Search

Abstract Snails preyed upon by the Grenada Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus) were collected from two nesting sites in different regions and habitats on Grenada, with the aim of better understanding the diet of this endemic and endangered subspecies. Apart from the large snail Megalobulimus oblongus, which was present in the environment but not consumed by the kites, all five species previously reported in the literature (Bulimulus wiebesi, Plekocheilus glaber, Drymaeus binominis, Orthalicus zebra, and Pleurodonte perplexa) were documented as prey. Land snail species occur in variable numbers according to habitat type and localized environmental conditions, illustrating the kite’s ability to exploit distinct areas of the island. Land snails consumed by the kite included both arboreal and ground-dwelling species, representing all the medium-sized (20–40 mm) species occurring on Grenada. Variation in snail species proportions were evident when comparing assemblages collected beneath nests to those scattered in the immediate vicinity of nests, suggesting seasonal factors or species selection for feeding young may influence the kite’s food habits. Keywords Chondrohierax uncinatus, diet, Grenada, Hook-billed Kite, snail consumption Resumen Variabilidad de la dieta de Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus • Se recolectaron caracoles depredados por Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus en dos sitios de nidificación ubicados en diferentes regiones y hábitats de Granada, con el objetivo de comprender mejor la dieta de esta subespecie endémica y en peligro de extinción. A excepción del caracol de gran tamaño Megalobulimus oblongus, que estaba presente en el entorno pero que no fue consumido por los gavilanes, se confirmaron como presas las cinco especies anteriormente citadas en la literatura (Bulimulus wiebesi, Plekocheilus glaber, Drymaeus binominis, Orthalicus zebra y Pleurodonte perplexa). Las especies de caracoles terrestres se encuentran en números variables según el tipo de hábitat y las condiciones ambientales locales, lo que ilustra la capacidad de esta rapaz para explotar distintas áreas de la isla. Los moluscos terrestres consumidos por esta aves incluyen especies tanto arborícolas como terrestres, que representan todos los taxones de tamaño mediano (20–40 mm) que se encuentran en Granada. La variación en las proporciones de las especies de caracoles fue evidente al comparar los grupos recolectados bajo los nidos con los dispersos en sus inmediaciones, lo que sugiere que factores estacionales o la selección de especies para alimentar a las crías pueden influir en los hábitos alimentarios del gavilán. Palabras clave Chondrohierax uncinatus, consumo de caracoles, dieta, Granada Résumé Variabilité du régime alimentaire du Milan bec-en-croc de Grenade (Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus) • Les escargots consommés par le Milan bec-en-croc de Grenade (Chondrohierax uncinatus mirus) ont été collectés sur deux sites de nidification situés dans des environnements distincts de façon à mieux documenter le régime alimentaire de ce rapace endémique et menacé. En dehors du très gros Megalobulimus oblongus, présent dans l’environnement mais non consommé par le milan, les cinq espèces précédemment rapportées dans la littérature ont été retrouvées (Bulimulus wiebesi, Plekocheilus glaber, Drymaeus binominis, Orthalicus zebra, Pleurodonte perplexa). Les espèces d’escargots terrestres sont présentes en nombre variable selon le type d’habitat et les conditions environnementales locales, illustrant la capacité du milan à exploiter des zones distinctes de l’île. Les mollusques terrestres dont se nourrit le milan comprennent des espèces arboricoles ou vivant au sol, représentant tous les taxons de l’île dont la longueur de coquille est comprise entre 20 et 40 mm. Des variations dans les proportions des espèces d’escargots étaient évidentes en comparant les assemblages collectés sous les nids à ceux présents dans leur voisinage immédiat, ce qui suggère que des facteurs saisonniers ou la sélection des espèces pour l’alimentation des jeunes peuvent influencer les habitudes alimentaires du milan. Mots clés Chondrohierax uncinatus, consommation d’escargots, Grenade, Milan bec-en-croc, régime alimentaire

Abstract This paper describes a partial pedal phalanx of an extinct species of barn owl from Guadeloupe. The morphology and size of the bone fragment allow it to be referred to as a giant Tyto without further specification. In addition to the Tyto noeli specimens described from a Quaternary deposit on Barbuda, this remain represents the second occurrence of a giant barn owl in the Lesser Antilles, and is the first record from Guadeloupe. The specimen was recovered from a pre-Columbian midden dated to between the 11th and 16th centuries, indicating that this tytonid had persisted in the Lesser Antilles up to the European colonization of the Caribbean. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the giant owl went extinct along with, and potentially because of, the disappearance of the endemic, medium-sized rodents on which they preyed. Keywords extinction, giant barn owl, Late Quaternary, Lesser Antilles Resumen Evidencia de una lechuza gigante del Holoceno tardío (Aves: Strigiformes: Tytonidae) en Guadalupe • Este artículo describe una falange pedal parcial de una especie extinta de lechuza de Guadalupe. La morfología y el tamaño del fragmento óseo permiten referirse a un Tyto gigante sin más especificaciones. Además de los ejemplares de Tyto noeli descritos en un yacimiento cuaternario de Barbuda, este resto representa la segunda aparición de una lechuza gigante en las Antillas Menores, y la primera mención en Guadalupe. El espécimen se recuperó de un basurero precolombino fechado entre los siglos XI y XVI, lo que indica que esta lechuza persistió en las Antillas Menores hasta la colonización europea del Caribe. Esto concuerda con la hipótesis de que el búho gigante se extinguió junto con, y potencialmente como consecuencia de, la desaparición de las especies endémicas de los roedores de tamaño medio sobre los que depredaban. Palabras clave Cuaternario tardío, extinción, lechuza gigante, Minores Antillas Résumé Découverte d’une Effraie géante (Aves : Strigiformes : Tytonidae) à l’Holocène tardif en Guadeloupe • Cet article présente une phalange partielle de la patte d’une espèce éteinte de chouette découverte en Guadeloupe. La morphologie et les dimensions du fragment osseux permettent de l’attribuer à une Tyto géante sans plus de précision. En sus des spécimens de Tyto noeli décrits dans le dépôt quaternaire de Barbuda, ce vestige représente la deuxième occurrence d'une chouette effraie géante dans les Petites Antilles, et la première mention en Guadeloupe. Le spécimen a été recueilli dans un dépotoir précolombien daté entre le 11ème et le 16ème siècle, indiquant que ce Tytonidae a pu persister dans les Petites Antilles jusqu’à la colonisation européenne des Caraïbes. Cette hypothèse est cohérente avec celle selon laquelle les chouettes géantes se sont éteintes en même temps, et potentiellement en raison de la disparition des espèces endémiques de rongeurs de taille moyenne dont elles se nourrissaient. Mots clés Chouette effraie géante, extinction, Petites Antilles, Quartenaire récent

