uS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
NH
LE VAN DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE MUSEUM
Volume 56 °#Band
June 1970 Junie
Party 2 Deel
A REVIEW OF THE GEOLOGY AND
PALAEONTOLOGY OF THE PLIO/PLEISTOCENE
DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE
By
Q. B. HENDEY
With an Appendix
THE LANGEBAANWEG BOVIDAE
By
A. W. GENTRY
EMIHSONTG
AUG 1 ¢ 1970
LIBRARIES
Cape Town Kaapstad
The ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
are issued in parts at irregular intervals as material
becomes available
Obtainable from the South African Museum, P.O. Box 61, Cape Town
Die ANNALE VAN DIE SUID-AFRIKAANSE MUSEUM
word uitgegee in dele op ongereelde tye na beskikbaarheid
van stof
Verkrygbaar van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum, Posbus 61, Kaapstad
OUT OF PRINT/UIT DRUK
I, 2(1, 3» 5» 7%); 3 (1-2, 5» t.—p.1.), 5(2, 5> 7-9);
6(1, t.—p.1.), 7(1-3)5 8, (1-2), 10(1),
T0125 5> 7s t—psls) 2, 24(2), 27,5 31(1-3), 38,
44(4).
Price of this part/Prys van hierdie deel
R4.00
Trustees of the South African Museum © ‘Trustees van die Suid-Afrikaanse Museum
1970
Printed in South Africa by In Suid-Afrika gedruk deur
The Rustica Press, Pty., Ltd. Die Rustica-pers, Edms., Bpk.
Court Road, Wynberg, Cape Courtweg, Wynberg, Kaap
A REVIEW OF THE GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY OF THE
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG,
CAPE PROVINCE
By
Q. B. HENDEY
South African Museum, Cape Town
(With 4 plates, 4 figures and 3 tables)
[MS. received 24 March 1969]
With an Appendix
THE LANGEBAANWEG BOVIDAE
By
A. W. GENTRY
British Museum (Natural History), London
[MS. received 22 May 1969]
CONTENTS
PAGE PAGE
Introduction : 75 The fauna from ‘E’ Quarry . . 98
The geology of the Deanecbanew eg deposits 76 The dating of the Langebaanweg ae 103
The ‘E’ Quarry deposits é 80 Palaeontological evidence 4 103
The ‘C’ Quarry deposits : mod: Geological evidence d : . 106
The Baard’s Quarry deposits . - 85 Conclusion j : 4 d . 109
Fossil concentrations in the deposits . 86 Summary . , : ‘ Sete
The Langebaanweg faunal assemblages . 88 eee ents d 2 3 .' TEI
The fauna from Baard’s Quarry . 93 References : . : : py) Lest
The fauna from ‘C’ arr and Appendix . : 5 : : Su Tele
adjacent areas : 96
INTRODUCTION
The remains of Quaternary vertebrates, especially mammals, have been
recovered at numerous places in the south-western Cape Province, and while
the majority of these occurrences have yielded only a limited number of
specimens, there are four sites from which substantial quantities of material
have come, viz. Langebaanweg, Elandsfontein (Hopefield), Melkbos and
Swartklip (fig. 1).
The best known of these sites is that on the farm ‘Elandsfontein’ near
Hopefield. From this site have come the ‘Saldanha’ hominid skull (see Oakley
& Campbell (1967) for references), and numerous other vertebrate fossils, many
of which have already been described. The greater part of this faunal assemblage
Ue
Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 56 (2), 1970: 75-117, 4 plates, 4 figs, 3 tables.
76 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
is said to be associated with an Acheulian (Early Stone Age) industry (Singer &
Wymer, 1968).
Preliminary reports on the faunas from Swartklip and Melkbos have
recently appeared (Hendey & Hendey, 1968; Hendey, 1968). The Melkbos
fauna is probably associated with a Middle Stone Age industry, and while that
from Swartklip has no certain cultural associations, it is considered to be more
recent in age. These three faunas date from the latter part of the Quaternary.
Additions to the South African Museum’s collection of Quaternary fossils
have increased considerably in recent years, and it is from Langebaanweg that
the greatest number of fossils, representing the greatest variety of animals, have
been recovered. Additional interest in this assemblage is created by the fact
that it predates other known occurrences in the region.
The importance of the Langebaanweg deposits to vertebrate palaeontology
was first recognized more than a decade ago, and since then several publications
dealing with the site have appeared (Singer & Hooijjer, 1958; Singer, 1961;
Boné & Singer, 1965, etc.). It is one of the richest fossil occurrences of its kind
in southern Africa, and since the fossiliferous deposits are associated with a
marine transgression, it may be possible to relate them to similar deposits
elsewhere in the world, and consequently to date them on this basis. Hitherto
geological dating of the major Quaternary fossil sites of southern Africa has
been insecure, since they are not readily related in geological terms to sites
elsewhere in the world. Future studies at Langebaanweg could conceivably
provide a chronological standard by which other local deposits might be dated,
for example, the South African australopithecine breccias, which are probably
of the same order of age.
The Langebaanweg fauna includes a minimum of 60 distinct mammalian
types, which belong to at least 11 different orders. The remains of cartilaginous
and bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds have also been recovered. Some
invertebrates are recorded, and pollens are known to be present in the deposits.
The fossils occur in a complex association of marine, deltaic, fluviatile and
terrestrial sediments, which are in places superbly exposed by commercial
quarrying operations.
In view of the acknowledged importance of the Langebaanweg sites, it is
the purpose of this paper to summarize the results of studies undertaken on
them to date. It is hoped that this report will stimulate an even wider interest
in the research potential of these sites, since there is a very obvious need for the
talents of qualified specialists to be applied to the many unanswered problems
relating to them.
THE GEOLOGY OF THE LANGEBAANWEG DEPposITs
Langebaanweg is situated approximately 32°58’ South, 18°9’ East, in the
Sandveld region* of the south-western Cape Province. It is some 105 kilometres
north-north-west of Cape Town, and 15 kilometres inland from Saldanha Bay
* See Talbot, 1947.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE Wil
ST HELENA
BAY
xX LANGEBAANWEG
7
SALDANHA
BAY
x ELANDSFONTEIN
ATLANTIC
MELKBOS-.
G
CAPE TOWN
XSWARTKLIP
0 10 20
KILOMETRES
Fig. 1. Location of the principal Plio/Pleistocene fossil sites in the south-western Cape Province.
78 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
(figs 1 and 2). The prospecting and mining of phosphate by the African Metals
Corporation Limited (AMCOR) has revealed the existence of extensive
fossiliferous deposits on subdivisions of the farm ‘Langeberg’, west of
Langebaanweg station.
The Sandveld is underlain by largely unconsolidated Tertiary and
Quaternary sediments. The Tertiary is not represented by distinct stratigraphic
units, since sub-aerial and marine processes during the Quaternary have altered
earlier features in the deposits. Some undoubted Tertiary fossils have been
recovered from deposits in the Sandveld; for example, shark’s teeth of the
species Carcharodon megalodon are known from the Cape Flats, near Cape Town.
The three principal sites at Langebaanweg from which fossils have been
recovered are Baard’s, ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarries (fig. 2). Mining operations are
presently being carried out only in ‘E’ Quarry, and it is from this site that the
largest number of fossils have been recovered, and also for which the best
geological records exist. The deposits mined in ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarries are referred
to as the “Varswater ore-body’, and are quite distinct from those in the Baard’s
Quarry area. The superficial appearance and physical character of the Vars-
water and Baard’s Quarry deposits differ markedly. Detailed studies on their
characteristics (grain size and shape, mineralogy, microfossils, etc.) have not
yet been undertaken, and additional information from controlled excavations
in the ‘C’ and Baard’s Quarry areas is required to supplement existing records.
Consequently it is not possible at present to speak with complete conviction on
the origin and history of the deposits, and the observations and conclusions
which follow are necessarily of a provisional nature.
It is concluded from a study of all the available information that the main
body of vertebrate fossils was originally deposited in a single geological forma-
tion. At Varswater this formation comprises a bed of deltaic sediments which
includes a basal marine biostratigraphic zone overlain by sediments in which
the remains of terrestrial vertebrates predominate. The ‘deltaic’ sediments may
be estuarine and/or lagoonal in part, and in the lower levels almost certainly
include some sands which accumulated sub-aerially near the mouth of the
river. These deposits are taken to comprise a single unit, and are referred to as
the ‘Varswater bed’. An horizon of fluviatile sediments tentatively associated
with the Varswater bed is present in the Baard’s Quarry area, and may also
extend beneath this bed in the Varswater area. Since the fluviatile horizon is
only definitely recorded on the Langberg subdivision of the farm Langeberg,
it is referred to as the ‘Langberg bed’. These two units together are referred to
as the ‘Langebaanweg beds’ (table 1; fig. 2).
In the ‘E’ Quarry area the Varswater bed attains its greatest vertical
development of about 23 metres. ‘C’ Quarry is situated on the western fringes
of the Varswater bed, where there may possibly have been some post-
depositional disturbance of the bed by a later marine incursion. In the Baard’s
Quarry area the Langberg bed has been much disturbed by later erosion, and
relatively little of its inferred original thickness remains.
79
‘eare 9Y} UT potajzUNOsUD s}Isodap oy} JO UOTIDIS-sso1D asIaASUI} poyT{duns ev puv ‘sotiienb ayeydsoyd samuveqosury] oy} Jo uoNLoo] IY, °S “SIT
“saulaw
NI
gHOSt, 4 N300002 ee ee eS WEOeE! NOILWAa1a
0
TSAVED SVB F:
Ogee es ey oz
a8 O¥SEONVI a gag UaLVAASUVA
ig ov
ea ce aaa a>Vvs"ns
see ae feet Gia 5¥aa9NV7 4O a>VvdUNS TVNIDIO ¢
09
[es
sou tan 000b 0007 0 SAULAWG7:S] = TVAYZLNI YNOLNOD S3NIT AVAATIVY ~~ _ SQVOU IWdlINIYd
b\' S7-S1
ary
7
DIMNVVEIONV 1S eA
“ Auuwndi 2
_7 sauvva
oe
4 IS
cy
7 (eZ
4 ~
or) een eo
4 at
¢ MS
= 2 DunaNnagayA of 2S ==
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE
80 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
TABLE I
STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS LITHOLOGY FOSSILS
Aeolian sands,
calcrete, ferricrete Terrestrial molluscs
Surface bed ’ & ‘surface’ and vertebrates
quartzite
Terrestrial Mainly
Lange- Varswater bed Langberg bed | Sands Sandy- | & marine terres-
baanweg / clay vertebrates trial
beds ys verte-
oie ye brates
a eo Basal Sand Marine
ee ges gravel forms
os nae predominate
THE ‘E’? QUARRY DEPOSITS
The fossiliferous deltaic deposits in “E’ Quarry are made up largely of fairly
well sorted unconsolidated sands, in which occasional patches of clay and
sandstone are present. The clay has been found to incorporate plant remains,
and it has been suggested by J. Wymer in an unpublished report that it was
formed on vegetated areas within the river estuary, or on its periphery. On the
other hand, some or all of it may have been washed into the delta area attached
to clumps of floating vegetation. Whatever its history, it does not constitute a
significant element in the sediments, and contains few vertebrate fossils. There
are distinct traces of current bedding in the deposit, but this is now much
distorted, probably owing to the plasticity of the originally waterlogged
sediments (J. Wymer, unpublished report). There are no obvious discon-
formities within the deposits, and although colour differences are not uncommon
the limits of these are seldom distinct, there being gradual changes from one
colour to the next.
Underlying the sands, and apparently conformable with them, is an
horizon from which have been recovered internal casts of marine molluscs,
shark’s teeth, remains of bony fish and fragments of rolled bone from large
vertebrates. These fossils occur in a fine-grained light-coloured silty clay, in
which pebbles and boulders of phosphatic rock are also incorporated. The only
other lithic elements are occasional silt-stone cobbles and pebbles, and quartz
pebbles. This horizon is herein referred to as the ‘basal gravel’ of the Varswater
bed. It includes part, or perhaps all of the marine biostratigraphic zone referred
to earlier.
