Yosief Libsekal

FOSSIL REPTILES FROM THE PLEISTOCENE HOMO -BEARING LOCALITY OF BUIA (ERITREA, NORTHERN DANAKIL DEPRESSION)

The early to early-Middle Pleistocene fossil assemblage form the Buia area (Northern Danakil Depression, Eritrea) hosts, along with Homo and several other large mammal taxa, the following reptiles: Nile Crocodile, Crocodylus niloticus , Serrated Hinged Terrapin, Pelusios cf. P. sinuatus, Nile Monitor, Varanus niloticus and African Rock Python , Python gr. sebae . All the identified taxa belong to living species. At present, these taxa do not occur in the Northern Danakil depression since it is an arid area. P. sinuatus is not a member of the Eritrean herpetofauna. Although the marked preponderance of the crocodile remains is probably connected to the taphonomy of the sites and the collecting methods used, the ecological value of the reptile fauna corroborates that of the mammals, in indicating a lacustrine or fluvio-deltaic palaeoenvironment and a tropical/subtropical or even sub-Sahelic climate. The Buia remains represent the first reported Eritrean palaeoherpetofauna.

Taphonomic analysis of the Late Early Pleistocene bone remains from Buia (Dandiero Basin, Danakil depression, Eritrea): Evidence for large mammal and reptile butchering

The Early Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the Dandiero (Buia) Basin (Danakil Depression, Eritrea) has preserved a rich paleontological, paleoanthropological, and archeological record circa one million years old. Fieldwork undertaken between 1995 and 2003 led to the collection of fossil vertebrate remains now stored at the National Museum of Eritrea. Bones were recovered in different localities of the Dandiero Basin, where abundant archaeological and paleontological remains outcrop from the eroded sediments. The faunal collection of 436 animal bones from the Buia Basin, mostly derived from Uadi Aalad area, have undergone taphonomic analysis. Even though bone surfaces are poorly preserved due to abrasion, our work demonstrates carcass exploitation. Some specimens, mostly representing Hippopotamus gorgops and medium- to large-sized bovids, show traces of butchering left by stone tools. We also document, as far as we know for the first time, a single case of butchering involving a femur of a crocodile.

Stratigraphic context and paleoenvironmental significance of minor taxa (Pisces, Reptilia, Aves, Rodentia) from the late Early Pleistocene paleoanthropological site of Buia (Eritrea)

The Buia Homo site, also known as Wadi Aalad, is an East African paleoanthropological site near the village of Buia that, due to its very rich yield from the late Early Pleistocene, has been intensively investigated since 1994. In this paper, which reports on the finds of the 2010-2011 excavations, we include new fossil evidence on previously identified taxa (i.e., reptiles), as well as the very first description of the small mammal, fish and bird remains discovered. In particular, this study documents the discovery of the first African fossil of the genus Burhinus (Aves, Charadriiformes) and of the first rodent from the site. This latter is identified as a thryonomyid rodent (cane rat), a relatively common taxon in African paleoanthropological faunal assemblages. On the whole, the new occurrences documented within the Buia vertebrate assemblage confirm the occurrence of taxa characterized by strong water dependence. The paleoenvironmental characteristics of the fauna are confirmed as fully compatible with the evidence obtained through sedimentology and facies analysis, documenting the sedimentary evolution of fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine systems.

Stratigraphic context and taxonomic assessment of the large cercopithecoid (Primates, Mammalia) from the late Early Pleistocene palaeoanthropological site of Buia (Eritrea)

IntroductionThe Buia-Dandero area (100 km south of Massawa, northernDanakil Depression, Eritrea; Fig. 1A) is well known for the 1-million-year-old Homo cranium from Buia (Abbate et al., 1998;Macchiarelli et al., 2004; Bondioli et al., 2006). The Early-to-Middle Pleistocene stratigraphic series of the Dandero basin,located near the Buia village, presents about 1 km of continentaldeposits. Since its discovery in 1994, this area has been the subjectof research by an international team coordinated by the EarthSciences Department of the University of Florence and the EritreaNational Museum. The investigated area yielded hominin remains(Abbate et al., 1998, 2004a; Rook et al., 2002), abundant fossilvertebrates (Ferretti et al., 2003; Delfino et al., 2004; Martinez-Navarro et al., 2004, 2010), and a rich archaeological record ofMode 1 (Oldowan) and Mode 2 (Acheulean) tool industries in a lateEarly Pleistocene chronological framework (Abbate et al., 2004a).The age of the Homo-bearing sediments (Alat Formation) of theBuia sedimentary succession, established by different investigativeapproaches, falls within the Jaramillo Subchron (C1r.1n), close to1.0Ma(Albianelli and Napoleone, 2004; Bigazzi et al., 2004).In addition to the hominin remains, non-human primates aresolely represented in the Buia faunal assemblage (Alat Formation)by a large cercopithecoid cranial fragment, tentatively listed in theBuia mammal fauna (Martinez-Navarro et al., 2004)asTher-opithecus cf. Theropithecus oswaldi. The genus Theropithecus is verycommon in the Plio-Pleistocene of Africa, occurring at sites inNorth, East and South Africa, within a time span ranging from3.4Mato0.5Ma(Delsonetal.,1993).Weprovidehereadescriptionof the specimen (UA-463), which is housed in the Paleontologicalcollections of the National Museum of Eritrea (Asmara).The mammalian assemblage from BuiaAbbateetal.(1998)publishedapreliminaryvertebratefaunallistfrom Buia. Successive field collections and taxonomic descriptionsallowed updating the Buia vertebrate faunal assemblage, whichrepresentsatypicaleasternAfricanlateEarlyPleistocenefauna.Buiais characterised by the occurrence of evolved last-representativeforms of Elephas recki, Hippopotamus gorgops, Kolpochoerus old-uvaiensis, Kolpochoerus majus, Metridiochoerus aff. M. modestus andBos buiaensis, associated with taxa that persist in the present day,such as Ceratotherium simum, Equus cf. E. grevyi, Tragelaphus cf.Theropithecus spekei, and Kobus cf. K. ellipsiprymnus. The geologicaland sedimentological framework, as well as paleomagnetism andfissiontrackdating(Abbateetal.,2004a;Ghinassietal.,2009)areingood agreement with the mammal biochronology data, attesting toa latest Early Pleistocene age (Martinez-Navarro et al., 2004, 2010).Thisvertebrateassemblageispredominantlycomposedoftaxawithstrong water dependence like hippos, waterbuck, sitatunga, Kolpo-choerus, crocodiles, paleomedusid chelonians and African rock

