Dusicyon avus (Argentinean Warrah)

[Melanie]

extinct fox or wolf(?) from Cueva Tixi, Buenes Aires province, Argentina. Became extinct in the early holocene (5000 yrs BC).

text in Spanish

www.ucm.es/BUCM/revistas/ghi/05566533/articulos/REAA9797110011A.PDF

[another specialist]

R.E.A.A. Nº 27 (1997)
Mazzanti, Morning call L. and Carlos To Quintana
"cultural Association of fauna extinguished in the archaeological site Tixi Cave, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina".

Summary
They occur to know evidences the association of two species of mammals extinguished with human occupations in the archaeological site Tixi Cave. Eutatus seguini is registered in the first occupation dated in 10.045 + 95 90 AP and 10,375 + AP (Pleistocene delayed), whereas Canis avus also is registered in the second occupation dated in 4.865 + 65 AP (average Holoceno). One concludes that: Canis avus does not present/display characteristics of antrópica manipulation; Eutatus seguini was entered Tixi Cave by humans with aims of nutritional consumption in the context of a generalized strategy of protein selection animal.

Key words: Archaeology, Extinguished Fauna, Feeding, Pampan Region, Tixi Cave.

Abstract
Mammal Two extinct species with cultural associations from the archaeological site Tixi Cave plows noticed. Eutatus seguini was recorded in the first occupation dated in 10.045 + 95 BP and 10.375 + 90 BP (Late Pleistocene). Canis avus was recorded too, in the second occupation dated in 4.865 + 65 BP (Middle Holocene). Evidence indicates that the Canis avus presence is not due to anthropic manipulation. Eutatus seguini was transported to Tixi Cave ace human food, indicating to generalized strategy of for Access animal protein.

Key words: Archaeology, Extinct Fauna, Feeding, Pampas Region, Tixi Cave

www.ucm.es/info/america2/reaa27.htm

[another specialist]

Generally all information on the web is from spanish website but its limited anyway.

[Melanie]

syn: Dusycion avus, Canis Dusycion avus.

Site in Spanish and Picture



ar.geocities.com/miramarprehistorica/holodusicyon.htm

[Melanie]

another synonym

Canis protojubatus

www.cricyt.edu.ar/mn/indice/pdf/11_1/Prevosti.pdf

[another specialist]

Cueva Tixi (Mazzanti 1996)

Cueva Tixi is a rockshelter located in the province of Buenos Aires. The shelter is located in La Vigilancia range, which is a smaller portion of the larger Tandilia Hills area of the Pampas. Excavations were begun at Cueva Tixi in 1988, an area of 15 m2 has been excavated to a depth of 80 cm (as of 1996). Five strata were identified in the cave deposits, which have yielded around 80,000 faunal specimens.

The late Pleistocene/early Holocene level is identified from two dates at 10,045±95 and 10,375±90 (Appendix 1), which were collected from two burned areas associated with fauna and lithic debris. Both extinct and extant fauna were recovered from the early deposits from the site and include Lama guanicoe, Ozotoceros bezoarticus, Myocastor coypus, Dolichotis patagonum, Zaedius pichiy, Eutatus seguini, Canis avus, and other faunal remains. Tools recovered include an anvil, hammerstones, cores, and low and medium grade scrapers, as well as some ochre. There was a spatial clustering of the debitage, which along with the artifacts recovered, suggests primary reduction and last stages of tool manufacture in the shelter. Raw materials represent both local (quartz and quartzite) and distant sources (basalt and flint), although no quantification was presented as to proportions or distances.

www.ele.net/LaBelle/pampas/pampas.htm

[Carlos]

www.grupopaleo.com.ar/museodemiramar/naturales/naturales15.htm

The note (in spanish) in the above site, gives reference of the findings in 1995 in the archaeological site by Las Brusquitas River, close to the city of Miramar (Argentina) in the Pampas near Buenos Aires.

The site has been interpreted as camp of hunters and the material recovered in it is a mixture of mostly marine and land mammal remains of anthropic origin (some of them with evidence of hunting and butchering) and cultural artifacts. A few species are still present in the area, some are regionally extinct and a few are extinct species.

The stratigraphy and the presence of human artefacts have permitted an accurate date of about 3000 y BP.

Among the mammal remains are those of Dusicyon avus (Burmeister, 1864), an extinct fox, bigger than the present day species of its genus.

[another specialist]

sometimes listed as Canis Dusicyon avus. Burmeister, 1864.

more info here but in spanish.



www.grupopaleo.com.ar/miramarprehistorica/holodusicyon.htm

[another specialist]

www.grupopaleo.com.ar/paleoargentina/holoceno.htm

[surroundx]

This thread should be renamed Dusicyon avus in my opinion, as this species was most closely related to Dusicyon australis, the Falkland Island fox.

Prevosti, F. J., Santiago, F., Prates, L. and Salemme, M. (2011). Constraining the time of extinction of the South American fox Dusciyon avus (Carnivora, Canidae) during the late Holocene. Quaternary Internacional 245: 209-217.

