The Canis lupus ssp. (Mammalia, Carnivora) of the Baume Traucade (Issirac, Gard, France): A complete skeleton of a “dog-like” individual from the post-LGM

Abstract

Completely preserved canid skeletons dating from the Pleistocene are rare finds. Here, we describe such a unique discovery from Baume Traucade, a cave site in the municipality of Issirac in southern France, which presents a rare opportunity to study in detail a series of skeletal elements from the same individual. This canid was likely a female with an estimated body mass of 26 kg and a shoulder height of 62 cm. It has an age of approximately 16.0 to 15.3 cal ka BP. Impact marks on the lumbar vertebrae and ribs, along with circular perforations on one of the scapulae, suggest that this canid was wounded by humans shortly before its death. The Baume Traucade skeleton is compared to a series of reference groups, including fossil and extant wolves, as well as Palaeolithic, prehistoric, and recent dogs. Linear discriminant analysis of its ln-transformed raw craniometric variables assigns this canid to the putative Palaeolithic dog group with a posterior probability of 99.5% and a typicality probability of 49.8%. Linear discriminant analysis of its allometrically size-adjusted craniometric variables assigns it to the same group with a posterior probability of 96.7% and a typicality probability of 75.1%. Furthermore, based on univariate analyses of its mandible and long bones, the Baume Traucade canid also shows the closest affinity with the group of putative Palaeolithic dogs.