Gruta da Aroeira (Layer Xc)
Basic information
Sample name: Gruta da Aroeira (Layer Xc)
Reference: J. M. Lopez-García, H. A. Blain, M. Sanz, J. Daura, and J. Zilhao. 2018. Refining the environmental and climatic background of the Middle Pleistocene human cranium from Gruta da Aroeira (Torres Novas, Portugal). Quaternary Science Reviews 200:367-375 [ER 3909]
Geography
Country: Portugal
State: Santarém District
Coordinate: 39.505554° N, -8.615833° W
Coordinate basis: stated in text
Formation: Almonda karst system
Time interval: Middle Pleistocene
Zone: MIS 11c
Section: Xc
Unit number: 2
Unit order: above to below
Max Ma: 0.436
Min Ma: 0.39
Age basis: U/Th
Geography comments: The Gruta da Aroeira site is a part of the Almonda karst system in central Portugal
The karst system consisted of passage excavated across different elevations intersecting a 70 m-high escarpment above the spring of the River Almonda
It has been previously dated to 0.436 - 0.390 Ma based on U/Th dating
The karst system consisted of passage excavated across different elevations intersecting a 70 m-high escarpment above the spring of the River Almonda
It has been previously dated to 0.436 - 0.390 Ma based on U/Th dating
Environment
Lithology: breccia
Taphonomic context: cave
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: Aroeira Xc is part of Unit 2, a 2.2 m-thick "mud-supported breccia rich in angular and subangular clasts"
It is stated that "the necessary treatment of the sediment with acetic acid precluded a taphonomic study of these remains"
A human cranium (Aroeira-3) was recovered in association with the small vertebrate assemblage within Unit 2
The small vertebrate assemblage was used to determine a palaeoenvironment of open woodland and mild climatic conditions
It is stated that "the necessary treatment of the sediment with acetic acid precluded a taphonomic study of these remains"
A human cranium (Aroeira-3) was recovered in association with the small vertebrate assemblage within Unit 2
The small vertebrate assemblage was used to determine a palaeoenvironment of open woodland and mild climatic conditions
Methods
Life forms: bats,rodents,other small mammals,lizards,snakes,frogs,salamanders
Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash
Sample size: 350 specimens
Years: 2013
Sampling comments: Five brecciated samples were treated with ~20 kg of sediment being wet-sieved using a 0.5 mm mesh screen
362 identified remains were recovered from Layer Xc consisting of 17 taxa
Counts excluded:
Ophidia indet. - 5
Anura indet. - 1
Life forms with no counts:
Dama sp.
Cervus sp.
Equidae indet.
362 identified remains were recovered from Layer Xc consisting of 17 taxa
Counts excluded:
Ophidia indet. - 5
Anura indet. - 1
Life forms with no counts:
Dama sp.
Cervus sp.
Equidae indet.
Metadata
Sample number: 4298
Contributor: Jack Nesbitt
Enterer: Jack Nesbitt
Created: 2023-06-13 13:52:02
Modified: 2023-09-11 10:54:42
Abundance distribution
16 species
2 singletons
total count 350
geometric series index: 24.1
Fisher's α: 3.458
geometric series k: 0.7214
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7805
Shannon's H: 1.8653
Good's u: 0.9944
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Sorex sp. | 12 | |
| Crocidura sp. | 48 | |
| Rhinolophus ferrumequinum | 2 | 20.0 g insectivore |
| Myotis myotis | 12 | 25.7 g |
| Miniopterus schreibersii | 2 | 12.4 g insectivore |
| questionably assigned | ||
| Iberomys brecciensis | 61 | |
| Pliomys episcopalis | 4 | |
| Apodemus cf. flavicollis | 134 | |
| "Apodemus cf. A. flavicollis" | ||
| Allocricetus bursae | 47 | |
| Eliomys quercinus | 17 | |
| Salamandridae indet. | 1 | |
| Pelodytes sp. | 2 | |
| Bufo spinosus | 2 | |
| Lacertidae indet. | 2 | |
| Coronella girondica | 1 | |
| questionably assigned | ||
| Natrix cf. maura | 3 | |