technological planning in subsistence practices. Our findings demonstrate the diagnostic value of quantitative use-wear analysis and call for re-evaluation of osseous tools, offering refined insights into Neanderthal cognition and cultural complexity.

BackgroundThe cuticle plays an important role in the survival of plants, and it is important to preserve the quality of fleshy fruits like sweet cherry. Plant hormones play a role in cuticle formation. In this sense, jasmonates have been shown to induce cuticle biosynthesis, but until today this has not been demonstrated in sweet cherry fruit. Therefore, the effect of exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) application at the fruit set stage on the expression levels of cuticle synthesis-related genes and the wax composition of the isolated cuticle was studied in developing and ripe fruits of sweet cherry (Prunus avium 'Bing'), respectively. ResultsMeJA treatment resulted in up-regulation of the cuticle biosynthesis-related gene expression, such as PaWINA, PaWINB, PaKCS1, PaKCS6, PaLACS1, PaLACS2, PaWS, and PaWBC11. These genes play a vital role in the elongation and transport of fatty acids, and wax biosynthesis. Analysis of cuticular components in ripe fruit showed an increase in long-chain linear aliphatic wax compounds, particularly C27, C28, C29, C30, and C31 alkanes. ConclusionExogenous MeJA application at the fruit set stage of sweet cherry has a significant effect on the wax composition of the ripe fruit cuticle, particularly in terms of alkane biosynthesis. The results of this study may provide insights into the regulation of cuticle biosynthesis by jasmonates and be useful for improving fruit quality and storage life. & COPY; 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The variability in Neanderthal behaviour is one of the key debates in Middle Palaeolithic archaeology. Here we present the analysis of the lithic industry from a unit at one of Europe’s main Palaeolithic sites: El Castillo Cave. Unit XXf1.1, dated to the beginning of MIS 4, is an example of human occupation during a period of population decrease. In this assemblage, the technology is organised with the aim of obtaining the largest possible blanks in an environment in which small-sized raw materials predominate, with the presence of imported tools and clear differences in the management of different raw materials. This assemblage is characterized by the predominance of centripetal exploitation methods, and there is only a small number of blanks with laminar tendency, and cleavers. From all this we can observe how Neanderthals were able to find ways to achieve their specific objectives, planning their behaviour to overcome the limitations imposed by the environment.

The South American fauna has endured challenges such as illegal hunting, cattle expansion, climate change, and landscape fragmentation. Despite ongoing conservation efforts that aim to address these issues, genetic diversity remains overlooked. We genotyped 126 Lama guanicoe individuals from an area of 2 million km(2) in Patagonia and Cuyo using the 60K SNPs Axiom-Camelids, and we assessed population viability through genetic diversity, inbreeding, and population size. We then explored population connectivities through network analyses, genetic differentiation, and Bayesian approaches. Our findings reveal six genetic clusters: Cuyo, Somuncura, North Patagonia, Central Patagonia, South Patagonia, and Tierra del Fuego Island (TDFI). Cuyo and TDFI guanacos differed from others due to isolation-by-distance and geographical barriers, respectively. Cuyo exhibited the highest degree of allele conservation, but TDFI faced heightened vulnerability due to isolation and increased homozygosity. Sharp bottlenecks in Cuyo and North Patagonia coincided with the expansion of sheep farming, while bottlenecks in the other populations occurred during the Little Ice Age. North Patagonia acted as a probable contact zone, facilitating mixing of the Cuyo, Somuncura, and Central Patagonia populations. The Central and South Patagonian populations presented the highest gene flow. Thus, genomic advances help to define distinct conservation units (genetic stocks) to guide management practices and decisions.

Osseous industry has been observed at an increasing number of Neanderthal sites. Bone fragments were used for practical purposes, and a range of bone shaping techniques were employed. The variability of bone tools observed in different assemblages reflects considerable functional diversity. However, no bone spear points have been reported from these contexts. A comprehensive analysis of a bone spear point from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Abric Romaní (Barcelona, Spain) is presented. Through an interdisciplinary, multi-technique, and multi-scale approach combining technology, taphonomy, and functional analysis, compelling evidence for manufacture, use, and hafting was uncovered. The specimen exhibits clear signs of intentional knapping. The presence of microscopic linear impact marks, an impact fracture at the tip and potential internal stress fractures indicate its use as a spear. Furthermore, the observed wear pattern and a morphological adjustment of the trabecular tissue support the hafting hypothesis. Abric Romaní contributes to our understanding of Neanderthal hunting behaviour and the significance of composite bone tools in their technological repertoire 50,000 years ago. This discovery highlights the flexibility and adaptability of Neanderthal technology, providing evidence of bone technology that is sometimes obscured in the archaeological record and offering valuable insights into their hunting strategies during the Middle Palaeolithic.