Most of the vertebrate fossils from ‘E’ Quarry have come from the 2 to
3 metres of deposit immediately overlying the basal gravel. While isolated
specimens have been recovered at all levels, several pockets of concentration
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 81
have been encountered. Such occurrences have yielded astonishing quantities
of material, mainly microfauna. Two of them (No. 1 and No. 12/1968) lie
approximately one metre above the basal gravel in a fine-grained clayey sand.
The fossils were found in greatest profusion in horizontal bands only a few
centimetres thick. They gradually diminish in quantity below these horizons,
but there is a sharp decrease above them. The horizontal spread has yet to be
determined, but it appears to be fairly limited in both cases. Remains of several
larger mammals (bovids, a viverrid, etc.) occur in association with those of
Selachii, Teleostei, Anura, Lacertilia, Ophidia, Chelonia, Aves and small
mammals such as soricids, a chrysochlorid, a macroscelidid, a leporid and at
least a dozen different species of rodent. The remains, which comprise many
thousands of bones, complete and partially complete toothed elements, and
isolated teeth, do not appear to include articulated elements of skeletons. The
most commonly represented terrestrial vertebrate is a golden mole (cf. Chryso-
chloris sp.), the remains of at least 721 individuals having been recovered from
No. 12/1968, and a further 129 from No. 1/1968. Similar concentrations have
been recovered at higher levels, but none with the same quantity of fossils or
variety of animals. Even within concentrations at the same level the faunal
content varies. For example, macroscelidids are more commonly represented
at site No. 12/1968 than at No. 1/1968, while aquatic animals are relatively less
abundant.
The basal gravel reaches a maximum recorded elevation of 29:5 metres in
the north-west corner of ‘E’ Quarry, and slopes away to the south and west.
The limits of its horizontal extent are uncertain, and it may be more widespread
than is shown by existing records. It is variably developed, and may in fact be
discontinuous. The maximum elevation of the top of the deltaic deposits is at
approximately 51 metres east of ‘E’? Quarry. Owing to the nature of the available
records, this figure may be a little high, but the actual maximum is certainly in
the region of 50 metres. The surface of the Varswater bed also slopes away to
the south and west, roughly parallelling the basal gravel where it is present. The
horizontal dispersal and a north-east to south-west transverse section of the
Varswater bed show it to be in an almost classic deltaic form, and indicates that
the river flowed into the area from the east and north-east (fig. 2). The river
concerned was probably a precursor of the present Great Berg River, which
today flows into the sea in St. Helena Bay (fig. 1).
The present topography does not follow that of the surface of the Varswater
bed to a very marked degree.
The Varswater bed is overlain by an accumulation of terrestrial deposits,
which vary in depth from about 2 to 40 metres and more. These deposits
consist mainly of unconsolidated aeolian sands in which is developed at least
one horizon of calcrete and calcareous sand. Shells of terrestrial molluscs have
been recovered from these deposits, which are herein referred to as the ‘surface
beds’. Since they are not as obviously fossiliferous as the Varswater bed, little
attention has been paid to them. However, during 1965, while a pipeline was
82 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
being laid in the area between ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarries, some fragmentary remains
of large terrestrial vertebrates (including Ceratotherium) were recovered, and
these apparently came from the surface beds. A fragmented Libytherum skull
from a prospect pit (“Sivathere pit’) near ‘C’ Quarry may also have come from
the surface beds.
It is concluded that the Varswater bed accumulated during a marine
transgression. The question of whether this transgression is related to epeirogenic
or to eustatic phenomena will be discussed later.
The regrading of the ‘Langebaanweg River’ during this transgression must
have resulted in substantial quantities of detritus being deposited in its lower
reaches, since much of its course was across the unconsolidated arenaceous
sediments of the Sandveld. Silting of the river channel probably occurred from
time to time, resulting in localized changes in the direction of flow and the
spread of sediments at its mouth over a fairly wide area. Sand-bars and sand-
spits probably formed and reformed throughout this period, and there may
even have been a barrier beach and lagoon in existence at times. Consequently
some of the Varswater bed may have been laid down in an estuarine and/or
lagoonal environment, while other parts were originally exposed as land
surfaces and subsequently covered by the transgressing sea.
The remains of birds and aquatic animals in the deposits are readily
explained, since their death in water could easily have led to their being
incorporated in the accumulating sediments. The presence of the remains of
terrestrial vertebrates may be accounted for in a number of ways. Some of those
animals which lived near the river mouth may have been driven into the
estuary by predators and fires, or merely have been incorporated in terrestrial
deposits which were subsequently covered by the rising sea. Others may have
been washed into the estuary by the river, and as complete or near complete
carcasses they could have floated into the area of deposition of the fine sedi-
mentary fraction (J. Wymer, unpublished report). This factor has some bearing
on the postulated presence of a river, since without a river supplying carcasses
of terrestrial vertebrates, it is difficult to account for their quantity and variety
at the levels in which they occur.
The occurrence of fossils in a fine-grained deltaic deposit precludes the
possibility of the admixture of fossils derived from pre-existing deposits. If any
derived elements are present in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage, then they may be
expected to occur only with those fossils recovered from the basal gravel. The
only rolled fossils from ‘E’ Quarry have, in fact, come from the basal gravel,
although partially abraded specimens from the fine-grained deposits are not
uncommon, for instance an almost complete skull of an alcelaphine is perfectly
preserved except for an abraded area in the occipital region. It is suggested
that the skull was partially buried in sediment and that the exposed part was
abraded by sand-charged waters flowing over it (fig. 3).
There have been indications of fossils in the fine-grained sediments
occurring as complete or partially complete skeletons although the majority
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 83
PROBABLE DIRECTION OF FLOW |
? ABRADED BONE
WATER 6)
mm
Fig. 3. Sketch of a partially abraded bovid skull showing the suggested way in which abrasion
of the occipital region took place.
occur as isolated and incompletely preserved elements. Even if most of the
fossils reached the river mouth as parts of complete carcasses, there must have
been many factors militating against preservation of the entire skeletons of such
carcasses.
The suggested ways in which animals came to be incorporated in the
deposits adequately accounts for the manner in which their remains are
dispersed in the sediments. Deposition of the upper layers of the deltaic deposits
must have taken place away from the river mouth, and there would have been
a progressive decrease in the number of carcasses deposited as the distance from
the river mouth increased. Similarly old land surfaces near the river mouth on
which animal remains may have accumulated, can in most areas only be
expected in the lower levels of the bed, since they would have become deeply
buried by the accumulating sediments. Consequently, it is to be expected that
the upper layers of the Varswater bed would be relatively poorly fossiliferous,
which is, in fact, the case. The concentration of marine fossils in the basal
gravel is probably due to the effects of wave action in an_inter-tidal
zone. Similar conditions would not normally prevail in the area of
deposition of the higher levels of the deltaic facies. Consequently, while the
remains of marine animals do occur in the higher levels they are in no way
concentrated.
84 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
THE “C’ QUARRY DEPOSITS
Geological records for the ‘C’ Quarry area are very incomplete, and since
mining in this quarry has now ceased there are no good exposures available to
study. There are known to be differences between the ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarry
deposits, and the condition of the fossils recovered at these two sites is also
sometimes different. There is one record of terrestrial vertebrates having come
from below an horizon containing a concentration of marine fossils (Pit 3,
Dick’s Face; see figure 4). Although it has not been convincingly demonstrated
that this marine biostratigraphic zone is the same as that exposed at the base of
‘E’ Quarry, there are no good reasons for supposing that they are distinct. It is
tentatively concluded that the fossiliferous deposits underlying the marine
biostratigraphic zone in ‘C’ Quarry are from a westward extension of the
Langberg bed, and are therefore probably broadly contemporaneous with the
fossils from the overlying Varswater bed. The Pit 3 fossils are dark coloured,
and in this respect are similar to the fossils from the Langberg bed at Baard’s
Quarry. The possibility that both the Langberg and Varswater beds were
exposed in ‘QC’ Quarry would account for the fact that part of the fossil
assemblage resembles that from
Baard’s Quarry (i.e. dark col-
oured), while the remainder
resembles the ‘E’ Quarry fossils
(i.e. light coloured).
The Pit 3 terrestrial fossils
constitute one of the more
remarkable associations of
material at Langebaanweg. At
Surface elevation approx. 30m
Quarry floor
(approx. 76m below surface)
a
I
1
1
|
1
|
|
|
1
i
1
|
1
Light-coloured sand
Sand, grit & pebb
Cobbles & boulders
of phosphate rock
es
Horizons with
Te fossils
(?)
VARSWATER BED
least ten more or less complete
tortoise carapaces were found
heaped together and cemented
by an extremely hard, phos-
phatic matrix. They may repre-
sent a natural accumulation,
Sand with patches but no entirely satisfactory
of iron staining :
co) AE aoe ee explanation has yet been
Fine-grained light - advanced as to the manner in
Coloureds sand which this could have occur-
Tortoise :
coropaces red. In view of the unusual
fossil concentrations encoun-
tered at sites No. 1 and No.
Fig. 4. Sketch section of Pit 3, Dick’s Face in ‘C’ Quarry,
showing a marine biostratigraphic zone overlying an
occurrence of
terrestrial
fossils. (Information:
R. D. Warren)
12/1968 in ‘E’ Quarry, the Pit
3 discovery is of more than
passing interest in the question
of the ways in which the
Langebaanweg fossils came to
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 85
be deposited. This is yet another aspect of the Langebaanweg deposits which
needs to be studied more thoroughly.
There is undoubtedly a close relationship between the deposits in ‘C’ and
‘E’ Quarries, and the greater parts of their fossil assemblages are probably
contemporaneous. However, until such time as the ‘C’ Quarry succession is
re-exposed for study, it is considered preferable to treat its fossils separately.
THE BAARD’S QUARRY DEPOSITS
Baard’s Quarry is situated some 2°5 kilometres east of ‘E’ Quarry and a
little over 3 kilometres from ‘C’ Quarry, and is separated from these sites by a
low ridge (fig. 2). The deposits in this area differ significantly from those in the
other quarries, and the fossils are usually quite distinctive in physical appear-
ance. Many show signs of rolling, all are stained a dark brownish colour, they
tend to be very fragmented and there are no known instances of several parts of
the same skeleton having been found together. Apart from a few fragmentary
pinniped remains, no marine fossils have been recovered from Baard’s Quarry.
The surface beds in this area average about 1 metre in thickness and are
made up of loose aeolian sands, discontinuously developed horizons of calcrete,
and an horizon of nodular ferricrete and blocky quartzite. The ferricrete
contains phosphate and is often referred to as “‘phoscrete’. The quartzite has
clearly formed 2 situ, but is quite unlike the other ‘surface silcretes’ which occur
elsewhere in the Sandveld. Since the calcrete, ferricrete and quartzite post-date
the main period of fossil accumulation, a discussion on their origin and history
is excluded from this report.
The underlying Langberg bed is made up essentially of a sandy-clay. It has
a maximum recorded elevation of about 33 metres, and at about 30 metres
above sea-level it grades into a pure sand. No ‘basal gravel’ is recorded in the
Baard’s Quarry area. It is concluded that this bed represents a remaining part
of the fluviatile deposits with which the deltaic deposits at Varswater were
associated. The inferred course of the ‘Langebaanweg River’, and the respective
elevations of the deposits in the two areas lends support to this conclusion.
It is suggested that during the marine regression which followed the period
when the Langebaanweg beds were laid down, the ‘Langebaanweg River’
began cutting through the Langberg bed, and perhaps also the eastern fringes
of the Varswater bed. At the same time, or perhaps even earlier, the course of
the river changed and it met the sea south-east and eventually south-south-east
of ‘E’ Quarry. Ultimately it carved out the wide and remarkably flat plain on
which Baard’s Quarry, Langebaanweg station and the nearby South African
Air Force base are located. It then changed course again and, as it does today,
flowed into the sea north of the area under consideration. The upper levels of
the Langberg bed are incised by small channels, one of which was intersected
during controlled excavations undertaken in this area during 1965 (Hendey,
1965). Similar minor drainage channels leading into the main river channel
can be seen today on the present floodplain of the Great Berg River.