International audience; Recent excavations from late Pleistocene to Historical period sites on the islands of Guadeloupe and Saint Martin yielded bones of the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia). The osteological description of the remains combined with the location of fossil-bearing sites and historical accounts show this owl to have been present across the Guadeloupe islands in historical periods. This species has been identified in multiple archaeological sites, including those reported here, attesting to the near continuous distribution of this owl throughout the pre-Columbian period in the north of Lesser Antilles. Taken together, these results challenge the previous hypothesis of a relict distribution of the Burrowing Owl as a consequence of climatically induced modifications of the Caribbean environment since the last glaciation.; Les fouilles réalisées ces dernières années sur des sites du Pléistocène supérieur à l’époque historique, sur les îles de la Guadeloupe et de Saint-Martin, ont livré des ossements de Chouette des terriers (Athene cunicularia). La description ostéologique des vestiges fossiles conjuguée à la localisation des cavités et aux récits historiques, montre que cette chouette était présente dans les îles de la Guadeloupe à l’époque historique. La présence de cette espèce dans des sites archéologiques, dont les nouvelles mentions apportées par ce travail, témoigne d’une distribution quasi continue de ce taxon dans la partie nord des Petites Antilles à l’époque précolombienne. Ces résultats remettent en question l’hypothèse précédente d’une distribution relictuelle de cette espèce en conséquence des modifications climatiques du milieu caribéen au sortir de la dernière glaciation.

International audience; Columbid remains are commonly recovered from Caribbean archaeological and paleontological sites. Identifying specimens to species level is therefore likely to yield a wealth of information concerning species diversity and changes in their distribution over time. Here we examine the metrical data and 42 osteological characters of eight skeletal elements of 80 specimens belonging to 12 species from five genera that represent most of the indigenous taxa of the West Indies. Our new data provide a reliable means for identifying these birds in the Caribbean fossil and subfossil record.; La recuperación de restos de colúmbidos en yacimientos arqueológicos y paleontológicos del Caribe es habitual. En consecuencia, su identificación a nivel de especie puede generar una gran cantidad de información relativa a la diversidad de las especies y a los cambios en su distribución a lo largo del tiempo. Aquí, examinamos los datos métricos y 42 caracteres osteológicos de ocho elementos esqueléticos, de 80 especímenes, pertenecientes a 12 especies de cinco géneros distintos, la mayoría taxones nativos de las Antillas. Nuestros nuevos datos proporcionan un medio fiable para identificar estas aves en el registro fósil y subfósil en el Caribe.

Indigenous human populations in Guadeloupe coexisted with island reptile species extinguished by later European colonialists., Large-scale extinction is one of the defining challenges of our time, as human processes fundamentally and irreversibly reshape global ecosystems. While the extinction of large animals with popular appeal garners widespread public and research interest, the importance of smaller, less “charismatic” species to ecosystem health is increasingly recognized. Benefitting from systematically collected fossil and archaeological archives, we examined snake and lizard extinctions in the Guadeloupe Islands of the Caribbean. Study of 43,000 bone remains across six islands revealed a massive extinction of 50 to 70% of Guadeloupe’s snakes and lizards following European colonization. In contrast, earlier Indigenous populations coexisted with snakes and lizards for thousands of years without affecting their diversity. Study of archaeological remains provides insights into the causes of snake and lizard extinctions and shows that failure to consider fossil-derived data probably contributes to substantial underestimation of human impacts to global biodiversity.

Les planteurs introduisirent la petite mangouste indienne, Urva auropunctata (Hodgson, 1836), dans les « iles a sucre» des Antilles, entre 1870 et 1900, afin de lutter contre les rats, mais aussi contre les serpents venimeux dans les deux iles ou ceux-ci etaient presents. L'espece fait maintenant partie des ecosystemes et des agrosystemes d'un nombre important d'iles. L'histoire des introductions de mangoustes a Trinidad, a la Jamaique et dans les Antilles francaises, est revisitee ici a la lecture des documents disponibles et certaines dates d'introductions sont corrigees ou precisees. Apres avoir reclame son introduction, les societes coloniales antillaises ont tres tot denonce les consequences negatives de la presence de la mangouste et cherche des moyens de lutte efficaces. Si l'on considere le fonctionnement des ecosystemes insulaires et la biodiversite, force est de constater que la presence de ce predateur mammalien introduit a eu des consequences importantes sur les densites de nombreuses especes, ayant pu contribuer a l'extinction de certaines d'entre elles.

Evidence for chronological change in intra-site subsistence strategies is very rare in the Amerindian record of the Lesser Antilles. The study of the vertebrate assemblage from the archeological site of Roseau in the Guadeloupe Islands underlines the complexity and variability of Ceramic Age Amerindian subsistence behavior. This study establishes a more precise chronology of the previously identified strata of the site, and demonstrates that the Contact period was only represented by rare archeological artifacts dispersed in the stratigraphy. The results from this assemblage indicate that the earlier occupations of the site exhibit a more intensive exploitation of aquatic vertebrate resources compared to later occupations, which have a larger focus on terrestrial fauna, especially rodents and iguanas. This unusual pattern highlights how subsistence behaviors in the Lesser Antilles during the Late and Final Ceramic periods were highly variable. This new evidence of strong inter-site variability shows that the behaviors of Amerindians are not only dependent of large-scale environmental conditions but also influenced by more complex socio-cultural and local environmental parameters. Introduction The site of Roseau Materials and methods - 14C dating and calibration - Archeological material recovery - Ceramic analysis - Zooarchaeological analysis - Paleoproteomic analysis Results - Ceramic analysis - Revaluation of the stratigraphy and dating of the site - Zooarchaeological analysis -- Fish remains -- Reptile remains -- Bird remains -- Mammal remains -- Paleoproteomic analysis -- General zooarchaeological remarks Discussion - The Roseau zooarchaeological assemblage in the regional context - Evolution of fishing techniques - Evolution of vertebrate exploitation strategies Conclusion

International audience; Polygyra cereolus (Megerle von Mühlfeld, 1816) is a small air-breathing snail originating in Florida, which is considered as an invasive species and is reported from a wide area in the south of the United States to Mexico and in some in some Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, Spain and the Arabian peninsula. Here we report the observation of this species in Puerto Rico.

