Otoliths as a proxy for seasonality: The case of Micropogonias furnieri from the northern coast of San Matías Gulf, Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina

FEDERICO L. SCARTASCINI; SAEZ MARGARITA; ALEJANDRA VOLPEDO

QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2015 vol. 373 p. 136 - 142

1040-6182

This article presents the preliminary results of a seasonality study on Micropogonias furnieri otoliths fromthe northern coast of the San Matías Gulf, Río Negro, Argentina. First, we analyze modern M. furnieriotoliths from a reference collection, which provides a necessary framework for assessing the viability ofthe method. Data from the modern reference collection comprise more than 360 otolith section cutsfrom fish with known capture dates that span a whole year. Second, we analyze otolith section cuts fromzooarchaeological fish remains, a total of 61 samples, collected from different archaeological sites alongthe northern coast of the San Matías Gulf, Patagonia, Argentina. Using data from the two analyses, wegenerate a strong macro-regional model of seasonality. A comparison between the modern and ancientotoliths also provides insights into the seasonality of human occupation and M. furnieri exploitationalong the Northern Río Negro coastline from the mid-to late Holocene. Our data show that M. furnierifishing activities in the area primarily took place between November and January. Application of ourmethod demonstrates its advantages and limitations for more general application in a wider range ofarchaeological studies.