86 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
The 1965 excavations revealed that a concentration of fossils occurs in the
ferricrete and quartzite horizon immediately overlying the Langberg bed. The
fossils clearly predate these formations since they have been found embedded
in the quartzite and encrusted with ferricrete. It is suggested that they were
concentrated on the surface of the floodplain as the river eroded away finer
detritus. Much of the original assemblage must have been lost during this
period of erosion, and that part remaining was significantly affected in both
physical condition and composition. More than 90% of the Baard’s Quarry
assemblage is made up of unidentifiable bone fragments, mainly of larger
vertebrates. The reverse is true of the ‘E’ Quarry fossils, where only a relatively
small proportion are not identifiable, and where small vertebrates are well
represented. At least some of the distinctive characteristics of the Baard’s
Quarry fossils may be due to the different environment in which they originally
accumulated. This must also have some bearing on the faunal types represented,
as, for example, the lack of marine forms.
If old river channels were intersected during mining at Baard’s Quarry,
then derived elements may be mixed in the assemblage. Furthermore, if the
post-depositional history of the deposits has been correctly interpreted, it is
possible that the assemblage includes elements which date from the subsequent
period of marine regression. Even later elements from the surface bed may be
mixed with the assemblage. For these reasons, and also since the geological
associations of the Langberg and Varswater beds are not conclusively proven,
the Baard’s Quarry fauna is treated as a separate unit.
Fosst. CONCENTRATIONS IN THE DEPOSITS
Concentrations of fossils at certain levels may be the result of greater
numbers of animals being washed in at times when the river was in flood. This
suggestion, however, does not satisfactorily account for other concentrations,
such as the two specifically referred to earlier (p. 80). The association of the
remains of hundreds of fossorial and other terrestrial mammals, fish (catfish,
and other smaller forms), frogs, reptiles and birds in horizons of which less than
one square metre has been exposed in each case, suggest a mode of concentration
other than that brought about by normal geophysical agencies.
The specimens recovered at both site No. 1/1968 and at site No. 12/1968
are remarkably well preserved. Although no articulated skeletons or parts
thereof were observed, individual skeletal components, including toothed
elements, tended to be intact. The loss of incisors from rodent mandibles, and
individual teeth from mandibles and maxillae was apparently largely due to the
method of collection. None of the specimens recovered show definite signs of
having been transported by water or wind, and the impression gained was that
they lay at or very near the place where they were dropped.
Several possibilities were considered in attempting to account for the
rigin of these fossil concentrations.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 87
If they represent the dietary residue of a bird or mammal, then it appears
that a predator rather than a scavenger was responsible. The remains of the
fossorial chrysochlorid would not normally be available to scavengers, and they
are the most abundantly represented animal in both the No. 1 and No. 12
assemblages. The possibility that they were exposed to scavengers after having
been driven from their subterranean habitat and then overcome by bush-fires
was considered, but then dismissed on the grounds that bush-fires could not
have been responsible for the actual death of animals in the assemblages
(vide infra).
The variety of animals represented in the concentrations excludes many
predators from the list of possibilities. Birds or mammals with habits similar to
the extant fishing owl (Scotopelia peli) and the water mongoose (Atilax paludinosus)
are the more likely possibilities, since they prey on a wide variety of small
aquatic and terrestrial animals. On the basis of the variety and relative numbers
of animals present in the assemblages, the creature most likely to have been
responsible would be one which actually preys on small terrestrial vertebrates,
but which merely scavenges any available remains of aquatic forms and larger
terrestrial animals. From site No. 12 a number of the larger bone fragments
recovered show signs of post-mortem damage in the form of punctate marks
and flaking. This could result from the chewing of the bone by a carnivore, and
one of the pieces in question shows small striations on its surface which could
be the toothmarks of a medium-sized carnivore.
It is perhaps significant that certain of the smaller Carnivora, such as the
African civet (Viverra civetta) and the yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) use
specific spots for excretion (Maberly, 1967), and in such places indigestible
materials build up. It is possible that the accumulations in question developed
in this way, but since a high proportion of the microfaunal limb-bones are
preserved intact, any animal which excreted them would have had to be of
large size, and there is no large carnivore known to the writer which habitually
preys on such a variety of small animals. Furthermore the bones do not appear
to have passed through a digestive tract.
The possibility that the fossil concentrations represent the residue of an
accumulation of regurgitated owl pellets requires further consideration. This
explanation was used to account for microfaunal concentrations in the austra-
lopithecine breccias of the Transvaal (De Graaff, 1960). In the present
instance owl pellets accumulating below a roosting place in a tree may have
become associated with occasional remains of larger animals from another
source.
One further possibility was inconclusively investigated. In a discussion of
a hominid living-floor in Bed 1 at Olduvai Gorge (FLK NNI) Leakey
(1963) states that,
‘On this floor there are fossil remains of many tortoises, a number of cat
fish and also tilapia, together with some large mammals and many smaller
ones’.
88 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
While the physical appearance of the Langebaanweg accumulations is not
necessarily the same as those found on the Olduvai living-floors, the range of
faunal types represented, and apparently their relative numbers are similar.
The Langebaanweg accumulations may also represent middens on hominid
occupation sites. The post-mortem damage to the larger bone fragments which
was referred to earlier could as well result from hominid activity. Perhaps the
most convincing indications of artificial interference to bone is shown by a
series of tortoise carapace fragments recovered at site No. 12. Out of the many
hundreds of carapace fragments recovered, eight show signs of abraded surfaces.
Their appearance is quite distinct from similar pieces of carapace recovered
from the basal gravel of ‘E’ Quarry, which show the effects of water action. They
are also quite distinct from carapace fragments which have suffered sand-
blasting at the later Pleistocene surface site at Melkbos near Cape Town.
The possibility that they are hominid artefacts has been suggested but not
substantiated. Utilized bone fragments are known from Oldowan living-floors
at Olduvai Gorge (Leakey, 1967) and from the Makapansgat and Sterkfontein
australopithecine breccias (Dart, 1957; Robinson, 1959).
An interesting feature of the No. 1 and No. 12 assemblages is that they
include a significant amount of burnt bone. Since fish and bird bones show
signs of charring, as well as those of terrestrial and amphibious animals, it is
improbable that the burning resulted from animals having been caught in bush
fires. There is no apparent pattern to the burning, various skeletal elements of
nearly every faunal type represented are affected.
The presence of burnt bone at a site with proven associations with an
advanced hominid can be readily interpreted as a further indication of hominid
activity. However, all the evidence points to the Langebaanweg fossils being of
considerable antiquity (vide infra), and this conclusion cannot at present be
accepted without reservations.
While conclusive proof of hominid associations with the Langebaanweg
fossils is lacking, there are for the first time indications of such an association.
THE LANGEBAANWEG FAUNAL ASSEMBLAGES
The most recently published faunal lists for the Langebaanweg sites (Bone
& Singer, 1965; Hendey, 1968) were considerably revised during 1968.
Although only a limited number of genera and species have so far been positively
identified, the present provisional faunal list (table 2) does serve to illustrate the
great variety of forms which have been encountered.
Representatives of all extant classes of vertebrates, except Agnatha, have
now been recognized. Mammalia are the best represented group. Certain of
the mammalian orders have received more attention than others, and so the list
as it stands is subject to radical revision. The non-mammalian groups are less
well represented and are virtually unstudied. While new forms will undoubtedly
continue to be discovered, it is considered probable that the present list will be
most altered in the foreseeable future by the substitution of positive diagnoses
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 89
TABLE 2
Provisional list of the vertebrate fauna from the principal Quaternary fossil sites of the south-
western Cape Province (October, 1969)
* Genera and/or species which are extinct. Other extinct forms are probably included under
the unclassified or incompletely classified types.
Note:
The Bovidae from Elandsfontein are listed on
the basis of a preliminary
survey carried out by Dr. & Mrs. A. W. Gentry (British Museum (Natural History), London).
Class CHO NDRICHTHYES
Several selachian and batoidean species .
Class OSTEICHTHYES
Several teleostean species
Class AMPHIBIA
At least one anuran species
Class REPTILIA
Order CHELONIA
At least three species ..
Order SQUAMATA
Several lacertid and ophidian species
Class AVES
Struthio australis
*Struthio sp. ..
Spheniscid
Several other species
Class MAMMALIA
Order MENOTYPHLA
Family Macroscelididae
Elephantulus sp.
Order LYPOTYPHLA
Family Soricidae
cf. Suncus sp.
Incertae sedis =e
Family Chrysochloridae
cf. Chrysochloris sp.
Order PRIMATES
Family Cercopithecidae
*Simopithecus oswaldi hopefieldensis
Family Hominidae
* Homo sapiens rhodesiensis . .
Order PHOLIDOTA
Manis sp. ..
Order CARNIVORA
Family Canidae
*Canis sp. ..
* Incertae sedis
LANGEBAANWEG
WETS Le RP
F a
Pal ~ 5 Zz A,
% a4 io ro) 5
4 % em 6 7
s s oa a a ce
a] 2 | A 4 Z
i Ke < fy S 2
{ea}
x x
x x
x
xX x x xX x x
x Xx x x
x x x
oS
x
x x
x
x
Xx
x x
x
x
x
x
jeye)
ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
* Incertae sedis
Canis mesomelas
*Canis mesomelas s.sp. (?)
*Incertae sedis
Vulpes sp. .. ae
*Tycaon pictus magnus
Lycaon pictus
Family Ursidae
Subfamily Agriothertinae
* Incertae sedis
Family Mustelidae
*Incertae sedis
* Enhydriodon africanus
Mellivora capensis ..
* Aonyx sp.
Family Viverridae
*Incertae sedis as o6
*Incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
*cf. Suricata sp.
Herpestes ichneumon
Family Hyaenidae
* Hyaena cf. namaquensis
* Incertae sedis
Hyaena cf. brunnea
Hyaena brunnea
*Crocuta crocuta spelaea
Family Felidae
Subfamily Felinae
Felis aff. caracal
Felis serval ..
Felis cf. libyca
Panthera leo .
*Panthera leo aff. spelaea
Subfamily Machairodontinae
*cf. Machairodus sp.
* Megantereon cf. gracile
Felidae— Jncertae sedis
*Incertae sedis
* Dinofelis sp.
* Incertae sedis
CARNIVORA— Incertae sedis .
Order PINNIPEDIA
*Incertae sedis
Arctocephalus pusillus (?)
Order TUBULIDENTATA
Orycteropus cf. afer
LANGEBAANWEG
AL aN CNOA
eee
> >» S Z
Bi 8 lS lies
A fe)
Sg Ss (eae
oy oy E z mi
eS * ay
je Oo < 4
“ ws ss rea) =
x
x cf.
x
x
x
x
x
<<
cf. x
x
x
x
x
x x
x x
x
Xx Xx
x
xX
Ge
x x
x x
xX
x
x
%
x x x
SWARTKLIP
cf.
Xx
PLIO /PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE QI
LANGEBAANWEG
|
ELANDSFONTEIN
BAARD’S QUARRY
MELKBOS
SWARTKLIP
| | ff | |
Order PROBOSCIDEA
Family Gomphotheriidae
* Anancus sp. : ae He x @ ie
Family Elephantidae
*Incertae sedis (‘Stegolophodon’) .. x ? x
*° Archidiskodon’ broomi .. a x
*‘Toxodonta’ zulu .. ve é0 x
Loxodonta africana . . ae sie x
Order PERISSODACTYLA
Family Rhinocerotidae
*Diceros aff. bicornis st Be x ? ?
* Diceros sp. a0 50 58 x
Diceros bicornis
Ceratotherium simum
Family Equidae
* Hipparion albertense baardi 56 >< x x
* Equus cf. helmet
* Equus sp.
* Equus plicatus
Equus sp. 50 a6 oie
Equus sp. .. ae ae 5% x
Order ARTIODACTYLA
Family Suidae
*Incertae sedis we ae an x ?
