Hyaenids, felids and canids as bone accumulators: Does the natural history of extant species support zooarchaeological inferences?

Mammalian carnivores may be important agents of prehistoric bone accumulations. Taphonomic analyses assemblages used for specific assignment usually include information on feeding, breeding, denning and even defecating ecology extant species. Here, we review literature the Hyaenidae, Felidae Canidae families carnivores, focusing ecological behavioural traits that are commonly as criteria to assign accumulations whether these correspond present behaviour We found a total 93 records where 12 species (9 species) were considered accumulators in archaeozoological sites. Hyaenidae was group most often cited, followed by Canidae. Crocuta crocuta far cited accumulator. Most deposits assigned (84.9%) underground cavities, lesser extent non-cave (15.1%). The use sites mainly den (29.5%) or breeding (29.5%), prey depot (16.2%), feeding shelter (12.4%), hunting place (7.6%), with some remarkable differences among families. Coprolites also 53.8% cases. hyenas similar ones they dens, defecate inside them frequently accumulate remains. On other hand, though canids more recorded than felids using dens accumulating prey, latter former. only one canid (V. vulpes) felid (P. pardus) matches presumed individuals such relation scat accumulation. role remaining accumulator remains questionable due their behaviour. Therefore, many assignments accumulation based assumptions, which did not coincide natural history Our highlights absence small accumulators.