12 pages; International audience; The black rat (Rattus rattus) is one of the most widespread rodents on islands worldwide, introduced over the last five centuries. However, reliable information concerning how biotic or abiotic factors influence key parameters of black rat population biology in insular contexts is currently unavailable. Here we aim to document the relative abundance of rat populations and evaluate how the age structure and the body mass of adult individual vary seasonally in different forest environments under contrasting climatic conditions. Rats were captured during wet and dry seasons in 2017–2018 at one or two sites in each of the four natural forested environments of Guadeloupe, all of which experience widely different annual rainfall (semi-deciduous dry forest, seasonal evergreen forest, mountain rainforest and Pterocarpus officinalis swamp forest). A total of 171 black rats were captured during a 1018 trap-night effort. Overall capture results confirm this species to thrive in all the natural forested environments we investigated. With the exception of the P. officinalis swamp forest, black rat populations reach higher relative abundances during the wet season due to juvenile and sub-adult recruitment at the end of the dry season. In contrast, in the P. officinalis swamp forest, breeding activity continues during both seasons and relative rat abundance appears to fluctuate less seasonally. The relative abundance of adult black rats is also higher in the seasonal semi-evergreen and rainforests that experience little or no water stress. These contexts therefore appear the most favourable for sustaining black rat populations, a pattern that is most likely connected to a combination of climatic and/or edaphic parameters that condition the year-round availability and abundance of food resources.

International audience; The use by Amerindian populations of natural caves within the Lesser Antilles archipelago, mentioned by European chroniclers, is now archaeologically attested. However, the use of these rock-shelters as sepulchral spaces is not well documented, resulting in a lack of data on the mortuary practices of Pre-Columbian populations. The “Grotte des Bambous” site (Grande Terre, Guadeloupe) has yielded new evidence on the potential funerary use of rock cavities by Amerindian populations of the Lesser Antilles. The survey and the subsequent archaeological excavation, which was carried out in 2017, resulted in the discovery of human remains dating from the pre-Columbian period, with an attribution to a single individual who died during the perinatal period. Although the site had been extensively disturbed, the results of the archaeo-anthropological study support the hypothesis of a primary deposition, possibly to be identified as a burial. Moreover, these observations provide new insights into the sepulchral use of natural rock-shelters in the Lesser Antilles archipelago during the Final Ceramic period, and raise questions about specific characteristics of the funerary behaviour of native populations in connection with perinatal death.; La fréquentation des cavités naturelles de l’archipel des Petites Antilles par les populations amérindiennes, mentionnée par les chroniqueurs européens, est aujourd’hui un phénomène archéologiquement attesté. Les modalités de l’utilisation de ces abris rocheux en tant qu’espaces sépulcraux demeurent cependant peu documentées, avec pour conséquence un manque de données concernant les pratiques funéraires des populations précolombiennes. Dans ce contexte, le site de la grotte des Bambous (Grande Terre, Guadeloupe) offre un nouveau témoignage de l’usage potentiellement funéraire des cavités par les populations amérindiennes des Petites Antilles. Un sondage, puis une fouille archéologique ont livré des vestiges osseux humains datés de la période précolombienne et attribués à un unique sujet décédé au cours de la période périnatale. Bien que le site ait fait l’objet de remaniements de grande ampleur, les résultats de notre étude archéoanthropologique appuient l’hypothèse d’un dépôt primaire, et possiblement d’une sépulture. Ces observations permettent ainsi d’apporter de nouveaux éléments de réflexion concernant l’utilisation sépulcrale des abris rocheux naturels de l’archipel des Petites Antilles au Céramique final, et posent la question des spécificités du comportement funéraire des populations locales par rapport au décès périnatal.

Discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century, the Abri Casserole (Dordogne, France) was the subject of salvage excavations in the early nineties. The fieldwork revealed a sequence of 13 archaeological levels that document human occupations from the Gravettian to the Magdalenian, including very rare and poorly known assemblages (e.g. Early Badegoulian, Protosolutrean) that afford a particular importance to this sequence. Results of a previous dating program that focused on the Badegoulian levels were obtained in 1994 but were neither extensively published nor discussed. Five AMS14C ages obtained for the Gravettian and Solutrean assemblages in the early 2010s served to complement the site’s chronology. However, since the beta counting ages for the Badegoulian levels were in conflict with the accepted AMS chronology for the region’s late Pleniglacial archaeological record, a new AMS dating program was implemented to renew the radiometric framework of this specific portion of the sequence. Compared to the previous beta counting measurements, the seven newly obtained AMS ages are about 1000 years older (23.3–20.5 cal ka BP) and congruent with other AMS-dated Badegoulian sequences. These results thereby restore the inter-site chronological coherence of the Solutrean–Badegoulian and Badegoulian–Magdalenian transitions.

