Large mammals of Fouvent-Saint-Andoche (Haute-Saône, France): a glimpse into a Late Pleistocene hyena den
Author
Fourvel, Jean-Baptiste
Author
Fosse, Philippe
Author
Fernandez, Philippe
Author
Antoine, Pierre-Olivier
text
Geodiversitas
2015
2015-06-26
37
2
237
266
http://dx.doi.org/10.5252/g2015n2a5
journal article
10.5252/g2015n2a5
1638-9395
4535125
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0117CBA4-4CE0-4431-B5F6-721F998C72C7
Canis lupus
Linnaeus, 1758
MATERIAL EXAMINED. —
NISP
=37;
MNI
=12.
1989-1992
sample: 1 left maxillary; 2 left I3; 1 right C; 1 left P4; 1 left M2; 3 right i1; 6 left i1; 1 i1?; 1 right i2; 1 left i2; 1 left i2-3; 1 right c; 1 left c; 1 left p3; 1 right p4; 1 right m1; 1 right m2; 1 left m3; 1 canine?; 1 right ulna; 1 left ulna; 1 left tibia; 1 left metatarsal II; 3 first phalanges; 3 second phalanges.
DESCRIPTION
In Europe, two medium-to-large-sized canids coexist during the Late Pleistocene: wolf
Canis lupus
and dhole
Cuon alpinus
Pallas, 1811
. Their association in a same geochronological context suggests their potential identification in palaeontological samples (Perez-Ripoll
et al.
2010; Pionnier-Capitan
et al.
2011). Thirty seven bone remains recovered from the recent excavations have been related to large canids. The right lower carnassial (m1 – F9.C.264) has a large talonid with two cusps which is typical of wolves (
Fig.4D, E
). The general proportions of this carnassial (breadth=
12.5 mm
, length=
27 mm
) and of the left upper carnassial (P4 – H8.C.240) (breadth=
13 mm
, length=
25 mm
) match the range recorded for Late Pleistocene wolves (breadth and length variations in m1 11.1-13.2 by
26.5-33.4 mm
and in P4 12.3-15.3 by
23.8-29.9 mm
in
Schütt 1969
; Boudadi-Maligne 2010; Brugal & Boudadi- Maligne 2011). Yet, these carnassials are smaller than the ones referred to as
Canis lupus maximus
Boudadi-Maligne, 2012
, described at Jaurens (OIS3; Boudadi-Maligne 2012). Postcranial remains are also referable to
C. lupus
. In particular, the morphological features of the fragmentary left tibia G11.B.109 are diagnostic of
Canis
, as defined by Pionnier-
Capitan
et al.
(2011)
: the border of the medial malleolus is salient and prominent, whereas the distal border of the cranial side is straight and regular; moreover, the proximo caudal tuberosity of the ulnar olecranon E11.B.112 is more prominent in
Canis
as observed by Pionnier-Capitan
et al.
(2011). To sum up, the large canid from Fouvent is unambiguously referable to
Canis
(morphological features) and more precisely to
Canis lupus
(dimensions).