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Describing Archaeological Iguana Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata: Iguanidae) Populations: Size and Skeletal Maturity
Author(s) -
Bochaton C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.2463
Subject(s) - iguana , iguanidae , squamata , osteology , archaeology , biology , cyclades , maturity (psychological) , skeleton (computer programming) , compact bone , zoology , geography , anatomy , sauria , lizard , psychology , developmental psychology
Abstract The goal of this study was to provide tools to estimate size and maturity of the archaeological Iguana specimens on the basis of their skeletal remains. To achieve this, a reference of 40 Iguana osteological specimens from different collections was used to derive size prediction equations relying on bone measurements. The sequence of fusions of skeletal elements was also observed and found to be strictly identical in all observed specimens. These observations enable the size and skeletal maturity of an archaeological specimen to be determined on the basis of an isolated bone. Such data could be valuable in zooarchaeological studies, as is demonstrated using the case of a pre‐Columbian archaeological site in the Lesser Antilles. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.