14 pages; International audience; The Lesser Antilles is a string of islands stretching from Grenada in the south to Sombrero in the north, which was once home to at least 20 insular populations of native rodents scattered across the different islands. Despite their relative ubiquity on the archipelago, these now extinct rodents remain poorly understood. In Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre), Marie-Galante, Barbuda and Antigua, fossil specimens of a large Lesser Antillean native rodent have recently been described as a distinct species, Antillomys rayi Brace et al. 2015. In order to shed new light on the processes leading to the extinction of this species, we use stable carbon and oxygen isotopes to better constrain its ecology, along with a series of radiocarbon dates to narrow its last-occurrence date in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante. First, we built a reference collection of present-day isotopic data based on carbon and oxygen isotopes from black rats captured in different natural environmental contexts of Guadeloupe. Here, we show A. rayi to have occupied multiple distinct environments ranging from semi-deciduous dry forest to seasonal evergreen or mountain forests. New direct radiocarbon dates obtained on fossil material considerably bring forward the last occurrence of A. rayi in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante, making it roughly coincident with European contact. However, our new calibrated age intervals place the last occurrence of A. rayi no later than the 16th century AD. Taken together, our results suggest that A. rayi became exceedingly rare, if not extirpated, in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante shortly after European contact. While the overexploitation of A. rayi by Amerindian populations and the deforestation by European colonists could have impacted A. rayi populations, the consequences (biological competition, disease) of the introduction of black rat most likely explains the early decline of A. rayi and its ultimate extirpation from the islands of Guadeloupe.

International audience; The Kebibat quarry locates on the coastal area of Rabat. It is also known as ‘’The Rabat Human deposit’’ due to the presence of human cranial bones in the quarry deposit. These remains of Hominines are related to the archaic Homo sapiens.The revision of the geological and geochronological context of Kebibat and its surroundings allowed clarifying the morpho-litho-stratigraphic aspects of the different formations that constitute it, as well as their evolution during the Middle-Upper Pleistocene. The sedimentary unit that fossilized the human remains corresponds to a dune deposit (eolianite), which is part of a high-resolution sedimentary sequence (parasequence). Luminescence and U-Th dating indicate that this sequence was deposited between the end of the marine isotopic stage 7 (MIS 7) until the end of MIS 6.; L’ancienne carrière Kébibat qui se situe sur le littoral de Rabat est surnommée le gisement de l’Homme de Rabat du fait des restes crâniens humains qu’elle a livrés. Ces restes d’homininés se rattachent à un Homo sapiens archaïque.La révision du contexte géologique et géochronologique de ce site et de ses environs permet de préciser l’aspect morpho-litho-stratigraphique des différentes formations qui le constituent, ainsi que leur évolution au cours du Pléistocène moyen et supérieur. Les restes humains sont fossilisés à l’intérieur d’une unité formée d’une calcarénite éolienne, elle-même située sur une séquence sédimentaire de haute résolution (paraséquence). La chronologie déduite des analyses de luminescence et de l’U-Th suggère que la séquence s’est mise en place à partir de la fin du stade isotopique marin 7 (SIM 7) jusqu’à la fin du SIM 6.

National audience; A shell of Laevaricella guadeloupensis (L. Pfeiffer, 1856) (Gastropoda, Oleacinidae) was found on Mahault Ridge, within the Guadeloupe National Park. This locality is the second where this endemic species to Basse-Terre has been identified since it was listed as extinct by IUCN in 1996.; Une coquille de Laevaricella guadeloupensis (L. Pfeiffer, 1856) (Gastropoda, Oleacinidae) a été découverte sur la crête Mahault, au sein du Parcnational de la Guadeloupe. Cette localité est la seconde où cette espèce, endémique de Basse-Terre, est identifiée depuis qu’elle a été listée comme éteinte par l’UICN en 1996.

Amphibulima patula (Bruguiere, 1789) is a rare native terrestrial mollusc from Guadeloupe. The past distribution of this species, assessed by shells collected from archaeological sites, natural deposits or surface surveys, shows it previously had a wider distribution that extended across all the limestone islands of the Guadeloupe archipelago. Stratigraphical contexts and radiocarbon data suggest that the presence or abundance of A. patula is related to periods of wetter environmental or climatic conditions, indicating that environmental factors influenced past variations in the distribution of this species. Its limitation to rare ecological refuges in periods of dry climatic conditions, combined with human-induced landscape modifications, have led to significant reductions in the numbers of individuals of this species that is today threatened with extinction in the Guadeloupe Islands. L’Ambrette capuchon, Amphibulima patula (Bruguiere, 1789), est un escargot indigene rare en Guadeloupe, connu en Grande Terre et, historiquement, a Marie-Galante. Les coquilles collectees en site archeologique, en site geologique ou lors de prospections malacologiques, temoignent d’une distribution de ce taxon plus etendue par le passe qu’a l’actuel, couvrant l’ensemble des iles calcaires de l’archipel guadeloupeen. Les donnees geologiques, stratigraphiques et chronologiques montrent que la presence et l’abondance d’A. patula se correlent a l’optimum humide de l’Holocene, ou a un contexte de plaine littorale humide pour les coquilles recueillies dans les depots du dernier interglaciaire, suggerant par la-meme que les facteurs environnementaux ont controle les variations passees de l’aire de distribution de cette espece. Une distribution limitee a de rares refuges ecologiques en periode seche, combinee a une degradation humaine des milieux, a conduit a une reduction significative de l’abondance de cet escargot aujourd’hui proche de la disparition en Guadeloupe.

In this paper we present a natural deposit in Marie-Galante island (French West Indies), Blanchard 2, where historical-period Audubon's shearwater remains dominate the vertebrate assemblage. We combined a study of sediment geometry, a taphonomic analysis of molluscs, crustaceans and vertebrate remains, and direct radiocarbon dating on bird bone to demonstrate that the cave was used as a nesting ground during the island's colonial period. This approach also allows the discussion of the causes leading to the desertion of the site by birds. Finally, we investigate hypotheses regarding the dynamics of Audubon's shearwater nesting during prehistoric and historical times and the impact of anthropogenic phenomenon on these birds.

Le gisement magdalenien de La Chaire-a-Calvin (Charente) est connu de longue date. Toutefois, apres 150 ans de recherche, les interpretations chrono-stratigraphiques, avancees par plusieurs generations de chercheurs, ne s’accordent pas entre elles, ni avec les deux datations radiocarbone disponibles. Dans ce contexte, un nouveau programme de mesures radiometriques du remplissage a abouti a trois nouvelles dates. La presente note expose ces resultats et en discute la validite au sein de la sequence du site.

