A Neandertal dietary conundrum: Insights provided by tooth enamel Zn isotopes from Gabasa, Spain

Jaouen, K. ; Villalba-Mouco, V. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Smith, G. M. ; Trost, M. ; Leichliter, J. ; Lüdecke, T. ; Méjean, P. ; Mandrou, S. ; Chmeleff, J. ; Guiserix, D. ; Bourgon, N. ; Blasco, F. ; Mendes Cardoso, J. ; Duquenoy, C. ; Moubtahij, Z. ; Salazar Garcia, D. C. ; Richards, M. ; Tütken, T. ; Hublin, J. J. ; Utrilla, P. ; Montes, L. (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: The characterization of Neandertals’ diets has mostly relied on nitrogen isotope analyses of bone and tooth collagen. However, few nitrogen isotope data have been recovered from bones or teeth from Iberia due to poor collagen preservation at Paleolithic sites in the region. Zinc isotopes have been shown to be a reliable method for reconstructing trophic levels in the absence of organic matter preservation. Here, we present the results of zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), carbon (C), and oxygen (O) isotope and trace element ratio analysis measured in dental enamel on a Pleistocene food web in Gabasa, Spain, to characterize the diet and ecology of a Middle Paleolithic Neandertal individual. Based on the extremely low δ66Zn value observed in the Neandertal’s tooth enamel, our results support the interpretation of Neandertals as carnivores as already suggested by δ15N isotope values of specimens from other regions. Further work could help identify if such isotopic peculiarities (lowest δ66Zn and highest δ15N of the food web) are due to a metabolic and/or dietary specificity of the Neandertals.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109315119

Año: 2022

Publicado en: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 119, 43 (2022), e2109315119[9 pp.]
ISSN: 0027-8424

Factor impacto JCR: 11.1 (2022)

Categ. JCR: MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES rank: 8 / 73 = 0.11 (2022) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 19.2 - General (Q1)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 4.026 - Multidisciplinary (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2020-116598GB-I00
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/681450/EU/Evolution of herbivory in vertebrates: developing combined isotope (Ca, Sr) and dental surface texture analysis as deep time diet proxies/VERTEBRATE HERBIVORY
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/803676/EU/Understanding the onset and impact of Aquatic Resource Consumption in Human Evolution using novel Isotopic tracerS/ARCHEIS

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Prehistoria (Dpto. Ciencias de la Antigüed.)
Área (Departamento): Área Paleontología (Dpto. Ciencias de la Tierra)