Computational simulations of potential Pachycrocuta bite damage based on a ~1.2 Ma ravaged hippopotamus femur from Fuente Nueva 3 (Orce, Granada, Spain)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Université de Bordeaux; De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie; Universitat Rovira i Virgili · Universidad de Granada; Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social · University of Helsinki · Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social; Universitat Rovira i Virgili · Universidad de Granada · Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Computational simulations of potential Pachycrocuta bite damage based on a ~1.2 Ma ravaged hippopotamus femur from Fuente Nueva 3 (Orce, Granada, Spain)
Authors
Lloyd A. Courtenay, Alexia Serrano‐Ramos, Juha J. Saarinen, Suvi Viranta, Déborah Barsky, Juan Manuel Jiménez Arenas, José Yravedra
Authors and publishers can request removal at any time via Copyright infringement; we act within 48 hours.
Abstract
Abstract Understanding the behaviour and interactions of extinct carnivoran species present a significant challenge in archaeological and palaeontological research, often limited by numerous constraints in the fossil record. Here we analyse a hippopotamus femur that presents extensive damage by carnivorans, recovered from the open-air site Fuente Nueva 3 (∼1.2 Ma, Orce, Granada, Spain). Given the extent of furrowing, the potential agents known in the palaeolandscape, and a number of additional theoretical features, we believe this bone to have been consumed by an extinct species of giant hyena; Pachycrocuta brevirostris . Leveraging the use of advanced microscopic techniques to digitise the tooth marks observed on this specimen in three dimensions, the present study utilises artificially intelligent algorithms to then simulate the possible morphological variability of this carnivoran. This allows us to propose a characterisation of Pachycrocuta brevirostris tooth pit morphology, so as to construct a proposal for a diagnostic reference sample of this species. If our findings are correct, they underscore the importance tooth mark size has on identifying the activity of Pachycrocuta , revealing the giant hyena to have produced remarkably large, deep, and circular tooth pits on dense cortical bone.
Editor’s summary (commentary by The Gufo, not part of the original work)
This study examines a ~1.2 million-year-old hippopotamus femur bone from Fuente Nueva 3, an open-air archaeological site in Orce, Spain, which shows extensive tooth mark damage. The researchers propose that this damage was caused by Pachycrocuta brevirostris, an extinct species of giant hyena known to have inhabited the region. Using advanced 3D digitisation techniques to capture the tooth marks, the team applied computational simulations and AI-based modelling to estimate the range of possible bite morphologies this carnivore could produce. Their analysis suggests that Pachycrocuta created unusually large, deep, and circular tooth pits even on dense cortical bone. The work aims to build a reference dataset that could help palaeontologists more reliably identify this species' feeding activity on fossil bones in future research, improving interpretations of ancient carnivore behaviour and ecosystem interactions.
Why it matters: It offers a new computational reference standard for identifying an extinct giant hyena's bite marks, aiding future palaeoecological reconstructions of early human and carnivore competition.
Hi! I can explain how to publish or share, find articles in your field, format citations and answer questions about fees and licensing. How can I help?
Answers are based on The Gufo’s published policies. Editorial decisions are made by the editorial team.
Shared — curated by The Gufo editorial team