* Incertae sedis es ae a5 »<
* Mesochoerus paiceae \ Probably
* Mesochoerus lategani { conspecific
* Tapinochoerus meadows
Family Hippopotamidae
Hippopotamus amphibius
Family Giraffidae
*Libytherium olduvaiense .. ye x x x
*Giraffa cf. gracilis x ar x
Family Bovidae
Tribe Tragelaphini
* Tragelaphus aff. angasit .. x
* Tragelaphus strepsiceros aff. agar x
* Tragelaphus strepsiceros s.sp. ue x x
* Taurotragus aff. oryx .. ie x
Taurotragus oryx .. “he ane Xx Xx
Tribe Bovini
* Incertae sedis ae ae dc x
*Homotoceras cf. bainit .. we x
* Syncerus sp. Re 56 ae x
Tribe Boselaphini
*? Tragocerus sp. of sie x
Tribe Reduncini
* Kobus sp. aye ae aD x
x xX
x
x X
x Xx
x xX X X
x
x
~~
x
92 Si ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM —
* Redunca cf. ancystrocera
Redunca aff. arundinum
Tribe Hippotragini
* Hippotragus sp. Ms
* Hippotragus gigas a
* Hippotragus cf. leucophaeus
Tribe Alcelaphini
* Incertae sedis a
* >? Parmularius angusticornis
* Incertae sedis
* ? Beatragus sp.
*? Damaliscus niro
* Incertae sedis
* Megalotragus eucornutus
* Connochaetes sp.
cf. Connochaetes sp.
Tribe Neotragini
*cf. Madoqua sp.
*cf. Raphicerus sp.
* Raphicerus sp.
Raphicerus sp.
Tribe Antilopini
*Gazella sp.
*Gazella sp. :
**Gazella’ cf. wellsi
* Antidorcas cf. marsupialis
* Antidorcas marsupialis australis
Bovidae— Incertae sedis
* Incertae sedis
*Incertae sedis
Order LAGOMORPHA
Lepus cf. capensis
Order RODENTIA
Family Bathyergidae
Incertae sedis
Bathyergus suillus
Georychus cf. capensis
Family Hystricidae
Hystrix cf. africae-australis
Family Muridae
Otomys cf. saundersiae
Parotomys cf. brantsi
Several other species
RODENTIA — Incertae sedis
Several species
Order CETACEA
*Incertae sedis
LANGEBAANWEG
TS
>
is
a
> >
a) a >
% o oe
5 S ws
Q Q a
‘a O si
wS 7 a
x
x
x
x
x
x
x ? x
x
x
x
x
x
ELANDSFONTEIN
xx x CX
x
MELKBOS
SWARTKLIP
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 93
for the tentative identifications and by the classification of forms in those groups
which are as yet unstudied (e.g. Rodentia).
Since most of the fossils from Langebaanweg now in the South African
Museum’s collections were recovered by quarry workers, and owing to the
nature of the commercial quarrying operations, the specimens are, in general,
rather fragmentary. Consequently even detailed studies will not result in
positive identifications of all specimens. The future recovery of more and better
specimens of those forms now poorly represented may alter this situation.
THE FAUNA FROM BAARD’S QUARRY
In spite of the fact that the Baard’s Quarry assemblage numbers many
thousands of specimens, the amount of identifiable material is limited. The first
fossil from Langebaanweg to be described came from this site (Singer & Hooyer,
1958). This was an incomplete upper molar ascribed to the genus Stegolophodon.
The greater part of the Hipparion assemblage from Langebaanweg described
by Boné & Singer (1965) came from Baard’s Quarry.
The only other previously described specimen from this site is a giraffid
astragalus (S.A.M. 11715), which was mentioned in an appendix to a paper on
African giraffids (Singer & Boné, 1960).
In the Langebaanweg faunal list given by Boné & Singer (1965) no
distinction was made between the material from ‘C’ and Baard’s Quarries, but
most of the material recovered at that time had in fact come from the latter site.
The most notable exceptions are the Selachii, all of which were from ‘C’ Quarry.
Class REPTILIA
Order CHELONIA
Chelonian remains are far less common in the Baard’s Quarry assemblage
than they are in those from ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarries. They are notable only because
they include a fragment of carapace belonging to an aquatic form. All the other
chelonian remains from this and the other quarries belong apparently to a single
genus of terrestrial tortoise.
Mr. Roger C. Wood, of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard,
recently examined some of the Langebaanweg chelonian material and the
results of his study are to be published elsewhere.
Class MAMMALIA
Order CARNIVORA
This group is poorly represented, but at least four species are recognized.
A mandible fragment with only the P, preserved intact (L 1478) is assigned
to the family Canidae. It is readily distinguishable from the mandible of the
extant Canis mesomelas, but no conclusion as to its affinities has yet been reached.
94 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
A second mandible fragment (L 179/13) possibly belongs to a canid as well.
The Mustelidae are represented by a single mandible fragment (L 179/12)
in which only the P, is moderately well preserved. This specimen is comparable
in all observable respects to the mandible of the extant Mellivora capensis, but
owing to the fragmentary nature of the fossil specimen it is only tentatively
referred to this species.
Three associated upper teeth (L 179/11 A—C) belong to a large hyaenid.
Identification is based principally on an upper carnassial, which lacks only the
protocone and roots. Although somewhat larger than the corresponding tooth
in Hyaena brunnea, the relative proportions of the parastyle, paracone and meta-
style resemble this species, and are quite distinct from the proportions of these
cusps in the P* of Crocuta crocuta. The other teeth (C and 13) are virtually
indistinguishable from the corresponding teeth of H. brunnea. As in the case of
the mustelid, a positive diagnosis is withheld at this stage, and the material is
only tentatively referred to H. brunnea.
The limited number of carnivore post-cranial specimens includes a frag-
ment of a metapodial (L 1515 C) belonging to a large felid. It may possibly
belong to a large machairodont of the type present in the ‘C’ and ‘E’ Quarry
assemblages, but for the present is left as ‘felid incertae sedis’.
Order PINNIPEDIA
Two specimens, both proximal ends of radi (L 1400 & L 1706) are the
only pinniped remains presently recognized in the Baard’s Quarry assemblage.
Order PROBOSCIDEA
The Baard’s Quarry assemblage is notable particularly for the proboscidean
remains it includes. Over the years a number of persons have examined this
material and differing conclusions have been reached.
‘Stegolophodon’ is listed on the basis of specimens now in the Anatomy
Department, University of Chicago, which include the original specimen
described by Singer & Hooijer (1958) (S.A.M. 11714). With them there is a
specimen which has been referred to the genus Stegodon. The validity of this
identification is uncertain and it is not listed in table 2. There is some doubt as
to whether the genus Stegolophodon is represented, and the material thus identified
is thought to belong to another primitive elephant (V. J. Maglio, personal
communication).
Yet other specimens in both Cape Town and Chicago may belong to more
advanced member(s) of the family Elephantidae. Boné & Singer (1965) refer
to the presence of both ‘Archidiskodon’ and ‘Palaeoloxodon’ in the Langebaanweg
assemblage, but it is not known on what grounds these identifications were
made.
A fragmentary specimen in Cape Town (L 1179) is tentatively referred to
the genus Anancus.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 95
Order PERISSODACTYLA
Family Rhinocerotidae
The rhinoceros is one of the most commonly represented mammals in the
Baard’s Quarry assemblage, as it is also in the Varswater deposits. Positive
identification of the Baard’s Quarry rhinoceros has not been possible owing to
the fragmentary nature of the specimens. There are no obvious reasons for
supposing that the rhinoceros which is so abundant in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage
is not also present in that from Baard’s Quarry.
A notable exception is a complete set of upper cheek teeth (L 1639 A-F &
L 1640 A-F) now in Chicago. These specimens are remarkable firstly for their
completeness which is unusual for fossils from Baard’s Quarry, and secondly
because certain of the teeth have pronounced spiky projections on the cingula.
This characteristic is not exhibited by any of the other rhinoceros teeth from
Langebaanweg. For these reasons it is suggested that the specimens may not
belong with the ‘main body’ of fossils from Baard’s Quarry. They will probably
be described in detail elsewhere, and for the present are listed separately as
Diceros sp.
Family Equidae
The Baard’s Quarry Hipparion has been described as H. albertense baardi by
Boné & Singer (1965). Other undescribed Hipparion teeth are now known and
these belong almost certainly to the same species.
At least one tooth from Baard’s Quarry now in Chicago (L 2) and at least
three in Cape Town (L 866, L 2106 & L 2109) belong to a large species of
Equus. Boné & Singer referred the Equus remains known to them to the species
helmei, but since the taxonomy of South African fossil equids is so unsatisfactory,
the large Equus from Baard’s and ‘E’ Quarries is here only tentatively referred
to this species.
Order ARTIODACTYLA
Family Giraffidae
Apart from the giraffid astragalus referred to earlier, the oniy remains
from Baard’s Quarry tentatively referred to this family are two incomplete
metatarsals (L 637 & L 638) and an ulna fragment (L 413). This material is
referred to Libytherium olduvaiense, although L 638 may belong to a small
giraffid (Gzraffa cf. gracilis), which is present in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage.
Family Bovidae
The Baard’s Quarry bovids have yet to be studied in detail, but at least
one alcelaphine, a boselaphine (?Tragocerus sp.), a reduncine (Redunca cf.
ancystrocera), a neotragine (? Raphicerus sp.) and a gazelle have been provisionally
identified by Dr. A. W. Gentry (see appendix). The bovid material is limited in
both quantity and quality.
96 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
THE FAUNA FROM ‘C’ QUARRY AND ADJACENT AREAS
The amount of material from the ‘C’ Quarry area is comparatively
limited, but it includes several specimens and groups of specimens of particular
interest.
The marine biostratigraphic zone in ‘C’ Quarry yielded a very large
number of fossils, although very little of this material actually came to be
acquired by the South African Museum. Some of the marine fossils are very
heavily rolled, which suggests that they were concentrated in an area which
was subject to wave action.
The remains of Selachii and Batoidea from “C’ Quarry have been examined
by Dr. B. Shaeffer (New York) (see Boné & Singer, 1965), the late Dr. D. Davies
(Durban) and Mr. P. A. Hulley (Cape Town). At least seven shark genera have
been provisionally identified by Mr. Hulley. They are: Carcharias sp., Carcha-
rodon sp., Isurus sp., Carcharhinus sp., Galeorhinus sp., Negaprion or Hypoprion sp.
and Glyphis sp.
All except Negaprion and Hypoprion have been recorded on the Cape west
coast in recent times. Mr. Hulley has also identified the remains of a skate
(Raja clavata), sting rays (Dasyatidae) and eagle rays (Mylobatidae).
Teleost remains are less common, and a mussel-cracker (Sparidae) is the
only form provisionally identified.
A few internal casts and shell fragments of marine molluscs have been
recovered, but have yet to be identified. Almost certainly they were more
common than would appear from the number collected.
Associated with the marine fossils are numbers of fragments of bones
belonging to large vertebrates, most of which are heavily rolled.
Class REPTILIA
Order CHELONIA
Reference has already been made to the number of complete tortoise
carapaces recovered from ‘C’ Quarry (p. 84; fig. 4). They are the best
preserved chelonian remains presently known from Langebaanweg.
Class MAMMALIA
Order LYPOTYPHLA
An incomplete chrysochlorid humerus is the only specimen belonging to
this order recovered from ‘C’ Quarry.
Vertebrate microfaunal remains were almost certainly more abundant in
the ‘C’ Quarry area than would appear from the record. No effort was made to
collect such fossils at the time ‘QC’ Quarry was being mined, and those that are
known were acquired by the South African Museum in association with larger
specimens. Their recovery was, therefore, quite fortuitous. |
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 97
Order CARNIVORA
At least four carnivore species are represented in the ‘C’ Quarry assemblage.
A canine (L 894) belongs to a small carnivore of uncertain affinities. A
mandible fragment (L 1201 A) is comparable in all observable respects to the
mandible of the small hyaenid from ‘E’ Quarry. Several isolated teeth belong
apparently to a somewhat larger hyaenid, which is also tentatively identified in
the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage (Hyaena cf. namaquensis). An incomplete P, (L 756)
of a large machairodont is tentatively referred to the genus Machairodus.
Order PINNIPEDIA
The seal is represented by several elements of the post-cranial skeleton, and
an edentulous mandible fragment.
The pinniped remains from Langebaanweg appear to belong to a single
species, and one which differs significantly from Arctocephalus pusillus, the
commonly occurring form on the Cape west coast today.
