Iraq ez-Zigan (Pleistocene of Israel)

Also known as Iraq e Zigan, Rock of the Ravens, Kir 'Orvim

Where: Israel (32.8° N, 35.0° E: paleocoordinates 32.8° N, 35.0° E)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• small collection-level geographic resolution

When: Late/Upper Pleistocene (0.1 - 0.0 Ma)

• estimated age of 14.5 B.P.

Environment/lithology: terrestrial; lithology not reported

• open Mediterranean environment, rather than wooded area. Probably brought to site from birds of prey

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Collection methods: Housed at department of zoology, Hebrew university of Jerusalem

Primary reference: J. Heller. 1978. The faunal remains of Iraq e Zigan, a Late Pleistocene site on Mt. Carmel. Israel Journal of Zoology 27(1):11-19 [P. Mannion/G. Varnham]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 225667: authorized by Philip Mannion, entered by Grace Varnham on 24.05.2022

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

unclassified
  -
Gastropoda
 Heterostropha -
Jaminia saulcyi snail
shells
Jaminia borealis snail
shells
 Cerithioidea - Potamididae
Pirenella ? teilhardi horn snail
shells
 Sorbeoconcha - Cypraeidae
Cypraea sp. Linnaeus 1758 cowry
shells
 Neogastropoda - Buccinidae
Nassa sp. Röding 1798 true whelk
shells
 Neogastropoda - Columbellidae
Columbella rustica snail
shells
 Neogastropoda - Conidae
Conus sp. Linnaeus 1758 cone shell
shells
Bivalvia
 Arcida - Glycymerididae
Glycymeris sp. Da Costa 1778 clam
shells
 Cardiida - Cardiidae
"Cardium glaucum" = Cerastoderma glaucum, "Cardium edule" = Cerastoderma edule
"Cardium glaucum" = Cerastoderma glaucum Poiret 1789 cockle
shells
"Cardium edule" = Cerastoderma edule Linnaeus 1758 cockle
shells
 Carditida - Carditidae
"Cardita sulcata" = Cyclocardia (Arcturellina) sulcata Solander 1766 clam
shells
Gymnolaemata
 Cheilostomata -
Helix cavata
shells
Mammalia
 Hyracoidea - Procaviidae
Procavia capensis Pallas 1766 Cape hyrax
tooth
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Equus sp. Linnaeus 1758 horse
tooth
 Artiodactyla - Cervidae
Dama sp. Frisch 1775 fallow deer
teeth
 Artiodactyla - Bovidae
Gazella sp. Blaineville 1816 gazelle
phalanx, vertebrae
Bos primigenius Bojanus 1827 ox
tooth
 Artiodactyla - Suidae
Sus sp. Linnaeus 1758 pig
phalanx
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Martes foina Erxleben 1777 marten
mandible
 Carnivora - Canidae
Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus 1758 red fox
mandible
 Theriamorpha - Soricidae
Crocidura russula Herrmann 1780 Greater white-toothed shrew
skull and mandibles
 Rodentia - Cricetidae
Microtus guentheri Danford and Alston 1880 Günther's vole
mandibles
 Rodentia - Muridae
Apodemus mystacinus Danford and Alston 1877 Eastern broad-toothed field mouse
mandibles
Acomys cahirinus (African) spiny mice
mandibles
Meriones tristrami jird
mandibles
Mus musculus Linnaeus 1758 house mouse
mandibles
"Apodemus sylvaticus" = Mus sylvaticus Linnaeus 1758 wood mouse
mandibles
Rattus rattus Linnaeus 1758 black rat
mandibles and teeth
Spalax ehrenbergi blind mole
skulls and mandibles
Reptilia
 Squamata - Agamidae
Agama stellio squamates
multiple skull fragments
 Squamata - Lacertidae
Lacerta sp. Linnaeus 1758 squamates
mandibles
 Squamata - Anguidae
Ophisaurus apodus Pallas 1775 Armored glass lizard
left mandible
 Testudines - Testudinidae
Testudo sp. Linnaeus 1758 turtle
right hypoplastron
Amphibia
 Salientia - Pelobatidae
Pelobates syriacus Boettger 1889 Syrian spadefoot toad
2 skull fragments
Hygromia
  -
"Monacha syriaca" = Hygromia (Monacha)
"Monacha syriaca" = Hygromia (Monacha)
shells