Facies associations of the northern Dandiero Basin (Danakil depression, Eritrea, including the Pleistocene Buya homo site)

The Dandiero Basin is located on the northern part of the 300 km-long Danakil depression. The geologic succession filling the Dandiero Basin is up to 1000 m thick and consists of three synthems, inascending order: the Early-to-Middle Pleistocene Maebele Synthem of fluvio-lacustrine origin; the Late Pleistocene Curbelu Synthem of alluvial deposits and the Late Pleistocene to Holocene Samoti Synthem alluvio-eolian sand. This study and map (1:5000 scale) focuses on the Maebele Synthem exposed in a 3.8 km2 area near Mt. Alat. Regionally, the Maebele Synthem consists of six lithostratigraphic units, in ascending order: (1) the Bukra Sand and Gravel, (2) the Alat Formation, (3) the Wara Sand and Gravel, (4) the Goreya Formation, and (5) Aro Sand, (6) Addai Fanglomerate. The Bukra Sand and Gravel is about 150–200 m thick and made up mainly of fluvial sand. The Alat Formation is 70–100 m thick and consists of alternating fluvial, lacustrine and deltaic deposits. Fluvial deposits consist of sand-filled channels that occur as amalgamated or isolated bodies within floodplain mud. Lacustrine sediments consist of mud, whereas deltaic deposits are represented by sandy shallow-water and Gilbert-type deltas. The Wara Sand and Gravel (250 m thick) is made up of fluvial sand. The Goreya Formation (50 m thick) consists of lacustrine, deltaic and fluvial deposits. The fluvial deposits consist of sand-filled channels the lacustrine sediments consist of mud with subordinate limestone, and the deltaic deposits are represented by sandy shallow-water deltas. The Aro Sand consists of fluvial sand up to 120 m thick. The Addai Fanglomerate (250–300 m thick) consists of coarse-grained alluvial fan.

The endocast of the one-million-year-old human cranium from Buia (UA 31), Danakil Eritrea

OBJECTIVES The Homo erectus-like cranium from Buia (UA 31) was found in the Eritrean Danakil depression and dated to 1 million years. Its outer morphology displays archaic traits, as well as distinctive and derived characters. The present study provides the description and metric comparison of its endocranial anatomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS UA 31 was originally filled by a diffuse concretion. Following its removal and cleaning, the endocast (995 cc) was reconstructed after physical molding and digital scan. Its morphology is here compared with specimens belonging to different human taxa, taking into account endocranial metrics, cortical traits, and craniovascular features. RESULTS The endocast is long and narrow when compared to the H. erectus/ergaster hypodigm, although its proportions are compatible with the morphology displayed by all archaic and medium-brained human species. The occipital areas display a pronounced bulging, the cerebellum is located in a posterior position, and the middle meningeal vessels are more developed in the posterior regions. These features are common among specimens attributed to H. erectus s.l., particularly the Middle Pleistocene endocasts from Zhoukoudian. The parietal lobes are markedly bossed. This lateral bulging is associated with the lower parietal circumvolutions, as in other archaic specimens. This pronounced parietal curvature is apparently due to a narrow cranial base, more than to wider parietal areas. CONCLUSIONS The endocast of UA 31 shows a general plesiomorphic phenotype, with some individual features (e.g., dolichocephaly and rounded lower parietal areas) which confirm a remarkable degree of morphological variability within the H. erectus/ergaster hypodigm. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:458-468, 2016.

THE LARGE FOSSIL MAMMALS FROM FROM BUIA (ERITREA):SYSTEMATICS, BIOCHRONOLOGY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS

This paper offers a preliminary overview on the large fossil mammals (Primates, Hyaenidae, Proboscidea, Rhinocerotidae, Equidae, Hippopotamidae, Suidae, Giraffidae, and Bovidae) from the Early Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the Dandiero (Buia) Basin (Danakil Depression, Eritrea). The 1995-1997 Eritrean-italian fossil collection has been revised and studied. A few significant remains collected during the 2002-2004 field activities have also been included. Eighteen species of mammals have been identified, described and illustrated in the principal specimens. The systematic study allows general coclusions on the biochronologic and paleoenvironmental significance of the faunal assemblage. This study is completed by an analysis of “Genus Faunal Resemblance Index” (GFRI) with some well known faunal assemblages of Africa across the time span Late Pliocene – Middle Pleistocene.