Order PROBOSCIDEA
Proboscidean remains are extremely rare in the ‘C’ Quarry assemblage,
and none has been positively identified. Anancus and/or ‘Stegolophodon’ is present,
as well as a more advanced elephantid. The latter is represented by a single
highly weathered tooth fragment (L 853a). The physical condition of this
specimen is quite unlike any of the other Langebaanweg fossils, and for this
reason alone it is somewhat problematical. Parts of only two lamellae are
preserved, the enamel, is extremely thin and is patterned in a most complex
manner. It remains for the present unidentified, and is not listed in table 2.
Order PERISSODACTYLA
Family Rhinocerotidae
A relatively small number of rhinoceros tooth fragments were recovered
from ‘C’ Quarry. None suggest the presence of a form distinct from that which
occurs in the ‘E” Quarry assemblage.
Family Equidae
Three equid teeth from ‘C’ Quarry (S.A.M. 11717, S.A.M. 11718 &
L 958) were described by Boné & Singer (1965) as belonging to the species
Eipparion albertense baardi. A few other teeth not examined by these authors
apparently belong to this species. Some equid post-cranial material is included
in the ‘C’ Quarry assemblage.
Order ARTIODACTYLA
Family Suidae
The only specimen recognized as belonging to a member of this family is
an astragalus (L 1957). Although it is comparable in size to’ the astragalus of
98 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
Hippopotamus amphibius, it could belong to a giant pig, such as that known from
‘E’ Quarry. It is provisionally listed with the pigs in the faunal list.
A tusk fragment from the borehole AA 12 south of ‘C’ Quarry may belong
to a Hippopotamus, but this genus is not positively identified in the Langebaanweg
assemblage.
The environment in which the fossils are thought to have accumulated
makes the absence of this animal something of an anomaly. It is probable that
it had not spread into the most southerly parts of Africa by the time the
Langebaanweg fossils were deposited. The horizon in AA 12 from which the
tusk fragment came is not recorded, and this specimen, even if it does belong to
Hippopotamus, may post-date the main fossil assemblage.
Family Giraffidae
The giraffid, Libytherium olduvaiense, is represented by a partial upper
dentition (L 1469, L 1470, L 1476 A & B) a P, (L 645) and several elements of
the post-cranial skeleton.
In a prospect pit south of ‘C’ Quarry (‘Sivathere pit’) parts of the skull
of a Libytherium (L 1875) were discovered. These specimens came from a sandy
horizon in which there was a considerable admixture of calcium carbonate. No
records on the geology of the pit are available in Cape Town, but it is thought
that the calcareous horizon which is elsewhere confined to the surface beds,
extends into the underlying Varswater bed in this area. Boné & Singer
(1965:279) apparently concluded that these specimens came from a distinct
stratigraphic horizon which post-dates the main fossiliferous deposits in the
‘C? Quarry area. Although this interpretation is not favoured here, the question
can only be finally resolved by new excavations in the vicinity of ‘Sivathere pit’.
Family Bovidae
The ‘C’ Quarry bovids include at least one alcelaphine, a ?gazelle, and
possibly other as yet unidentified forms.
Order RODENTIA
Three isolated incisors of unidentified rodents are included in the
‘C’ Quarry assemblage.
THE FAUNA FROM ‘E’ QUARRY
The fossils from ‘E’ Quarry greatly exceed in number all those discovered
at other sites at Langebaanweg. In addition the levels from which fossils have
come are known in many instances, and it is the only site from which fossils are
presently being recovered. Consequently future palaeontological studies at
Langebaanweg will largely centre on the material recovered from ‘E’ Quarry.
The lower levels of the deposits in ‘E’ Quarry are highly fossiliferous, and
although many thousands of specimens have been recovered, most of the fossils
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 99
exposed by mining activities are never collected. Probably less than 10% of the
larger bones and less than 1% of the microfaunal elements are eventually
acquired by the South African Museum.
The basal marine biostratigraphic zone has yielded the greater part of the
assemblage of marine fossils from ‘E’ Quarry (pl. 1A). The actual number of
specimens recovered is still relatively small, since exposures of the basal gravel
are limited and until recently were below the water-table. Samples of sediment
taken from this horizon have revealed that the marine fossils are present in
appreciable quantities. There is a smaller variety of forms represented in the
‘E’ Quarry marine assemblage than is represented in the ‘C’ Quarry assemblage,
but there are no obvious differences in the genera present, and the physical
condition of the fossils is similar. Remains of marine vertebrates are known
from the deposits above the basal gravel, recent discoveries having included
sharks’ teeth, a sting-ray spine (pi. 1C), teleost bones (pl. 1B) and cetacean
vertebrae.
Class AMPHIBIA
Order ANURA
Remains of frogs are fairly abundant at certain levels in ‘E’ Quarry. Skull
and post-cranial elements are known, but no definitely associated parts of the
same skeleton have been found. There is a large size variation in individual
bones recovered, but there are no definite indications of more than one species
being represented. Two skeletons of large adult Xenopus laevus have been used
for comparative purposes in the sorting of anuran remains, and although the
fossil specimens tend to be rather small, no significant morphological differences
between them and corresponding parts of the skeleton of Xenopus were noted.
The material has yet to be studied in detail.
Class REPTILIA
Order CHELONIA
Mr. Roger C. Wood (Harvard) who examined some of the many thousands
of carapace fragments from ‘E’ Quarry concluded that only a single species of
land tortoise is represented. There is a considerable range of variation in the
size of individuals, some being appreciably larger than any existing South
African tortoises.
Order SQUAMATA
Remains of snakes and lizards have been recovered, but have yet to be
studied (pl. 1E).
Class AVES
Bird remains are fairly abundant at certain levels, and a considerable
variety of forms of all sizes are represented. Included in the avian assemblage
are a giant ostrich (Struthio sp.) and a penguin (Spheniscidae) (pl. 1D).
Too ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
Class MAMMALIA
Orders MENOTYPHLA and LYPOTYPHLA
Insectivores are well represented in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage, a macro-
scelidid and a chrysochlorid being particularly abundant at certain sites.
There is apparently only a single macroscelidid species represented (pl. 1F).
The material compares most closely in size and morphology to Elephantulus
rupestris, which occurs in the south-western Cape today. There are, however,
apparently significant differences between the dentitions of E. rupestris and the
fossil form, and the latter is probably a distinct species.
Soricids are less well represented, but there appear to be at least two
species present. The one which occurs most commonly is tentatively referred
to the genus Suncus.
A chrysochlorid is perhaps the most commonly occurring small mammal
(pl. 1G). The peculiarities in the skeleton of this animal have made it possible
to sort out certain elements of the postcranial skeleton with relative ease, and
the range of material now available for study is quite comprehensive. Since
chrysochlorids have a comparatively poor fossil record, the ‘E’ Quarry material
is of particular interest.
Order CARNIVORA
The carnivores from ‘E’ Quarry represent a striking variety of forms, but
the specimens are for the most part rather fragmentary.
There are at least two canid species represented. One is a small jackal, and
is known only from an incomplete mandible (L 1700). The other is a canid of
uncertain affinities, and is also known only from an incomplete mandible
(L 2672).
The most remarkable representative of this order is an agriotheriine ursid.
The family Ursidae has not previously been recorded in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Agriotheriinae, an essentially Pliocene group which was widespread in the
northern hemisphere, are now, with the Langebaanweg record, known for the
first time in Africa. The ‘E’ Quarry specimens are fragmentary and few, but
exhibit several unusual characteristics. They will be described in detail
elsewhere.
At least two species of mustelid are represented. A mandible fragment
(L 6385) belongs to a mustelid of uncertain affinities (pl. 2E). Morphologically
it comes closest to Poecilogale, but is approximately three times as large as the
extant P. albinucha from South Africa. The second mustelid represented is the
giant otter, Enhydriodon. The only other African record of this genus is E. africanus
from Kleinzee on the Namaqualand coast (Stromer, 1931@). There are some
differences between an incomplete mandible of this animal from Langebaanweg
(L 9138) and that described by Stromer (1930 XI 1), but the Langebaanweg
form is here referred to the species EF. africanus.
Remains of at least two viverrids have been recovered from ‘E’ Quarry.
Neither can be related to extant South African viverrid species. One is a form
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE IOI
only slightly larger than the dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula), while the other
is much larger. The latter is known only from an incomplete mandible (L 11847),
which is very similar to a mandible of ?Herpestes sp. from Kleinzee (Stromer,
19314).
The ‘E’ Quarry hyaenids are somewhat problematical: There are
apparently two forms represented, a large and a small one. The latter exhibits
a number of very primitive characteristics, and in its size and in its dentition is
intermediate between the existing species of Hyaena and their ictithere ancestral
stock (pl. 2A & B). The larger form may be the species H. namaquensis (Stromer,
1931a). Comparisons between the namaquensis type specimens and those of
Langebaanweg are difficult since the former are very fragmentary, but there
are no observable features which positively preclude their being identical. The
larger ‘E’ Quarry hyaenid is not morphologically distinguishable from the small
form on the basis of the limited material presently available. Since the distinc-
tion is being made solely on the basis of size, its validity is questionable. It is
hoped that this problem will be resolved as more and better hyaenid specimens
are recovered.
The felids include a machairodont which is apparently larger than any
previously recorded in southern Africa (pl. 2C). It apparently belongs to the
‘Machairodus|Homotherium’? group of machairodonts, and for the present is
tentatively referred to the former genus. Of the other felids represented, the
smallest is the size of a lynx. Positive identification of this form will not be
possible until more complete specimens are recovered. A left maxilla (L 10100)
of a somewhat larger felid has yet to be identified. A crushed and incomplete
skull (L 2674) and a mandible fragment (L 12237) of a still larger form belong
to a member of the genus Dinofelis (pl. 2D).
The unidentified carnivore specimens from ‘E’ Quarry may represent
forms in addition to those already listed.
Order PINNIPEDIA
Pinniped post-cranial remains are comparatively abundant in the ‘E’
Quarry assemblage. A single edentulous mandible and a few isolated teeth are
the only cranial remains known.
Order TUBULIDENTATA
A single aardvark tooth (L 12027) is included in the ‘E’ Quarry assem-
blage. It does not differ significantly from corresponding teeth of the extant
Orycteropus afer, but for the present it is only tentatively assigned to this species.
Order PROBOSCIDEA
The ‘E’ Quarry proboscidean teeth are, in general, more complete than
those from the other quarries, and most of them have been referred to the genus
Anancus (pl. 3A). However, some material (L 12023 and L 12723-L 12730)
belongs to the genus presently referred to as ‘Stegolophodon’. Yet another tooth
fragment (L 6533) may belong to a more advanced elephantid.
102 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
There is at present much confusion about the Langebaanweg Proboscidea,
and this is no doubt due to the fragmentary nature of the specimens recovered
to date. The situation is perhaps best summarized by the statement that
Anancus, a form resembling Stegolophodon in its dentition, and possibly one other
elephantid are included in the Langebaanweg assemblage. Aquirre (1969)
recognizes only two proboscideans from this locality, which he designated
‘form a’ and ‘form b’.
Order PERISSODACTYLA
Family Rhinocerotidae
The remains of rhinoceros are extremely common in the ‘E’ Quarry
deposits. Several partial and complete dentitions, scores of isolated teeth and
skull fragments, and hundreds of elements of the postcranial skeleton have been
recovered. The ‘E’ Quarry rhinoceros is similar in many respects to the extant
Diceros bicornis (pl. 3B). The most obvious difference is the larger size of the
fossil form. The material has yet to be studied in detail.
Family Equidae
A number of Hipparion teeth have been recovered from ‘E’ Quarry, and
these are assigned to the species H. albertense baardi (pl. 3C).
A single upper molar (L 2095) of a large Equus is tentatively referred to the
species helmez (pl. 3D).
Two other teeth (L 2545 & L 5353) belong to a small species of Hquus
(pl. 3E). Two extremely hypsodont lower cheek-teeth (L 10956 & L 10957)
belong to this form as well.
Some elements of the post-cranial skeleton have also been recovered.
