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Published on: March 13, 2011
Small mammals from Sima de los Huesos
G Cuenca-Bescós1, C Laplana Conesa, J I Canudo
1Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
Journal of Human Evolution
|August 1, 1997
Summary
Rodent fossils from Sima de los Huesos indicate a Middle Pleistocene (Saalian) age for the human-bearing Clays. This discovery aids in understanding the site
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Quaternary Geology
- Human Evolution
Background:
- Sima de los Huesos is a renowned paleontological site containing significant human fossils.
- The precise stratigraphic dating of the human-bearing layers has been a subject of ongoing research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the stratigraphic position and age of the Sima de los Huesos fossiliferous deposits.
- To utilize rodent assemblages for paleoclimatic and chronological interpretations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a small collection of rodent fossils recovered from the Sima de los Huesos.
- Identification of rodent species including Allocricetus bursae, Pliomys lenki relictus, Apodemus sylvaticus, and Eliomys quercinus.
- Assessment of fossil size and taxonomic presence for age estimation.
Main Results:
- The identified rodent fauna, including Allocricetus bursae and Pliomys lenki relictus, suggests a Middle Pleistocene (Saalian) age.
- Fossil sizes of Allocricetus bursae, Apodemus sylvaticus, and Eliomys quercinus further support this chronological assignment.
Conclusions:
- The rodent assemblage provides key evidence for dating the Clays layer at Sima de los Huesos to the Middle Pleistocene (Saalian).
- This dating clarifies the stratigraphic context of the human remains found at the locality.