If you do not have Academia.edu and would like a copy of this pdf just PM me your email address and I will send it to you. Or if you are just a visitor to this site and cannot PM me you can email me at:

brndnholmes[at]gmail[dot]com

And request a copy

[surroundx]

Prates, Luciano. (2014). Crossing the boundary between humans and animals: the extinct fox Dusicyon avus from a hunter-gatherer mortuary context in Patagonia (Argentina). Antiquity 88(342): 1201-1212. [Abstract]

[surroundx]

Extinctions in near time: new radiocarbon dates point to a very recent disappearance of the South American fox Dusicyon avus (Carnivora: Canidae)

Abstract

Almost all large carnivorans (Carnivora; > 20 kg) that inhabited South America became extinct around the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene transition. Two exceptions were species of coyote-sized Dusicyon, one insular (D. australis) and one continental (D. avus). The extinction of the former is a resolved matter, but that of D. avus, found in the Patagonian and Pampean regions, is still poorly understood. Using the Gaussian-Resampled Inverse-Weighted McInerny method we present new radiocarbon evidence indicating that its disappearance occurred in very recent times (about 324–496 years cal bp). We found no evidence to support a role for hybridization with domestic dogs in causing the extirpation of this fox. Climatic change may have reduced its distributional range, as has happened with other mammals, although not to the extent of explaining its extinction. Climatic change, however, coupled with increased anthropogenic impacts such as hunting, domestic dogs, and/or other aspects relating to the impact of European colonization in South America's southern cone, were the probable main drivers of the recent extinction of D. avus.

Source:

Prevosti, Francisco J. et al. (2015). Extinctions in near time: new radiocarbon dates point to a very recent disappearance of the South American fox Dusicyon avus (Carnivora: Canidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. DOI: 10.1111/bij.12625 [Abstract]

[Melanie]

Taxonomy [top]
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Chordata Mammalia Carnivora Canidae

Scientific Name: Dusicyon avus
Species Authority: (Burmeister, 1866)
Taxonomic Notes: This species is the sister taxon of the also extinct, but insular, Falklands Wolf (Dusicyon australis).
Assessment Information [top]
Red List Category & Criteria: Extinct ver 3.1
Year Published: 2015
Date Assessed: 2015-08-13
Assessor(s): Sillero-Zubiri, C.
Reviewer(s): Hoffmann, M.
Facilitator/Compiler(s): Hoffmann, M.
Justification:
Dusicyon avus was found in the southern parts of South America. Radiocarbon evidence indicates a very recent disappearance (about 324–496 years cal BP), concurrent with European colonisation of this region. This species is the sister taxon of the also extinct, but insular, Falklands Wolf Dusicyon australis.
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: Dusicyon avus lived in the Pampean and Patagonian regions of Argentina, southern Chile, Uruguay and southern Brazil. The species has a rich fossil record, based on several Late Pleistocene localities, and a few Holocene records (in the southern parts of its range).
Countries occurrence:
Regionally extinct:
Argentina; Brazil; Chile; Uruguay
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: The species had a widespread distribution and would have conceivably been relatively common.
Additional data:
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: The species occupied relatively open habitats, such as grass steppe and shrub steppes, in the Pampean and Patagonian regions.
Systems: Terrestrial
Use and Trade [top]
Use and Trade: A specimen was discovered in a grave from the late second millennium BC, suggesting that the animal might have been kept as a pet (Prates 2014); the teeth of Dusicyon avus were used in a religions context in some aboriginal sites of Buenos Aires province.
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): The demise of the species has been linked to habitat changes, hybridization with dogs and persecution. The abundant fossils of Dusicyon avus show a clear archaeological and temporal overlap with modern humans. A specimen was discovered in a grave from the late second millennium BC, suggesting that the animal might have been kept as a pet (Prates 2014); the teeth of Dusicyon avus were used in a religions context in some aboriginal sites of Buenos Aires province. According to new radiocarbon evidence, the species would have become extinct about 326-496 years BP (Prevosti et al. 2015), supporting the hypothesis that its disappearance might have happened after the arrival of Europeans. Anecdotal evidence exists from the diaries of 19th century naturalists and explorers of a large canid in Patagonia attributable to Dusicyon avus. Prevosti et al. (2015) found no evidence for hybridization, and proposed that the drivers of the recent extinction of the species were anthropogenic impacts, including hunting and domestic dogs, coupled with climatic change. The indigenous Ona of Tierra del Fuego recognized two species of fox, one of a large size.
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: This species is now extinct.

www.iucnredlist.org/details/82337482/0

[surroundx]

Manzuetti, Aldo, Perea, Daniel, Rinderknecht, Andrés and Ubilla, Martín. (2017). New Canid Remains from Dolores Formation, late Pleistocene-early Holocene, Uruguay. Journal of Mammalian Evolution. DOI: 10.1007/s10914-017-9387-8 [Abstract]

[Melanie]

Extinct fox was kept as pet by South American hunter-gatherers 1,500 years ago

Archaeologists uncover an ancient human-fox companionship in South America, challenging our notions of early domestication.



www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/extinct-fox-south-america-pet/

Patagonian partnerships: the extinct Dusicyon avus and its interaction with prehistoric human communities

Abstract

The southern Mendoza province, located in the northern region of Patagonia, was inhabited by hunter-gatherer groups until historic times. Previous archaeological studies have reported canid remains among faunal assemblages, which were assumed to be part of the human diet. However, the taxonomic identification and significance of these canids within human groups have raised questions. In this study, we used ancient DNA analysis, morphological examination and stable isotope analysis (δ13Ccol and δ15N) to re-evaluate the taxonomic assignment of a canid discovered at the Late Holocene burial site of Cañada Seca. Previous morphological identifications suggested that it belonged to the genus Lycalopex, but our results conclusively demonstrate that the individual belongs to the extinct fox species Dusicyon avus. This finding expands Dusicyon avus’ known geographical distribution to Patagonia’s northern extremity. Furthermore, statistical predictions based on genetic divergence undermine the hypothesis that hybridization between Canis and Dusicyon, facilitated by the introduction of domestic dogs, played a role in the extinction of Dusicyon species. On the other hand, our findings indicate that a Dusicyon avus individual shared a similar diet and was probably buried alongside humans, suggesting a close relationship between the two species during their lives and deaths.

royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231835

[koeiyabe]

www.iucnredlist.org/species/82337482/82337485