Order ARTIODACTYLA
Family Suidae
Several teeth and post-cranial bones of a giant pig are included in the
‘E’? Quarry assemblage. This material has some affinities to the East African
Nyanzachoerus, but for the present is left as incertae sedis.
A second pig, a miniature form comparable in size to the extant Sus salvanius
Hodgson from India, has recently been recognized. Its relationships have yet
to be determined.
Family Giraffidae
Remains of Libytherium olduvaiense are fairly common and include several
limb-bones of a single individual, numerous unassociated post-cranial remains
as well as isolated teeth, partial dentitions, and horn core fragments.
In addition remains of a much smaller giraffid have been recovered, and
these are tentatively referred to Giraffa gracilis.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 103
Family Bovidae
The ‘E’ Quarry bovids (pl. 4A, B & C) have yet to be studied in detail, but
a preliminary account of them is given in the appendix to this paper.
Bovids are less commonly represented at Langebaanweg than at other
Pleistocene fossil sites in the south-western Cape, and they are all quite distinct
from those known from other fossil sites in this area.
Order LAGOMORPHA
A number of lagomorph dentitions and isolated teeth are tentatively
referred to Lepus capensis (pl. 1J).
Order RODENTIA
Rodents are very common in the ‘E’ Quarry deposits, at least twelve murid
and bathyergid species having been differentiated by superficial sorting
(pl TH! & 1).
Order CETACEA
At least one cetacean species is represented in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage.
Although no actual identification of material has been attempted, the largest
vertebra recovered to date suggests an animal approximately of the size of a
5-6 metre long killer whale (Orcinus orca Linn.). An ulna (L 12034) is very long
and slender, comparable in size to that of 13:75-metre long sei whale (Balae-
noptera borealis Lesson). The size of the cetaceans represented supports the
conclusion that deposition of at least part of the Varswater bed took place in
the open sea or on an open coastline, rather than in an estuary or lagoon.
THE DATING OF THE LANGEBAANWEG DEPOSITS
PALAEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
In an Eurasian context the association of Hipparion with a number of
primitive proboscidean genera, an agriotheriine, Enhydriodon, a primitive
hyaenid and the boselaphine Tragocerus, would indicate that the fauna con-
cerned was Pliocene in age. However, the shortcomings of directly correlating
the mammalian faunas of late Tertiary and Pleistocene deposits in southern
Africa with those in Eurasia have long been recognized. The difficulties are
even more pronounced when correlations are attempted on the basis of a
limited number of positively identified genera and species (Ewer, 1957). Some
of Ewer’s observations in this connection bear repeating since they are as valid
now as they were when written. She states (p. 135) that,
‘
. . in assessing the age of an African deposit, we can neither assume that
the presence of an archaic form indicates great antiquity, nor yet that the
presence of a modern species proves the deposit to be recent. . . . What is
necessary is a quantitative picture of the fauna as a whole... .’
104 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
No such picture is yet available for the Langebaanweg fauna, and conse-
quently attempts at direct temporal correlation of this fauna with others in
Eurasia are at this stage neither desirable nor useful.
Owing to the present small number of secure identifications, correlations
with other African fossil faunas are of only limited value.
It seems fairly certain that the Langebaanweg fauna is closely related to the
‘middle Pliocene’ fauna from Kleinzee, which was described by Stromer
(19314, b). Kleinzee is situated some 400 kilometres north of Langebaanweg at
the mouth of the Buffels River in Namaqualand, in an essentially similar
zoogeographic sub-region (Roberts, 1951), and consequently direct comparisons
between the two fossil faunas are facilitated. Stromer recorded Carnivora,
Bovidae, Rodentia, Aves and Anura from the Kleinzee deposits, and all these
groups are well represented in the Langebaanweg assemblage. There are some
slight differences between the Kleinzee Enhydriodon africanus and that from
Langebaanweg, but this could be satisfactorily accounted for by variability
within the species. One of the hyaenids from Langebaanweg may be identical
to Stromer’s Hyaena namaquensis. The mandible of ?Herpestes sp. indet. (1930
XI 5a) from Kleinzee and the viverrid mandible (L 11847) from Langebaanweg
are virtually indistinguishable. The geological associations of the two faunas
are notably similar (vide infra).
Stromer’s conclusion that the Kleinzee fauna is ‘Middle Pliocene’ is almost
certainly incorrect, and Ewer (1967) has suggested instead that it is “Upper
Pliocene’ in age, while Patterson (1965 :302) listed it as ‘Early Pleistocene ?’.
Cooke (1963 & 1967) has tentatively suggested that the Langebaanweg
fauna predates those from Taung, Makapansgat and Sterkfontein, and, by
inference from his discussions on dating, he presumably thought the age to be
late Pliocene or very early Pleistocene. A similar conclusion was reached by
Boné & Singer (1965:280), who stated that the fauna probably dates from
‘the earliest phases of the Pleistocene’. This conclusion was reached principally
on the basis of the Hipparion from Langebaanweg, but since Hipparion albertense
apparently had a considerable temporal range (Boné & Singer, 1965, table 1),
it is not a good index of chronology on its own. Furthermore, the Langebaanweg
Hipparion is a distinct subspecies, and is possibly a temporal and not merely a
geographical variant of the species albertense.
There are certain similarities between the Langebaanweg fauna and that
from Kanapoi in East Africa (Patterson, 1966 & 1968), and further work on
the fossils from both these sites will undoubtedly resolve the question of their
faunal commonality. The Kanapoi fauna is earlier than that from Olduvai
Bed 1, and the lava which caps the Kanapoi sediments has been dated at
2-9 + 0-3 million years before present (Patterson, 1966).
The Baard’s Quarry reduncine is not distinguishable from Redunca
ancystrocera from Omo (see appendix), which occurs below Tuff F. (A. W.
Gentry, pers. comm.). The age of this tuff is between 1-81—1-87 million years
(Tuff H) and 2:37-2:56 million years (Tuff D) (Howell, 1968). Several of the
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 105
genera recorded at Omo recently (Howell, 1968) are also found at
Langebaanweg.
From the preceding it can be tentatively concluded that the Langebaanweg
fauna is late Pliocene or very early Pleistocene, with a chronometric age of
perhaps 2 to 3 million years before present.
However, the presence of the genus Equus in the assemblage suggests a
Pleistocene rather than Pliocene date. This genus is not recorded at Omo
(Howell, 1968) or Kanapoi (Patterson, 1966), but is recorded in Bed 1 at
Olduvai (Leakey, 1965). There are in fact two species of Equus represented in the
Langebaanweg assemblages. One is very large (Equus cf. helmer), and the other
is a small form with very hypsodont cheek-teeth.
Apart from Hguus, a number of other genera recorded at Langebaanweg
are typical of Pleistocene deposits elsewhere in Africa. They include Dinofelis,
Libytherium, Giraffa and Tragelaphus.
The dating of the Langebaanweg fauna and deposits on palaeontological
grounds has hitherto been based entirely on direct correlations and has taken
no zoogeographic factors into account. There are indications that at several
times during the late Tertiary and Pleistocene the southern, south-western and
western Cape coastal areas were zoogeographically isolated from the rest of
southern Africa (H. Hendey, in preparation). This hypothesis suggests the
possibility that locally endemic species may have evolved at these times, and
that an even later survival of certain mammalian genera may have occurred in
these areas. Consequently it is possible that a relict fauna, supplemented by
some immigrant forms, is represented at Langebaanweg. Long range temporal
correlations must therefore be treated with caution at the present time.
The possibility that the Langebaanweg fauna is a local equivalent of that
found in Bed I and lower Bed II at Olduvai is suggested on the basis of non-
palaeontological evidence (vide infra). There are in fact some similarities between
these faunas. Hipparion albertense and Equus are present in both assemblages.
Libytherium olduvaiense and Giraffa gracilis are present in lower Bed II, and the
former species is definitely present at Langebaanweg, while the smaller girafiid
from this site has been tentatively identified as Giraffa gracilis. Possible relation-
ships between the Langebaanweg and Olduvai Bovidae are mentioned in the
appendix to this paper.
For the reasons cited earlier these similarities cannot be taken as proof
that the lower Bed II and Langebaanweg faunas are contemporaneous, but at
least it does not positively contradict the relationship inferred on other grounds.
In the case of this alternative the differences between the two faunas could be
accounted for by the hypothetical zoogeographic factors mentioned above.
Yet another aspect of the dating of the Langebaanweg deposits on
palaeontological grounds needs to be considered. Boné & Singer (1965)
suggested that a second, more recent mammalian fauna is represented in the
deposits. The later fauna was said to be associated with the calcrete horizon
encountered in the area. This horizon is a pedogenic feature found in the upper
106 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
levels of the deposits and is here concluded to be of no stratigraphic significance.
Although it appears to be confined to the surface beds, it may extend into the
underlying Varswater bed south of ‘C’ Quarry.
The possibility of the admixture of earlier and/or later elements in the
Baard’s and ‘C’ Quarry assemblages has already been mentioned, but the
assemblage from ‘E’ Quarry appears to be a single uncontaminated unit. Of
the four genera listed by Boné & Singer as belonging to their later fauna, two
(Equus and Sivatherium [= Libythertum]), are now known to occur in the ‘main’
assemblage (‘E’ Quarry), although the latter may also occur in the surface bed
(‘Sivathere pit’; see p. 98). The third genus (Homozoceras) is not present at all,
although a smaller bovine is included in the ‘E’ Quarry assemblage. The fourth
genus (Ceratotherium) is tentatively recorded from the surface beds (see p. 82).
Owing to the large number of provisional identifications, it is not possible at
present to calculate indices of commonality for the faunas from the three
quarries, but they do have certain forms in common. It is concluded that no
earlier or later fauna, as such, is at present distinguishable in the total
Langebaanweg assemblage, although some extraneous elements may exist.
GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE
The dating of the Langebaanweg deposits on geological grounds depends
initially on determining whether the marine transgression responsible for the
development of the deposits resulted from epeirogenic or eustatic changes.
King (1962, table VII) records a period of ‘strong cymatogeny’ at the
close of the Tertiary in south and central Africa. The interior plateau of the
sub-continent was apparently subjected to widespread and considerable uplift
during this period. King (p. 243) states that,
‘As the coastal hinterlands were strongly uptilted, so the offshore continental
shelf was correspondingly depressed. Where the hingeline lay closely along
the previous shore little change of coastal outline occurred, but where the
hingeline lay seaward extensive coastal plains were added to the
geographical outline of the continent.’
Given such conditions for the late Pliocene/very early Pleistocene, which on
palaeontological evidence is the earliest the Langebaanweg deposits could be,
it suggests that either the shoreline of the south-western Cape remained more
or less stable, or else a marine regression took place. The mechanism which gave
rise to the marine transgression in evidence at Langebaanweg cannot therefore
be explained by this interpretation of events at the critical time period. However,
if the hingeline between hinterland uplift and continental shelf depression lay
landward of the coastline at that time, then the required marine transgression
could have taken place. This would in turn require a subsequent seaward shift
of the hingeline in order that the Langebaanweg area be re-elevated above
sea-level. This possibility cannot, of course, be dismissed, but it does render the
association of the Langebaanweg deposits to the Plio/Pleistocene cymatogeny
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 107
more improbable.
An alternative possibility is that the south-western Cape coastal area
suffered localized epeirogenic depression and then uplift in Plio/Pleistocene times,
independent of the major cymatogenic phenomenon. While this might be
expected of an area of crustal instability, it seems improbable for the area in
question. This area is tectonically stable today, and there is no reason to suppose
that it has been otherwise for most, if not all of the Pleistocene.
While the role played by epeirogenesis (or cymatogenesis) in the origin of
the Langebaanweg deposits cannot be entirely dismissed, it does not appear to
provide the most satisfactory answer to the problem.
Eustatic shorelines on the South African coast have been the subject of
numerous studies (Richards & Fairbridge, 1965), although their relationship
to Pleistocene climatic fluctuations and their correlation with shorelines
elsewhere in the world have not always been agreed upon.
In reference to the higher shorelines at Kleinzee, which include the
horizon from which the vertebrate fossils described by Stromer (19314, b) were
recovered, Davies & Walsh (1955:278) state that,
*,.. the complex of . . . Kleinzee beaches . . . is earlier than the pleistocene
fluctuations of ocean level caused by the glaciations of the northern
hemisphere’.
