In the stomach of Geranoaetus melanoleucus (Accipitriformes): Taphonomy of small mammal bone remains and implications for South American archaeological and palaeontological studies

Abstract

Geranoaetus melanoleucus (Accipitriformes) is one of the main accumulating agents of South American small mammal bone and tooth assemblages recovered from archaeological and palaeontological sites. The present study analyses the taphonomic features of small mammal bone and tooth remains recovered from inside the stomach of a young dead specimen of this diurnal avian raptor. High frequencies of digested elements were detected, which coincided with those reported for South American diurnal raptors. However, the high degree of completeness, of both cranial and postcranial bones, is surprising. This finding differs from the patterns reported in actualistic taphonomic studies using modern pellets of several diurnal raptors, including G. melanoleucus. The small mammal bones and teeth recovered from inside the stomach of G. melanoleucus constitute an excellent opportunity to discuss taphonomic trends previously reported for this important small mammal bone accumulator of archaeological and palaeontological sites from South America. This is particularly important considering that actualistic studies are generally based on remains recovered from modern pellets.