The paleoichnofauna in bones of Brazilian Quaternary cave deposits and the proposition of two new ichnotaxa

Abstract

The Quaternary vertebrate paleontology of the Brazilian Intertropical Region is well-known, but there are only a few publications on bone ichnology. In this paper, we analyzed trace fossils in 23 bones of the Gruna das Três Cobras, Complexo Suíço, and F3 caves, which are located in Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte states, in the Brazilian Intertropical Region. We discovered gnaw marks assigned to Machichnus and bite marks attributed to Nihilichnus, as well as insect modifications referring to single (Cuniculichnus, Gunnellichnus, Karethraichnus, and Osteocallis) and multiple behaviors (Munitusichnus, and Taotieichnus). Additionally, we proposed the new ichnospecies Nihilichnus sulcatus n. isp. (bite mark) and Cuniculichnus cascudoi n. isp. (insect feeding mark). Regarding the predation/scavenger marks, Protocyon troglodytes was the probable primary modification agent, but some traces may also be attributed to Smilodon populator and Caiman latirostris. Cuniculichnus, Karethraichnus, Munitusichnus, and Osteocallis are attributed to dermestids, whereas termites probably produced Gunnelichnus and Taotieichnus.

Keywords:

• Paleoichnology
• traces fossils
• vertebrates
• Quaternary
• Brazilian Intertropical Region
• caves
• Brazil

Acknowledgements

We thank the Museu Câmara Cascudo of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (MCC/UFRN), Dr. Rafael Costa da Silva, and Museu de Ciências da Terra of Serviço Geológico do Brasil (MCTer/SGB) by providing access to the fossils. LHMST thanks Anna K. Behrensmeyer for help in the identification of termite marks on bones and the financial support provided by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES; process n. 88882.450561/2019-01 of DS). HIAJr thanks to the financial support provided by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ; process n. E-26/201.371/2021), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq; process n. 305576/2021-6) and Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Prociencia grant: 38944-5)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).