Untermassfeld
Basic information
Sample name: Untermassfeld

Reference: R. D. Kahlke and S. Gaudzinski. 2005. The blessing of a great flood: differentiation of mortality patterns in the large mammal record of the Lower Pleistocene fluvial site of Untermassfeld (Germany) and its relevance for the interpretation of faunal assemblages from archaeological sites. Journal of Archaeological Science 32:1202-1222 [ER 3885]
Geography
Country: Germany

State: Thuringia

Coordinate: 50.543209° N, 10.4146° E
Latlng basis: estimated from map

Time interval: Early Pleistocene

Ma: 1.07

Age basis: paleomag

Geography comments: "Geomagnetic, palaeomagnetic and biostratigraphic evidence indicates an absolute age of approximately 1.07 Ma B.P. for the site (OIS 31), immediately above the onset of the Jaramillo polarity subzone)"
Located on the eastern bank of the Werra River 2 km south of Meiningen

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Environment
Lithology: sandstone

Taphonomic context: fluvial deposit, overbank deposit

Habitat comments: "The invertebrate and vertebrate faunal material from the site was embedded in fluviatile sands deposited on the right (eastern) bank of the Werra River. The fossil-bearing sands are divided into an upper and a lower unit."
"The 2.5-8.0 m thick Lower Fluviatile Sands represent layers deposited by high-flood events which were subsequently cut by an erosion channel which was then filled by Upper Fluviatile Sands with a thickness of up to 4.0 m"
Faunal remains were deposited in the area of the excavated site during separate flooding events of differing energy levels
"It has been calculated that the fossil vertebrate remains originate from a potentially flooded area of approximately 94 km2"

Methods
Life forms: carnivores, primates, rodents, ungulates

Sampling methods: quarry

Sample size: 4204 specimens

Years: 1979-1995

Net or trap nights: 0

Basal area status: not applicable

Sampling comments: NISP recorded for "larger sized mammals"
"The vertebrate fossils were uncovered from the uppermost part of the Lower Fluviatile Sands and the lower part of the Upper Fluviatile Sands (channel infill)"
Destruction via fluvial transport and carnivore activity, as well as possible upstream filtering, may factor into reduced number of small species (<10kg)

Metadata
Sample no: 4264

Contributor no: Jack Nesbitt

Enterer: Jack Nesbitt

Modifier no: John Alroy

Created: 2023-05-12 13:56:42

Modified: 2024-11-15 11:31:53

Abundance distribution
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts. Values are logged.
Statistics
25 species
0 singleton
total count 4204
geometric series index: 28.1
Fisher's α: 3.529
geometric series k: 0.7704
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.8413
Shannon's H: 2.1383
Good's u: 1
Register
Macaca sylvanus (Barbary macaque)7
Hystrix sp. 2
†Trogontherium cuvieri 2
Castor fiber 7
†Canis mosbachensis (wolf)32843.0 kg
"Canis lupus mosbachensis"
†Canis (Xenocyon) lycanoides 11
†Ursus cf. dolinensis (bear)103
Meles hollitzeri 4
†Pachycrocuta brevirostris (hyena)101
†Homotherium latidens (saber-toothed cat)13
"H. crenatidens": see Anton et al. (2014)
†Megantereon cultridens (saber-toothed cat)4
"Megantereon cultridens adroveri"
†Lynx issiodorensis (lynx)3
†Puma pardoides 9
†Acinonyx pardinensis pleistocaenicus (giant cheetah)39
†Panthera gombaszoegensis (Eurasian jaguar)25
"Panthera onca gombaszoegensis
Mammuthus sp. 29
†Equus wuesti (horse)167
†Stephanorhinus etruscus (rhinoceros)651
Sus scrofa priscus (pig)19
†Hippopotamus antiquus (hippopotamus)320
"Hippopotamus amphibius antiquus"
†Eucladoceros giulii (deer)954
Cervus nestii = †Pseudodama nestii 331
Cervus sensu lato
†Cervalces carnutorum 17
"Alces carnutorum"
Capreolus cusanoides 10
Bison menneri 1048