Ubeidiya (Layer II-23)
Basic information
Sample name: Ubeidiya (Layer II-23)

Reference: A. Barash, M. Belmaker, M. Bastir, M. Soudack, H. D. O'Brien, H. Woodward, A. Prendergast, O. Barzilai, and E. Been. 2022. The earliest Pleistocene record of a large-bodied hominin from the Levant supports two out-of-Africa dispersal events. Scientific Reports 12(1721):1-9 [ER 3875]
Geography
Country: Israel


Coordinate: 32° 41' 22" N, 35° 33' 25" E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark

Formation: Ubeidiya

Time interval: Early Pleistocene

Max Ma: 1.575

Min Ma: 1.567

Age basis: paleomag

Geography comments: the coordinate is given by Wikipedia
the formation is generally in a reversed polarity zone, but this layer "has been assigned to the Gilsa (1.575-1.567 Ma)" based on "an ESR date of ca. 1.2 Ma for layer 1-26, which overlays layer II-33"

Eppelbaum and Katz 2023 argue the date is 2.52 - 1.98 Ma based on correlation with the Zarqa section in Western Jordan

Environment
Lithology: claystone

Taphonomic context: carnivore accumulation,fluvial deposit

Archaeology: stone tools

Habitat comments: "rusty brown siltic clay" that is interpreted in different passages as "fluviatile" and "deltaic"
there are 34 lithic artefacts
there is a "low proportion of cut-marks" and a "high proportion of gnaw-marks... more consistent with scavenging by large carnivores, such as large felids, rather than hunting by early hominin... weathering and fluvial transport were not primary factors... most specimens were buried quickly" and there was "trampling and soil compaction"

Methods
Life forms: carnivores,primates,ungulates

Sampling methods: quarry

Sample size: 518 specimens

Years: 1960 - 1966, 1970

Metadata
Sample number: 4253

Contributor: John Alroy

Enterer: John Alroy

Created: 2023-04-25 14:00:11

Modified: 2023-05-11 04:25:34

Abundance distribution
25 species
5 singletons
total count 518
geometric series index: 39.7
Fisher's α: 5.484
geometric series k: 0.8082
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.8056
Shannon's H: 2.0678
Good's u: 0.9904
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
Register
Canis (Xenocyon) lycanoides4
"Lycaon lycaonoides": plus 49 Carnivora
Canis mosbachensis33
Vulpes cf. alopecoides8
"Vulpes cf. praeglacialis": see Bartolini-Lucenti and Madurell-Malapeira (2021)
Lutra simplicidens6
Vormela peregusna3356 g
Panthera gombaszoegensis1
"Panthera gombaszogensis"
Megantereon cf. whitei1
Lynx sp.8
Felis cf. chaus15.3 kg carnivore
Herpestes sp.2
presumed to be sensu stricto because of the date of publication
Ursus etruscus2
Sus strozzii3
"Sus strozzi"
Kolpochoerus olduvaiensis1
"Kolpochoerus oldowaynesis"
Hippopotamus gorgops2
Hippopotamus cf. behemoth166
Praemegaceros verticornis38
plus 12 Artiodactyla, 91 Ruminantia, and 27 Cervidae
Pseudodama nestii127
Capreolus sp.10
Pelorovis oldowayensis3
plus seven indeterminate Bovini
Gazella sp.8
presumed to be sensu stricto because of the date of publication: plus eight indeterminate Antilopini
Stephanorhinus etruscus etruscus10
Equus tabeti73
plus 20 indeterminate Equus
Mammuthus meridionalis5
Macaca sylvanus2
Homo sp.1