The increased availability of quality genomic data has greatly improved the scope and resolution of our understanding of the recent evolutionary history of wild species adapted to extreme environments and their susceptibility to anthropogenic impacts. The guanaco (Lama guanicoe), the largest wild ungulate in South America, is a good example. The guanaco is well adapted to a wide range of habitats, including the Sechura Desert, the high Andes Mountains to the north, and the extreme temperatures and conditions of Navarino Island to the south. Guanacos also have a long history of overexploitation by humans. To assess the evolutionary impact of these challenging habitats on the genomic diversity, we analyzed 38 genomes (∼10 to 16×) throughout their extensive latitudinal distribution from the Sechura and Atacama Desert to southward into Tierra del Fuego Island. These included analyses of patterns of unique differentiation in the north and geographic region further south with admixture among L. g. cacsilensis and L. g. guanicoe. Our findings provide new insights on the divergence of the subspecies ∼800,000 yr BP and document two divergent demographic trajectories and to the initial expansion of guanaco into the more southern portions of the Atacama Desert. Patagonian guanacos have experienced contemporary reductions in effective population sizes, likely the consequence of anthropogenic impacts. The lowest levels of genetic diversity corresponded to their northern and western limits of distribution and some varying degrees of genetic differentiation. Adaptive genomic diversity was strongly linked with environmental variables and was linked with colonization toward the south followed by adaptation.

El Castillo Cave is one of the most important sites for understanding the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in Europe. Despite its importance, the absence of a widely used stratigraphic section with detailed lithostratigraphic descriptions and correlations between the different geological and archaeological interpretations has led to confusion in the correct identification of lithostratigraphic units in the lowermost, Middle Palaeolithic sequence. This study establishes a new lithostratigraphic framework for the site, which can be accurately correlated to previous geological and archaeological studies and generates a solid working basis for framing the Mousterian of El Castillo Cave in the Cantabrian region and southwestern Europe. The geological re‐evaluation of Unit XX (‘Mousterian Alpha’) has expanded its chronology, now ranging from 49 130–43 260 cal bp to 70 400 ± 9600 bp. Unit XXII (‘Mousterian Bet’) would consequently yield an age older than 70 400 ± 9600 bp and younger than the underlying speleothem (Unit XXIIIb), dated to 89 000 +11 000/‐10 000 bp.

Although guanacos (Lama guanicoe) are widely distributed throughout much of their historic range, they are often restricted to small, isolated populations that are at risk of inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity. Here we document and interpret baseline patterns of genetic variation in a guanaco population inhabiting in the Bolivian Chaco that is threatened by hunting and habitat degradation. The region, once open grasslands, is dominated by dense shrubs, the result of livestock grazing. The most-recent census identified only 74 individuals and is designated as at 'risk of extinction' by the Bolivian government. We assessed the population's genetic health and uniqueness from the genetic patterns of 16 microsatellite loci, the Hyper-variable Domain I of the mitochondrial Control Region and SRY gene with 29 fecal samples. We identified 19 male and 10 female unique individuals. Microsatellite variation (Ho = 0.64) was similar to larger, less-isolated populations. However, the estimated effective population size was low and consistent with the continuing loss of allelic variation. The two observed mtDNA haplotypes are common in other L. g. guanicoe populations. Although we documented moderate genetic diversity, gene flow among Bolivian and Paraguayan guanaco Chaco populations should be assessed and integrated into explicit conservation management plans.

Maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) is a small tree endemic to Patagonia. It is currently being actively domesticated for its edible berries, which have high polyphenol content and anti-oxidant capability. However, little is known about its population structure and evolutionary history, information which is useful for the design of effective conservation and domestication strategies. Based on information from other species, we hypothesize that genetic diversity in maqui is higher in northern population and decrease to the South, associated with past migration patterns and as a result has well-structured populations. To explore the genetic diversity of 14 populations (183 samples) of this species, that represent the geographic distribution of the species in Chile we used 13 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Clusters based on Bayesian genetic and spatial structure analyses were used to reconstruct patterns of phylogeographic and demographic history. We found that maqui populations are well-structured, with a substantial reduction of genetic diversity from north to south. The lowest diversity was found in areas that were once covered by ice during the quaternary glaciation. In conclusion, three main genetic groups were revealed by Structure analysis, and genetic diversity reduction from its northern limit in central Chile to the Patagonian region was found, suggesting that an active recolonization process took place during the last few millennia following the last glacial period. These results will help to define accessions from different regions and contribute to support conservation and domestication initiatives.