Although the reasons for this statement are not understood by the present
writer, it has to be borne in mind as an alternative to the tentative statements
which follow.
In spite of the statement by Davies & Walsh, it is necessary to reconsider
the possible relationship of the Kleinzee fossil vertebrate horizon to a Pleistocene
glacio-eustatic marine transgression. According to the persons who discovered
the fossils described by Stromer, they came from a coarse ‘fluviatile sandstone’
overlying a diamondiferous gravel at an elevation of 35 metres on the north
bank of the Buffels River. On the basis of personal observations made in the
area, it was concluded that these deposits formed part of a marine/estuarine
horizon associated with a marine transgression which peaked at about 49 m
above present sea level in this area. The geology of the Kleinzee fossiliferous
deposits appears to have been remarkably similar to that of ‘E’ Quarry and it is
concluded that the fossils at the two sites are contemporaneous and accumulated
in a comparable manner in essentially similar environments.
A detailed study of the Cape west coast shoreline succession is at present in
progress (Carrington & Kensley, 1969), and a final assessment of the trans-
gression in evidence at Kleinzee and Langebaanweg must await the publication
of this work. However, some preliminary observations are possible.
Since the maximum recorded elevation of the Varswater bed is approxi-
mately 50 metres, it must have been laid down during a transgression which
peaked at about this elevation, or, if it has suffered subsequent erosion, at an
even higher elevation. The Kleinzee 49 m shoreline is recorded on the basis of
108 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
wave-cut platforms, nick points and associated gravels and sands. Mabbutt
(1957) deduced the previous existence of a 45 m high sea level on the Cape west
coast on the basis of a river terrace in the Olifants River valley. Zeuner (1959)
also records a possible 45 m shoreline in South Africa. Carrington & Kensley
(1969) report a ‘45-50 m Trangression complex’ on the Namaqualand coast.
Since the figures of 45, 49 and 50 metres are recorded for the west coast by
different persons observing different shoreline features, and since all are
probably approximations to some extent, they are here taken to refer to a single
high sea level with which the Langebaanweg and Kleinzee faunas were
associated.
The marine molluscs associated with the ‘45-50’ metre shoreline on the
Namaqualand coast indicate that this high sea level was Pleistocene rather than
late Tertiary in age (Carrington & Kensley, 1969), and since the presence of
Equus in the Langebaanweg beds is also taken to indicate a Pleistocene date, an
attempt was made to correlate this horizon with Pleistocene glacio-eustatic
shorelines elsewhere in the world.
Available altimetric records reveal a remarkable similarity between the
Cape west coast shoreline sequence and those in other areas, and a tentative
correlation with selected examples is proposed (table 3).
Since the Moroccan glacio-eustatic stratigraphy is very well known
(Butzer, 1966), it is used as a standard for comparison. The suggested Moroccan
equivalent of the Cape west coast ‘45-50’ metre shoreline is the Maarifian
(sensu lato). This stage has been tentatively correlated with the Milazzian (s./.)
and Cromerian of Europe (Butzer, 1966). There is no known mammalian
fauna associated with the Maarifian (Biberson, 1963) but it does, however,
post-date the Villafranchian (sensu stricto). On the basis of the Stone Age
industry associated with it, Biberson (p. 428) equates it temporally to, ‘the first
two levels’ of Bed II at Olduvai Gorge. On this basis we might look at the
fauna of Bed I and lower Bed II for possible chronological equivalents of the
Langebaanweg fauna (vide supra).
Recently Ericson & Wollin (1968) presented a revised chronology of the
Pleistocene based on studies of deep-sea cores. The Aftonian Interglacial, which
is here taken to be the North American equivalent of the Cromerian, was dated
by them to approximately 1-4 to 1-7 million years before present.
These tenuous correlations give the Langebaanweg fauna an inferred
chronometric age of approximately 1-6 to 1-7 million years before present
(i.e. Olduvai Bed I times), which is in sharp contrast to the 2—3 million years
suggested on the basis of the mammalian fossils.
On the basis of the admittedly speculative evidence presented above, the
following statements are made:
(1) Since an association between the Langebaanweg beds and Pleistocene
glacio-eustatic high sea levels is indicated, these beds must post-date the
European Villafranchian, as defined by Kurtén (1968).
(2) If the suggested relationships of the local ‘45-50’ metre transgression are
109
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE
(g961 ‘Aspuazy) [eaoj-vas ye] Ww Q sozep-3sOg »
4
4
<i uapesay-y | (231000272N]) (ueiIDIC) (uerpnoessay/])
2 2 wi gl Ur 001 0} 06 UI GOI 0} 06 ui G.16 Wt OO!
] uelTeeAA-g (‘ss ueyEry{)
ul 09 03 SS
Fi (242) (uvizzepty)
ei ul zg 0} 6P UI 09 0} 0S
rs) URIIDUIOID-1) w SP wr oS
i OUMNVVEAONVT
| Pile ae ere eee
2 uis}sjoyy-q | (enusay iseq) | (uerueyst{ 7) (uvneuy)
: wi FE 03 Z& UI Z& 0} gz wt VE 0} Gz uw 6% UWI Qz 0} GZ
=|
es (uermnseuoyy
(Apaoy) urey{) (ueneqiqay)
wt S.61 UI OZ O} QI UI OZ 0} Gi ul €.91 Wi QI
2) e Qaiesiey] 2 | (uerMseuoyy
; Ee aUIMALOM) 2127) (uaifino)
A 8 wi 6 79 G.L ur g 07 £ ur g 0) G wi 9. UI g 039
, ee ee — (,SOanTSH —
QB | | repeip-asog-5 | (Wuessy Ajreq) (ueryey[eW)
28 ul Wz UI
33903819] gq spi0d9014 GG61 LG61 souTpa.1OYs
24} JO SUOISLATP Lv61 ‘ajepury, | 6961 ‘192uN97 9961 ‘r0zINg jeuosiag | ssnoyaeyg | NNqqeyy qUaTOUR URES
(g961) sup My ae —— ———|} pa}vroosse
IM uoyeyas erensny *S aouely “S 029010] puryenbewreyy aden uia}saM-YINOG SATIS [ISSOJ
-109 9ATIE}UI J, ade “M'S
POM oy) Ur DJaYMasia sauT[aIOYs Jo safdurexa po}d9IJ9s YIM SOUTPIIOYS 9UIIO}SI9[F ULILIPY YINOG JO WOH"PAIOD VAHCIUIT,
€ wavy,
IIo ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
correct, then it follows that the Langebaanweg fauna is a local equivalent
of that of the European Cromerian.
There are at present obvious shortcomings in both the palaeontological
and geological dating of the Langebaanweg deposits, and either or both may
be incorrect. However, there is clearly considerable scope for further research
following both lines of inquiry, and it may eventually prove that the geological
and palaeontological datings are complementary rather than conflicting.
CONCLUSION
This paper is the third in a series of preliminary reports of a study presently
being undertaken on the Quaternary vertebrates of the south-western Cape
Province (see also Hendey & Hendey, i968 and Hendey, 1968). This research
programme is supplementary to the invaluable contributions already made in
this field, mainly by Professor R. Singer (University of Chicago) and his
associates.
Only in the case of the Elandsfontein (Hopefield) site has research on a
local fossil fauna and its associations proceeded to a stage where a confident
overall assessment can be made (Singer, in preparation). The Melkbos and
Swartklip sites have yielded far fewer specimens, and there are fewer problems
attached to the associations of these two faunas.
In terms of the local Pleistocene faunal succession, Cooke (1967) has placed
‘at least a part’ of the Elandsfontein fauna in the ‘Vaal-Cornelia Faunal Span’.
The Melkbos fauna falls within the ‘Florisbad-Vlakkraal Faunal Span’, while
that from Swartklip belongs either in the terminal part of this period, or in the
subsequent ‘Recent’ period. Apart from many other minor fossil occurrences
which are not dated, a number of post-Pleistocene cave and coastal midden
sites in the south-western Cape have yielded faunal material. All these records,
taken in conjunction with historical information and recent studies on modern
mammals, give a moderately clear picture of the mammalian fauna of this area
during the later Pleistocene and Holocene.
It is hoped that by relating this information to similar records elsewhere in
South and East Africa, a clear indication will emerge of the degree to which the
southern and western Cape Province can be regarded as a distinct zoogeographic
subregion. The modern mammalian fauna of this area, and those of the interior
plateau of South Africa and East Africa do differ in certain respects, and it
should be possible to assess the extent to which they differed during the later
Pleistocene. On the basis of this information, comparisons between specific
animals or groups of animals from Langebaanweg and their counterparts from
the African australopithecine sites will be made more meaningful when matters
such as phyletic relationships and relative ages are considered. As detailed
studies of the Langebaanweg fossils progress it should become possible to place
this fauna correctly in the South African Plio/Pleistocene succession.
The apparently conflicting conclusions which emerged from the present
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE UDO
survey of the Langebaanweg sites, served to illustrate some of the inadequacies in
our knowledge of South African Plio/Pleistocene mammals and their associations.
There is little doubt that the keys to the study of the late Tertiary and Pleisto-
cene mammals of sub-Saharan Africa lie in East Africa, where the many
astonishingly rich sites are often radiometrically dateable. Nevertheless, the
research potential offered by this field in South Africa is considerable and
deserves more attention, since the local faunas are a vital part of the study
as a whole.
SUMMARY
A considerable increase in the amount of fossil material recovered at
Langebaanweg, Cape Province, has resulted in radical alterations being made
to the previously published faunal lists for this locality. A revised faunal list is
given, and brief comments are made on some of the specimens now available
for study. The fauna suggests a Plio/Pleistocene order of age for the deposits,
although it is emphasized that an even later survival of certain terrestrial
mammals may have been experienced in the south-western Cape Province than
was the case elsewhere in Africa. For this reason palaeontological dating of the
Langebaanweg deposits is tentative and subject to revision.
A summary account of the geology of the Langebaanweg area is given.
Three distinct beds are recognized, viz. an essentially deltaic horizon (the
Varswater bed) and an essentially fluviatile horizon (the Langberg bed), which
are overlain by more recent terrestrial deposits. It is suggested that the Langberg
and Varswater beds are closely associated, and that the fossils from these
horizons are broadly contemporaneous. The possibility of the admixture of
earlier and/or later faunal elements is mentioned. It is concluded that the
Langebaanweg beds accumulated during a marine transgression. Interpreta-
tions of the geological evidence are discussed, and it is suggested that the
deposits may be early Middle Pleistocene (as defined by Kurtén, 1968) in age.
However, no final conclusion on the age of the fossils and deposits is
possible on the basis of evidence presently available.
Possible evidence of hominid occupation sites is also mentioned.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The collecting of fossils at the Langebaanweg quarries since 1958 has been
made possible through the co-operation of the management and staff of the
African Metals Corporation Limited. I am greatly indebted to them for having
made this report possible, and wish specially to thank Mr. H. Krumm, Mr. G.
Benfield and Mr. R. Warren for their help.
Professor R. Singer (University of Chicago) was instrumental in building
up the collection of fossils from Langebaanweg which is now housed at the
South African Museum, and I am indebted to him for this, and also for the
many ways he has helped me over the years.
I1i2 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
Mr. P. A. Hulley kindly examined and reported on some of the marine
vertebrate remains.
Mr. S. Kannemeyer took the photographs and Mrs. P. Eedes typed the
manuscript, and my thanks go also to these persons.
Finally I wish to thank the many persons who have helped directly and
indirectly with the compilation of this report. In this connection I am especially
grateful to my wife, who was a constant source of encouragement, Mr. J.
Adams (York), Dr. W. W. Bishop (Bedford College), Father E. L. Boné
(Louvain University), Mr. A. J. Carrington (South African Museum), Dr. and
Mrs. A. W. Gentry (British Museum (Natural History)), Prof. R. R. Inskeep
(University of Cape Town), Mr. Vincent J. Maglio (Harvard), Miss E. Speed
(Transvaal Museum), Mr. Roger C. Wood (Harvard) and Mr. J. Wymer
(Wokingham, Berks.).
