Caladenia Cave (Group D)
Basic information
Sample name: Caladenia Cave (Group D)

Reference: K. M. Thorn, R. Roe, A. Baynes, R. P. Hart, K. A. Lance, D. Merrilees, J. K. Porter, and S. Sofoulis. 2017. Fossil mammals of Caladenia Cave, northern Swan Coastal Plain, south-western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum 32(2):217-236 [ER 3699]
Geography
Country: Australia

State: Western Australia



Coordinate: 31° 19' 18" S, 115° 31' 0" E
Coordinate basis: estimated from map

Time interval: Holocene

Section: 3699

Unit number: 1

Unit order: above to below

Ma: 0.002803

Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)

Geography comments: "Caladenia Cave is located between the Moore River mouth at Guilderton and Gingin Scarp on the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia".
There is a single radiocarbon charcoal date from Group D of 2803 ± 68 BP, ranging from 3037–2750 cal. BP.

Environment
Lithology: limestone

Taphonomic context: bird accumulation,carnivore accumulation,cave,fissure fill

Archaeology: stone tools

Habitat comments: "Caladenia Cave is an inclined fissure cave that developed in the Tamala Limestone".
"The sedimentary sequence in Caladenia Cave is well stratified. No evidence of reworking of the sediments was observed, except where small burrows occurred".
"A majority of the small mammal material recovered was intact with very little, to no digestive erosion or breakage on crania or long bones, a condition typical of an owl accumulation".
"Mammalian predators and scavengers, as well as humans, also contributed to the Caladenia Cave assemblage". Several artefacts were found during the excavation, but no further details are provided. These are most probably just stone tools.

Methods
Life forms: bats,rodents,other large mammals,other small mammals

Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash

Sample size: 672 specimens

Years: 1970 - 1975

Sampling comments: The excavation was conducted from 1970 to 1975.
"3 mm mesh sieves were used to sieve the sediment from the surface of the deposit down to the base of ‘Stone Heap End’ and the test pit. Due to deterioration of the condition of the material, this was changed to a sieve with a 1 mm mesh from 1.48 m to 2.54 m" (Groups L to R - not in register).
"Bird, reptile, fish and archaeological materials were not further investigated in this study".

Metadata
Sample number: 3887

Contributor: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-02-14 12:53:23

Modified: 2023-04-29 05:52:15

Abundance distribution
19 species
4 singletons
total count 672
geometric series index: 27.7
Fisher's α: 3.637
geometric series k: 0.7342
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7870
Shannon's H: 1.9724
Good's u: 0.9941
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
Register