The present research aims to determine the age at which red deer (Cervus elaphus) specimens died by examining their upper dentition. We analyzed eighty free-ranging individuals from southern Spain to establish a reference database for age calculation. The age of these individuals was identified by the mandibular teeth inferred from their known death years and the maxillary teeth were evaluated relative to them. As a result, we have provided three non-destructive methods: a description of the eruption sequence and dental replacement, a referential code for occlusal wear stages, and a regression analysis considering the height of the cusps in both upper and lower dentition. These methods offer the possibility of estimating the age at which the animals died and categorizing them into specific age groups. To evaluate the practicality of this method, we applied it to the Middle Paleolithic archaeological site of Abric Romaní. All the proposed methods allow us to approximate the age at death of red deer individuals. The most accurate results, whenever feasible, are obtained by combining these different methods. This study facilitates the inclusion of upper dentition fossils that have traditionally been omitted from the analysis in archaeological sites, allowing a better adjustment of the quantitative methods used to calculate the number of skeletal elements and the number of individuals. This, in turn, enables a more accurate construction of the anatomical and mortality profiles.

The Early to Middle Pleistocene Transition (EMPT) is characterised by major environmental changes and evolutionary innovations within the genus Homo but the scarcity of the African EMPT fossil and archaeological records obscures its palaeoecological context. Here, we present archaeological and faunal evidence from a newly excavated West-Turkana EMPT site-Kanyimangin.

The divergence between the Andean fox ( Lycalopex culpaeus ) and the South American gray fox ( L. griseus ) represents a recent speciation event in South America. These taxa are partially sympatric and share biological, morphological, and ecological traits. Previous studies failed to recover reciprocal monophyly, suggesting the occurrence of introgression or incomplete lineage sorting (ILS). Here, we obtained mitochondrial and nuclear markers for 140 L. culpaeus and 134 L. griseus from the Southern Cone of South America to assess their inter and intraspecific divergence. We recovered reciprocal monophyly of L. culpaeus and L. griseus , with mild signatures of introgression or ILS. Therefore, taxonomic misidentification and the use of a limited number of markers may be the main reason behind the past debate about the delimitation of both species. Two main divergent clades were found in L. culpaeus with a phylogeographical boundary in the High Plateau of northeastern Chile. The southern clade along with three northern sub-clades corresponded to four morphological subspecies. Less genetic differentiation was found in L. griseus with a spatial population structure that does not support the occurrence of distinct subspecies. The results found in this study suggest the extant evolutionary significant units that need to be considered for biological conservation management of these species.

Since 2006, The Olduvai Paleoanthropology and Paleoecology Project (TOPPP) is conducting intensive research in a number of classical and newly discovered sites throughout the sequence of Olduvai Gorge, in Tanzania. Over these fifteen years of intense fieldwork, efforts have mostly focused on the Oldowan and Acheulean evidence located in Bed I and Bed II, but also intended on more recent and less known resources of the archaeological record, such us those located in the Ndutu beds. In this work we present a synthetic and comprehensive view of the most significant scientific contributions produced by our team in the fields of lithic technology and paleo-economic studies, including: the remarkable enlargement of our knowledge on the technological behaviors undertaken during the Oldowan, as recorded in the various sites recently discovered within the Zinj paleosol (Bed I); the characterization of the oldest Acheulean in the Olduvai basin (and one of the earliest evidence of this techno-complex in East Africa) after the discovery by our team of the exceptional site of FLK West (Lower Bed II); new insights into the enduring debate of the techno-functional meaning of the Developed Oldowan/Acheulean interface through the re-excavation of various classical sites located in Middle and Upper Bed II, such as SHK, TK and BK, and the confirmation of the Acheulean ascription of their lithic assemblages; the discovery of a number of MSA sites, such as VCS and DGS, that confirm the significance of the MSA record in the Olduvai basin and nearby. (C) 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.