Eating head first—When European Ice Age spotted hyenas crushed their own to pieces

Abstract

Abstract Extinct European Late Pleistocene (MIS 3‐5d) Crocuta crocuta spelaea and late Middle Pleistocene (MIS 11‐6) C. c. praespelaea and extant African spotted hyenas C. c. crocuta were/are alive and post‐mortem cannibals. 38 fossil crania and some braincases, as well as 3.097, studied Pleistocene Ice Age spotted bones from 81 European Pleistocene den sites expose many bite damages. Cranial damages correlate with the newest films about modern African spotted hyenas which cut and decompose the head first of their antagonistic female same clan leader or other clans. The skulls and jaws have repeatedly similar bite damages, whereas, at birth/natal dens, their cranial remain abundance is highest. At communal dens, Pleistocene spotted hyena carcasses were similarly decomposed—first head off antagonistic clan leading females, and further similar strategy decomposing of the legs. Large postcranial C. c. spelaea bones have three identical bone destruction stages. These damage stages are similar to those found at hyena guilt including competing carnivores such as cave bears, steppe lions, but also herbivores like horses, and even a few smaller‐sized Neanderthal long bones.

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