In neotropical regions, fossil bat guano accumulated over time as laminated layers in caves, hence providing a high-resolution temporal record of terrestrial environmental changes. Additionally, cave settings have the property to preserve such organic sediments from processes triggered by winds (deflation, abrasion and sandblasting) and intense rainfall (leaching away). This study reports both stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of frugivorous bat guano deposited in a well-preserved stratigraphic succession of Blanchard Cave on Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe. These isotopic data are discussed with regard to climate changes and its specific impact on Eastern Caribbean vegetation during the Late Pleistocene from 40 to 10 ka cal. BP. Guano delta C-13 values are higher than modern ones, suggesting noticeable vegetation changes. This provides also evidence for overall drier environmental conditions during the Pleistocene compared to today. Meanwhile, within this generally drier climate, shifts between wetter and drier conditions can be observed. Large temporal amplitudes in both delta C-13 and delta N-15 variations reaching up to 5.9 parts per thousand and 16.8 parts per thousand), respectively, also indicate these oceanic tropical environments have been highly sensitive to regional or global climatic forcing. Stable isotope compositions of bat guano deposited from 40 to 35 ka BP, the Last Glacial Maximum and the Younger-Dryas reveal relatively wet environmental conditions whereas, at least from the end of the Heinrich event 1 and the Bolling period the region experienced drier environmental conditions. Nevertheless, when considering uncertainties in the model age, the isotopic record of Blanchard Cave show relatively similar variations with known proxy records from the northern South America and Central America, suggesting thus that the Blanchard Cave record is a robust proxy of past ITCZ migration. Teleconnections through global atmospheric pattern suggest that islands of the eastern Caribbean Basin could be also under the influence of a bipolar temperature gradients that impact the mean location of the ITCZ, with a Southern Hemisphere imprint during the glacial period and a more significant role of Northern Hemisphere during the last deglaciation.

Cet article fait le bilan des travaux geoarcheologiques menes dans le site d’Isturitz au cours des annees 1996-1997 et 2000-2005. L’etude du contexte geomorphologique et des differents affleurements localises autour et a l’interieur du massif karstique a permis de retracer les principales phases evolutives du reseau. Celui-ci comprend trois niveaux etages qui sont relies a des etapes de creusement de la vallee de l’Arberoue. Une attention particuliere a ete portee au niveau superieur dans lequel ont ete menees les fouilles. Dans cette partie du reseau, la sedimentation evolue globalement d’un pole domine par des ecoulements de haute energie (riviere a ecoulement torrentiel, puis ruisseau souterrain), vers un pole domine par le ruissellement puis par l’eboulisation. Dans la partie sommitale de l’accumulation, au sein des eboulis, a ete detecte un hiatus sedimentaire, contemporain d’une phase tres froide du SIO 2. Au cours de cet episode, s’est developpe un cryosol qui s’est notamment traduit par d’importantes deformations des niveaux anterieurs. La sequence se termine par la mise en place d’un plancher stalagmitique au cours de l’Holocene. Les niveaux proto-aurignaciens et aurignaciens qui ont fait l’objet des fouilles sont associes aux depots de ruissellement et aux eboulis de la partie superieure du remplissage. Une etude taphonomique specifique a porte sur ces nappes de vestiges. Elle a montre 1) que le gel n’a eu qu’une incidence mineure sur la preservation des niveaux en comparaison du role joue par le ruissellement, 2) que le materiel archeologique recueilli dans l’unite II resulte de phenomenes de remaniement et 3) que les niveaux identifies dans l’unite III correspondent alternativement soit a des lots de pieces deplacees, soit a des ensembles archeologiques supportant l’hypothese d’une bonne preservation. Les implications de cette etude sont discutees et l’on souligne la necessite de rechercher les remontages d’interet stratigraphique pour valider l’interpretation archeostratigraphique de la sequence.

This paper reports on geoarchaeological work conducted at the site of Isturitz during the 1996-1997 and the 2000-2005 excavations. The study of geomorphological context and sedimentary deposits both outside and inside the karstic block permit the main evolutionary phases to be described.The karstic system comprises three stepped levels, which are linked to downcutting stages of the Arberoue valley. Special attention has been paid to the upper level of the karstic system, i.e. the Saint-Martin-Isturitz level, in which excavations were conducted. Here, sedimentation was initially associated with high-energy flows (torrentially-flowing river followed by an intermittently active underground stream), and later by runoff and rockfall processes. In the upper part of the karstic filling, a sedimentary hiatus, contemporaneous with a very cold phase of OIS 2, has been identified in the rockfall deposits. This climatic episode is characterized by a cryosol that has notably deformed former sedimentary levels. The sequence ends with a flowstone that accumulated during the Holocene.The Proto-Aurignacian and Aurignacian levels are buried in runoff and rockfall deposits of the upper part of the fill. They were the focus of a detailed taphonomic study, which demonstrated that 1) freezing has had only minor effects on preservation of these levels compared to the role played by runoff, 2) the presence of artefacts in unit II is the result of reworking processes and, 3) archaeological levels identified in unit III represent either sets of reworked pieces or intact artefact assemblages admitting the assumption of a good preservation. Implications of this study are discussed and it is suggested that refitting analyses should be performed to confirm the site’s proposed archaeostratigraphic sequence.

Les formations quaternaires de la région côtière atlantique de Témara (SO de Rabat, Maroc) forment de longs cordons littoraux allongés, subparallèles au trait de côte. Plusieurs études anciennes ont abordé leur constitution et leur âge, mais leurs conclusions restent contradictoires. Cette étude porte sur l’analyse morpho-litho-stratigraphique du cordon littoral consolidé le plus récent. Il en ressort une structure commune à l’ensemble du cordon, où dominent des calcarénites éoliennes au sein desquelles s’intercale un dépôt supratidal. Les observations stratigraphiques sont complétées par des datations OSL montrant que la totalité des unités constituant ce cordon s’est mise en place au cours du sous-stade isotopique 5c. The Atlantic coastline in the Temara area (SW of Rabat, Morocco) is composed of Quaternary formations that form elongated costal ridges running subparallel to the present shoreline. Several early studies considered its constitution and age, but they led to contradictory conclusions. This study focuses on the morpho-litho-stratigraphic analysis of the last consolidated ridge. The results show a common structure for the ridge with a dominance of coastal aeolianites, in which a supratidal deposit occurs. Stratigraphic observations are completed by OSL dates showing that all the units constituing the ridge were formed in the 5c isotopic sub-stage.

