Large mammals from the Upper Pleistocene at Tamaris I ‘Grotte des gazelles’ (Casablanca, Morocco): paleoecological and biochronological implications
2010; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 22; Issue: 1-3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/08912960903570468
ISSN1029-2381
AutoresBouchra Bougariane, Samir Zouhri, Brahim Ouchaou, Aïcha Oujaa, Larbi Boudad,
Tópico(s)Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
ResumoAbstract Gazelle Cave at Tamaris I in the region of Casablanca was discovered as a result of construction work. The cave is a dissolution pocket in marine calcarenite and contains an Upper Pleistocene deposit. Paleontological examination of the large mammal remains of this deposit revealed the presence of 15 species dominated by herbivores. There are also some human remains along with lithic artefacts and a rich collection of non-mammalian vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles and birds), as well as micromammals (Chiroptera, insectivores, lagomorphes and rodents). As yet only the large mammal remains have been studied in detail. The mammalian fauna indicates a semi-arid savannah-type environment. Because the sediments were deposited by natural rather than anthropogenic processes, the taxa in the cave are representative of the faunal spectrum in the region during the time of deposition. Keywords: Tamaris I ‘Grotte des gazelles’large mammalsUpper PleistoceneMorocco Acknowledgements This work was completed as part of a Master 2 Program at the Casablanca Faculty of Sciences Ain Chock, University Hassan II. The authors thank Mr P. Michel (University of Bordeaux I, France) for his kind assistance in the study of the material, and Mr F. Malek (LARATES Laboratory, Morocco) for radiocarbon dating. The authors gratefully acknowledge two reviewers, D. Geraads and E. Gheerbrant, for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the paper. They also thank Miss F. Saleh, Mr N. Ibrahim (University College Dublin) and Mr U. Schurmans (Penn Museum, University of Pennsylvania, USA) for their help with the translation.
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