Sex and age‐biased exploitation and metric characterization of medium‐sized deer in the lower Paraná wetland, South America

LOPONTE, DANIEL; CORRIALE, MARÍA JOSÉ; MUCCIOLO, LEONARDO; ACOSTA, ALEJANDRO

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

Willey

Lugar: New Jersey; Año: 2019 vol. 29 p. 889 - 907

1047-482X

In this paper, we present an analysis of the exploitation of medium-sized deer in the Lower Paraná wetland by pre-Columbian hunter-gatherers. To achieve this goal, we developed an osteometric frame of reference for the proper identification of hunted medium-sized deer, and the sex and age of captured individuals. An analysis of thirteen archaeofaunal assemblages showed that Ozotoceros bezoarticus (?pampas deer?) was the medium-sized deer that was hunted with exclusivity. The presence of Mazama gouazoubira (?brown brocket deer?; ?gray brocket deer?), which could have been another potentially hunted medium-sized deer, is absent from the record, although this area is indicated as being its southernmost distribution range in South America. These results restrict the distribution of this species to a more northern sector of this large wetland. The hunted individuals of O. bezoarticus are all older than two years of age, and preferentially males, although some methodological bias could be influencing these results. Issues related to sex-age selectivity in capturing these animals are discussed according to the development of conservation strategies for local resources.