International audience

International audience; Fossil bird remains have been found in about twenty archaeological or paleontological sites excavated since the 1960s, in Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre, La Désirade and Marie-Galante. These studies provide important data on the evolution of the bird population on the islands of Guadeloupe during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. The main objectives of our research are the identification of species present in the past and the determination of their first and last occurrence date, as well as the delimitation of the prehistoric and historical ranges of these taxa. Several extirpated or extinct species, from 11 families, appear in the fossil record at different periods. On the island of Marie-Galante, where most of the remains were uncovered, nearly 30% of the identified bird taxa are now extirpated from the island. The case studies presented in this paper support the hypothesis that human impacts are the main cause of changes in the bird populations on the islands.; Restos fósiles de aves han sido descubiertos en una veintena de excavaciones en sitios arqueológicos o paleontológicos, desde los años 1960, en Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre, en la Deseada y en Marigalante. Su estudio aporta datos importantes sobre la evolución de las poblaciones de aves de las islas de Guadalupe, durante el Pleistoceno Superior y el Holoceno. Los principales objetivos de nuestra investigación son la identificación de las especies presentes en el pasado y la determinación de su fecha de primera y última presencia, así como la delimitación del área de distribución prehistórica e histórica de estos taxones. Varias especies desaparecidas o extintas, de 11 familias, aparecen en el registro fósil en diferentes períodos. En la isla de Marigalante, donde se descubrieron la mayoría de los restos, casi el 30% de los taxones de aves identificados están hoy desaparecidos. Los casos de estudio que presentamos en esta publicación apoyan la hipótesis según la cual el impacto humano es la principal causa de los cambios en las poblaciones de aves en las islas.; Des restes fossiles d’oiseaux ont été découverts dans une vingtaine de sites archéologiques ou paléontologiques fouillés depuis les années 1960, en Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre, à la Désirade et à Marie-Galante. Leur étude apporte des données importantes sur l’évolution du peuplement aviaire des îles de Guadeloupe au cours du Pléistocène supérieur et de l’Holocène. Les principaux objectifs de notre recherche sont l’identification des espèces présentes dans le passé et la détermination de leur date de première et de dernière occurrence, ainsi que la délimitation de l’aire de répartition préhistorique et historique de ces taxons. Plusieurs espèces disparues ou éteintes de 11 familles apparaissent dans le registre fossile, à des périodes différentes. Sur l’île de Marie-Galante, qui a livré le plus de vestiges, près de 30% des taxons aviaires identifiés ont aujourd’hui disparu de l’île. Les cas d’études que nous présentons dans cette communication permettent de privilégier l’hypothèse selon laquelle l’impact humain est le principal facteur de la modification du peuplement aviaire des îles.

Laugerie-Haute is one of the key sequences of the European Upper Paleolithic. However, the absolute chronologyof the sequence is not well-established, and recently the integrity of the layers has been called into question. Inthis paper, we present new radiocarbon dating results for the entire sedimentary sequence at Laugerie-HauteOuest, which contains important “Aurignacian V” and Solutrean assemblages. Our results show that the entireLaugerie-Haute Ouest sequence was deposited in a period of 8500–0,000 years, dating between 28 and19 cal. kBP.

Des depots holocenes de nature evenementielle ont ete identifies sur le secteur littoral des environs de Rabat-Skhirat (NO du Maroc). A El Harhoura, le massif de calcarenites pleistocenes porte une formation dunaire meuble de 2 m d’epaisseur. Cette formation couvre un depot limono-argileux residuel et elle est constituee par une succession de depots sableux massifs superposes ou emboites pouvant contenir des megablocs. Ces unites attestent de depots evenementiels holocenes, de type tempete ou tsunami. L’âge de cette formation, obtenu par methode 14C, se situe entre 9 680 et 2 200 cal. BP. A Skhirat, la morphologie du cordon littoral recent, les structures sedimentaires et la texture indiquent une dynamique de tempetes. La datation par methode 14C de ce cordon situe son edification entre 8 000 et 4 000 cal. BP. Vers la plage, un epandage de sable peu consolide, de type gres de plage, contient egalement des amas de moules et de galets de differentes tailles, ainsi que des megablocs a mise en place polyphasee. Ces elements signent egalement des depots de haute energie.

International audience; This study presents new information on the diet of Tyto insularis in Dominica, Lesser Antilles. The study of 57 pellets and bulk material collected in 1999 (23) and 2000 (34) contained 517 prey items of relatively high diversity. These included squamates (2 species), rodents (2 species), bats (7 species), birds (17 identified taxa and several unidentified Passeriformes) and insects. Although our inferences stem a few owls, results suggested that the diet of T. insularis in Dominica is similar to the diet of T. glaucops in Hispaniola.

International audience; Stable isotope compositions of fossil bat guano have recently been developed as a proxy for reconstructing terrestrial paleoenvironments. However, our understanding of exactly how accurately these isotope compositions reflect seasonal variations remains limited. Here, we present a study of modern guano of phytophagous bats collected monthly over a one-year period at two roosting sites in Guadeloupe. The aim is to assess the degree to which seasonal climate and environmental variations are reflected in carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions from bat guano, as well as to evaluate the potential use of guano from phytophagous bats as a paleoenvironmental record. Our results show that stable isotope compositions vary locally, suggesting that guano of phytophagous bats accurately records local environmental conditions. Additionally, stable isotope compositions reflect seasonal variations influencing bat diet that lead to modifications of up to 2‰ of the carbon isotope compositions from feces. However, these variations are not correlated solely with climate variables as there is no straightforward relationship between climate, vegetation and bat diet over a one-year period. Moreover, these seasonal variations drive one of the bat colonies to occasionally consume insects, which can be traced as a seasonal shift in %N (up to 4.5%) and carbon isotope compositions (up to 5.6‰). Seasonal changes in isotope compositions are still lower than expected variations from fossil feces, confirming the potential use of feces from phytophagous bats as a reliable paleoenvironmental proxy.

Squamate remains from fossil-bearing deposits are difficult to identify on the basis of their morphology, because their modern relatives lack osteological description. In addition, intraspecific morphological variability of modern taxa is mostly understudied, making taxonomic identification of subfossil bones even more difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate osteological differences between two sympatric gecko species, Thecadactylus rapicauda and Hemidactylus mabouia, both currently occurring in the Lesser Antilles and in the subfossil assemblages of the region. Comparison of several modern museum specimens reveals the intraspecific osteological variability of these lizards and how difficult it is to distinguish between their bones, even though they are from two distant families. This study presents nine osteological characters, allowing for a fully reliable distinction of these two gecko species. These characters are applied to the specific identification of gecko species subfossil r...

Amphibulima patula (Bruguière, 1789) is a rare native terrestrial mollusc from Guadeloupe. The past distribution of this species, assessed by shells collected from archaeological sites, natural deposits or surface surveys, shows it previously had a wider distribution that extended across all the limestone islands of the Guadeloupe archipelago. Stratigraphical contexts and radiocarbon data suggest that the presence or abundance of A. patula is related to periods of wetter environmental or climatic conditions, indica-ting that environmental factors influenced past variations in the distribution of this species. Its limitation to rare ecological refuges in periods of dry climatic conditions, combined with human-induced landscape modifications, have led to significant reductions in the numbers of individuals of this species that is today threatened with extinction in the Guadeloupe Islands., L’Ambrette capuchon, Amphibulima patula (Bruguière, 1789), est un escargot indigène rare en Guadeloupe, connu en Grande Terre et, historiquement, à Marie-Galante. Les coquilles collectées en site archéologique, en site géologique ou lors de prospections malacologiques, témoignent d’une distribution de ce taxon plus étendue par le passé qu’à l’actuel, couvrant l’ensemble des îles calcaires de l’archipel guadeloupéen. Les données géologiques, stratigraphiques et chronologiques montrent que la présence et l’abondance d’A. patula se corrèlent à l’optimum humide de l’Holocène, ou à un contexte de plaine littorale humide pour les coquilles recueillies dans les dépôts du dernier interglaciaire, suggérant par là-même que les facteurs environnementaux ont contrôlé les variations passées de l’aire de distribution de cette espèce. Une distribution limitée à de rares refuges écologiques en période sèche, combinée à une dégradation humaine des milieux, a conduit à une réduction significative de l’abondance de cet escargot aujourd’hui proche de la disparition en Guadeloupe.

International audience; Human evolutionary scholars have long supposed that the earliest stone tools were made by the genus Homo and that this technological development was directly linked to climate change and the spread of savannah grasslands. New fieldwork in West Turkana, Kenya, has identified evidence of much earlier hominin technological behaviour. We report the discovery of Lomekwi 3, a 3.3-million-year-old archaeological site where in situ stone artefacts occur in spatiotemporal association with Pliocene hominin fossils in a wooded palaeoenvironment. The Lomekwi 3 knappers, with a developing understanding of stone’s fracture properties, combined core reduction with battering activities. Given the implications of the Lomekwi 3 assemblage for models aiming to converge environmental change, hominin evolution and technological origins, we propose for it the name ‘Lomekwian’, which predates the Oldowan by 700,000 years and marks a new beginning to the known archaeological record.

International audience; The pelvis of the Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) displays strong sexual dimorphism. Here, we describe osteological criteria for determining the sex of this bat species. These criteria are applied to fossil deposits from the Blanchard Cave on the island of Marie-Galante (French West Indies), which contains abundant bat remains. This cave is currently occupied seasonally by a colony of Antillean fruit-eating bats as a nursery roost. Sex-ratios established for individuals from different fossil layers demonstrate the site to have been home to a nursery roost as early as 27,000 years ago, and probably going back as far as at least 40,000 years. These nursery roots are shown to alternate with periods where faunal assemblages were accumulated by owls.

International audience; The lithological and sequential analysis of the deposits constituting the second coastal ridge of the Rabat-Témara shows that the second coastal ridge is polycyclic and composed of three superimposed or nested regressive sequences. A detailed discussion of the age of these sequences and their relation to eustatic variations is based on radiometric dating on this second ridge as well as on the first ridge and on the prehistoric caves infilling. The identified sequences reflect a progradation of a coastal prism, with evolution of deposits from a marine context towards a continental context. The first sequence is formed during the isotopic stages MIS9 to MIS11. The second sequence is deposited during the isotopic stage MIS7 and the edification of its summit could continue during the MIS6. The third and final sequence is formed during the MIS5.; L’analyse lithologique et séquentielle des dépôts constituant le deuxième cordon littoral de la région de Rabat-Témara montre que ce cordon est polycyclique, composé de trois séquences régressives superposées ou emboîtées. Une discussion détaillée de l’âge de ces séquences et de la relation de leur mise en place vis-àvis des variations eustatiques est menée en se basant sur les datations radiométriques effectuées sur ce cordon, sur le premier cordon et sur le remplissage des grottes préhistoriques. Les séquences identifiées traduisent une progradation d’un prisme littoral, avec évolution de dépôt d’un milieu marin vers un milieu continental. La première séquence (séquence 1) se forme au cours des stades isotopiques marins (MIS) 9 à 11. La deuxième séquence (séquence 2) est déposée pendant le MIS 7 et l’édification de son sommet pourrait se poursuivre lors du MIS 6. La troisième et dernière séquence (séquence 3) se forme durant le MIS 5.

This paper reports on geoarchaeological work conducted at the site of Isturitz during the 1996-1997 and the 2000-2005 excavations. The study of geomorphological context and sedimentary deposits both outside and inside the karstic block permit the main evolutionary phases to be described.The karstic system is comprised of three stepped levels, which are linked to downcutting stages of the Arberoue valley. Special attention has been paid to the upper level of the karstic system, i.e. the Saint-Martin-Isturitz level, in which excavations were conducted. Here, sedimentation was initially associated with high-energy flows (torrentiallyflowing river followed by an intermittently active underground stream), and later by runoff and rockfall processes. In the upper part of the karstic filling, a sedimentary hiatus, contemporaneous with a very cold phase of OIS 2, has been identified in the rockfall deposits. This climatic episode is characterized by a cryosol that has notably deformed former sedimentary levels. The sequence ends with a flowstone that accumulated during the Holocene.The Proto-Aurignacian and Aurignacian levels are buried in runoff and rockfall deposits of the upper part of the fill. They were the focus of a detailed taphonomic study, which demonstrated that 1) freezing has had only minor effects on preservation of these levels compared to the role played by runoff, 2) the presence of artefacts in unit II is the result of reworking processes and, 3) archaeological levels identified in unit III represent either sets of reworked pieces or intact artefact assemblages admitting the assumption of a good preservation. Implications of this study are discussed and it is suggested that refitting analyses should be performed to confirm the site’s proposed archaeostratigraphic sequence., Cet article fait le bilan des travaux géoarchéologiques menés dans le site d’Isturitz au cours des années 1996-1997 et 2000-2005. L’étude du contexte géomorphologique et des différents affleurements localisés autour et à l’intérieur du massif karstique a permis de retracer les principales phases évolutives du réseau. Celui-ci comprend trois niveaux étagés qui sont reliés à des étapes de creusement de la vallée de l’Arberoue. Une attention particulière a été portée au niveau supérieur dans lequel ont été menées les fouilles. Dans cette partie du réseau, la sédimentation évolue globalement d’un pôle dominé par des écoulements de haute énergie (rivière à écoulement torrentiel, puis ruisseau souterrain), vers un pôle dominé par le ruissellement puis par l’éboulisation. Dans la partie sommitale de l’accumulation, au sein des éboulis, a été détecté un hiatus sédimentaire, contemporain d’une phase très froide du SIO 2. Au cours de cet épisode, s’est développé un cryosol qui s’est notamment traduit par d’importantes déformations des niveaux antérieurs. La séquence se termine par la mise en place d’un plancher stalagmitique au cours de l’Holocène.Les niveaux proto-aurignaciens et aurignaciens qui ont fait l’objet des fouilles sont associés aux dépôts de ruissellement et aux éboulis de la partie supérieure du remplissage. Une étude taphonomique spécifique a porté sur ces nappes de vestiges. Elle a montré 1) que le gel n’a eu qu’une incidence mineure sur la préservation des niveaux en comparaison du rôle joué par le ruissellement, 2) que le matériel archéologique recueilli dans l’unité II résulte de phénomènes de remaniement et 3) que les niveaux identifiés dans l’unité III correspondent alternativement soit à des lots de pièces déplacées, soit à des ensembles archéologiques supportant l’hypothèse d’une bonne préservation. Les implications de cette étude sont discutées et l’on souligne la nécessité de rechercher les remontages d’intérêt stratigraphique pour valider l’interprétation archéostratigraphique de la séquence.

DEPREDACION DEL MURCIELAGO PTERONOTUS DAVYI POR UNA PAREJA DE FALCO SPARVERIUS EN LAS ISLAS DE MARIE-GALANTE, INDIAS FRANCESAS OCCIDENTALES Reportamos la depredacion en una colonia de murcielagos de la especie Pteronotus davyi por parte de una pareja de Falco sparverius basados en observaciones en un periodo de 16 dias. F. sparverius cazo murcielagos a medida que dejaban su dormidero en la tarde noche, habiendo dos factores que influenciaron la eficiencia de caza, a saber: (1) las condiciones meteorologicas y (2) el tiempo de la formacion de la bandada de murcielagos. Aunque al menos un individuo de F. sparverius estuvo presente en 15 de las 16 tardes (93.8%), la tasa de exito de caza fue de 16.4% (6 murcielagos capturados en 37 intentos). Esta es la primera depredacion reportada de especies de murcielagos y la primera depredacion regular documentada de una colonia de murcielagos por parte de F. sparverius. Este comportamiento se interpreta como un ejemplo de la adaptacion trofica de F. sparverius en ambi...

International audience; A database of Pleistocene periglacial features in France has been compiled from a review of academic literature and reports of rescue archaeology, the analysis of aerial photographs and new field surveys. Polygons, soil stripes, ice-wedge pseudomorphs, sand wedges and composite wedge pseudomorphs are included in the database together with their geographic coordinates, geological context, description and associated references. It is hoped that this database, which aim is to be integrated in broader studies, will stimulate further work on past permafrost reconstruction and will favour greater understanding of the climatic events that lead to the formation of the periglacial features. The database is available online on the AFEQ-CNF INQUA website (https://afeqeng.hypotheses.org/487). A folder that contains photographs and sketches of the features is also available on request.

Numerous periglacial features (polygons, nets, soil stripes, ice-wedge pseudomorphs and sand-wedge casts, involutions) have been recorded in France by examining bibliographical sources and aerial photographs. These data show that a large part of France was affected by permafrost during the Pleistocene and only the southern Aquitaine Basin and Languedoc seem to have been beyond its maximum extent. The first OSL ages obtained from the aeolian infill of wedge structures indicate that at least two phases of thermal contraction cracking occurred in southwestern France between ∼25 and 36 ka. Chronostratigraphical data from loess in northern France indicate that these episodes correspond to the formation of ice-wedge networks associated with tundra gleys. In the latter region, two additional permafrost episodes probably occurred during the Last Glacial, the older one corresponding to the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 around 60 ka and the more recent one to MIS 2 around 19-16 ka. Although stratigraphical data indicate that these episodes were relatively short (about one millennium), relict permafrost may have existed for longer periods in northern France.