REFERENCES
AGUIRRE, E. 1969. Evolutionary history of the elephant. Science 164: 1366-1376.
BiBerson, P. 1963. Human evolution in Morocco in the framework of the paleoclimatic variations
of the Atlantic Pleistocene. Jn: Howell, F. G. & Bourliére, F., eds. African ecology and human
evolution. Publs Anthrop. Viking Fund 36: 417-447.
Bone, E. L. & StncEr, R. 1965. Hipparion from Langebaanweg Cape Province, and a revision
of the genus in Africa. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 48: 273-397.
BuTzer, K. W. 1966. Environment and archaeology. Chicago: Aldine.
CarrRinctTon, A. J. & Kenstey, B. F. 1969. Pleistocene molluscs from the Namaqualand coast.
Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 52: 189-223.
Cooke, H. B. S. 1963. Pleistocene mammal faunas of Africa with particular reference to southern
Africa. In: Howell, F. C. & Bourliére, F., eds. African ecology and human evolution. Publs Anthrop.
Viking Fund 36: 65-116.
Cooke, H. B. S. 1967. The Pleistocene sequence in South Africa and problems of correlation.
In: Bishop, W. W. & Clark, J. D., eds. Background to evolution in Africa: 175-184. Chicago:
University Press.
Dart, R. A. 1957. The osteodontokeratic culture of Australopithecus prometheus. Transv. Mus.
Mem. 10: 1-105.
Davies, O. & WatsH, R. C. 1955. Raised beaches and associated Stone-Age material in
Namaqualand. S. Afr. F. Sci. 51: 277-282.
De Graarr, G. 1960. A preliminary investigation of the mammalian microfauna in Pleistocene
deposits of caves in the Transvaal System. Palaeont. afr. 7: 59-118.
Ericson, D. B. & WoLLin, G. 1968. Pleistocene climates and chronology in deep-sea sediments.
Science 162: 1227-1234.
Ewer, R. F. 1957. Faunal evidence on the dating of the Australopithecinae. In: Clark, J. D. &
Cole, S., eds. Third Pan-African congress on prehistory, Livingstone, 1955: 135-142. London:
Chatto & Windus.
Ewer, R. F. 1967. The fossil hyaenids of Africa—a reappraisal. In: Bishop, W. W. & Clark, J. D.,
eds. Background to evolution in Africa: 109-123. Chicago: University Press.
GateHouse, R. F. 1955. Some raised shorelines in the western Cape Province. Trans. geol. Soc.
S. Afr. 58: 255-264.
HeEnpey, Q. B. 1965. The geological history of the deposits at Baard’s Quarry, Langebaanweg.
Unpublished South African Museum Departmental Report.
HEnpeEy, Q. B. 1968. The Melkbos site: an Upper Pleistocene fossil occurrence in the south-
western Cape Province. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 52: 89-119.
HEnpbey, Q. B. & HENDEy, H. 1968. New Quaternary fossil sites near Swartklip, Cape Province.
Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 52: 43-73.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 113
Howe tt, F. C. 1968. Omo research expedition. Nature, Lond. 219: 567-572.
Kine, L. C. 1962. The morphology of the earth. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.
Kurtin, B. 1968. Pleistocene mammals of Europe. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Leakey, L. S. B. 1963. Very early East African Hominidae and their ecological setting. In:
Howell, F. C. & Bourliére, F., eds. African ecology and human evolution. Publs Anthrop. Viking
Fund 36: 448-457.
Leakey, L. S. B. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961. 1. Cambridge: University Press.
Leakey, M. D. 1967. Preliminary survey of the cultural material from Beds I and II, Olduvai
Gorge, Tanzania. In: Bishop, W. W. & Clark, J. D., eds. Background to evolution in Africa:
417-446. Chicago: University Press.
Massutt, J. A. 1957. Some Quaternary events in the winter rainfall area of the Cape Province.
In: Clark, J. D. & Cole, S., eds. Third Pan-African congress on prehistory, Livingstone, 1955:
6-13. London: Chatto & Windus.
Maserty C. T. A. 1967. The game animals of southern Africa. London: Nelson.
Oaxtey, K. P. & CAMPBELL, B. 1967. Catalogue of fossil hominids. 1: Africa. London: British
Museum (Natural History).
PATTERSON, B. 1965. The fossil elephant shrews (family Macroscelididae). Bull. Mus. comp. ool.
Harv. 133: 295-335-
PATTERSON, B. 1966. A new locality for early Pleistocene fossils in north-western Kenya. JVature,
Lond. 212: 577-578.
Patrerson, B. 1968. The extinct baboon, Parapapio jonesi, in the early Pleistocene of north.
western Kenya. Breviora 282: 1-4.
Ricuarps, H. G. & Farrspriwce, R. W. 1965. Annotated bibliography of Quaternary shorelines.
Spec. Publs Acad. nat. Sci. Philad. 6: 1-280.
Roserts, A. 1951. The mammals of South Africa. Johannesburg: Central News Agency.
Rosinson, J. T. 1959. A bone implement from Sterkfontein Nature, Lond. 184: 583-585.
SmnGER, R. 1961. The new fossil sites at Langebaanweg, South Africa. Curr. Anthrop. 2: 385-387.
SINGER, R. & Boné, E. L. 1960. Modern giraffes and the fossil giraffids of Africa. Ann. S. Afr. Mus.
45: 375-548.
Sincer, R. & Hooyer, D. A. 1958. A Stegolophodon from South Africa. Nature, Lond. 182: 101-102.
StncEr, R. & Wyner, J. 1968. Archaeological investigations at the Saldanha skull site in
South Africa. §. Afr. archaeol. Bull. 23: 63-74.
StRoMER, E. 19314. Reste siisswasser- und Land bewohnender Wirbeltiere aus den Diamant-
feldern Klein-Namaqualandes (Stidwest-afrika). Sber. bayer. Akad. Wiss. 1931: 17-47.
StRoMER, E. 19316. Palaeonthentoides africanus, nov. gen., nov. spec., ein erstes Beuteltier aus
Afrika. Sher. bayer. Akad. Wiss. 1931: 177-190.
Tasot, W. J. 1947. Swartland and Sandveld. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
TinpaLe, N. B. 1947. Subdivision of Pleistocene time in South Australia. Rec. S. Austr. Mus. 8:
619-652.
ZEUNER, F. E. 1959. The Pleistocene period. London: Hutchinson.
114 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
APPENDIX
Ture LANGEBAANWEG BOVIDAE
By
A. W. GENTRY
Tragelaphini
Two horn core pieces, L 4615 and L 6586, spiralled and with a strong keel,
are from a kudu bigger than the Olduvai Tvragelaphus maryanus (Leakey,
1965:40) of which the latest known occurrence is at site HWK East level 2 in
lower Bed II. They match the size of T. strepsiceros grandis (Leakey, 1965:38)
found in Olduvai from MNK II to the junction of Beds III and IV.
A smaller tragelaphine species, not a kudu, is represented by right horn
cores L 5922, L 5924 and L 6568, a left horn core L 5868, and others. The
anterior and postero-lateral keels are developed to about the extent seen in
most Tragelaphus species. Compared with the similar sized 7. angasi, the horn
cores are less antero-posteriorly compressed at the base and perhaps inserted
less far behind the orbits. A left horn core L 6574 has a weaker postero-lateral
keel, but is probably conspecific. This species is smaller than T. nakuae from the
Omo in southern Ethiopia (Arambourg, 1947:418). A right mandible with P,
and P, L 6287 and some other pieces can be doubtfully placed with this species.
Those numbered L 1843C, L 3360 and L 3697 also have P,’s, and in all the
fossils there is no fusion of paraconid and metaconid as occurs in living Tragela-
phini. Several lower molars have goat folds (anterior transverse flanges), a
character not hitherto known in tragelaphines, and one which diminishes the
reliability of the tooth identifications.
Boselaphini
Three horn cores, L 4657, a tip L 5923, and L 1588A from Baard’s Quarry,
show medio-lateral compression and a step on the anterior edge. Such features
occur in Protragocerus and Tragocerus genera, otherwise known from Miocene-
Pliocene faunas of Europe, China and the Siwaliks. The Langebaanweg horn cores
are perhaps too large to agree with the common Tragocerus amalthea of the European
lower Pliocene, and definitely too large for the Dhok Pathan T. punjabicus. There
are larger Tvragocerus specimens in European museums, but they lack the
curvature of the horn cores in front view (produced by greater divergence
nearer the base than higher up) and high basal hollowing of the pedicel seen in
the Langebaanweg specimens. Protragocerus, which does have a curved course
of its horn cores in anterior view, might be a better assignation. It has a more
southerly distribution than Tragocerus, being absent from China and some
European sites, but present at other European sites, in the Siwaliks, and at
Fort Ternan, Kenya. The Langebaanweg horn cores are bigger than any known
specimens of Protragocerus.
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE 115
Bovini
A bovine species is represented by two right upper molars L 4774 and
L 11981, a right M3 L 2051, and a fragment of a right M, L 5338. A small left
Ms; set in part of a large mandible L 12116, and a right mandible and left
maxilla with deciduous teeth L 1843, may also be bovine. These teeth are not
advanced, and agree with bovine teeth from Olduvai of upper Bed II and
earlier.
Reduncini
Some horn cores, right L 2611 and L 2612, left L 1847 L 2609 L 6076 and
L 10672, belong to a fairly small Kobus species. They are short, little compressed
medio-laterally, with a flattened lateral surface, inserted close together, and set
obliquely in side view. They agree with no other reduncine which I have seen.
A cranium L 2604 could belong to this species, and is unlike the Makapansgat
Limeworks Redunca darti (Wells & Cooke, 1956:17) in its larger mastoid
without a pronounced ventral rim, the inflated auditory bullae, and the large
anterior tuberosities of the basioccipital.
The largest group of horn cores from Baard’s Quarry are from a different
reduncine antelope, e.g. L 564 and L 1378. This species differs from Redunca
darti by having longer horn cores, very divergent in anterior view and set more
obliquely in side view. Such horn cores cannot be separated from Redunca
ancystrocera from Omo levels below Tuff F (see Howell, 1968 and Arambourg,
Chavaillon & Coppens, 1967 for Omo tuffs and their dates).
Hippotragini
A frontlet L 1836 appears to be of Hippotragus. It gives no sign of being
from a young individual, so it may be taken as too small for a female of Hippo-
tragus gigas (Leakey, 1965:49). It differs from Siwalik Hippotragini of the
Pinjor stage by the closer supraorbital pits. Of the two living species, it agrees
better with roan than with sable in that its horn cores are neither large nor
medio-laterally compressed higher up, and the frontals are not unduly raised
between the horn bases. It is the only record before Elandsfontein of any
HMippotragus other than H. gigas.
Alcelaphini
An alcelaphine species is represented by a skull L 7257, cranium L 2680,
and horn cores, including a horn core L g from Baard’s Quarry. The teeth of
this species are unadvanced in their lack of outbowed ribs between the styles on
the upper molars, little rounding of the medial and lateral lobes on the lower
molars, a simple outline of the central cavities on the molars, and P,s with no
fusion of paraconid and metaconid. Also the nasals are less extremely narrowed
than in living alcelaphines and the preorbital fossa is larger. Ancestry to
Alcelaphus itself is a possible relationship.
116 ANNALS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MUSEUM
A large number of horn cores, more than those of the last species, agree
closely with Parmularius angusticornis (published as Damaliscus angusticornis by
Schwarz, 1937:55) of middle and upper Bed IT at Olduvai. It is a problem that
none of the Langebaanweg alcelaphine teeth, which presumably include many
from this species, are as advanced as all those from Olduvai middle and upper
Bed II, which must similarly include some belonging to the common P. angusti-
cornis. They are also less advanced than in the Olduvai Bed I P. altidens, which
I believe to be the ancestor of P. angusticornis.
Antilopini
Horn cores of a species of Gazella occur at Langebaanweg, e.g. L 3491 and
at Baard’s Quarry L 1521D. They are very medio-laterally compressed, and
curve backwards in side view. A similarly compressed gazelle horn core comes
from above Tuff G at Omo, and is conspecific with Arambourg’s (1947:387)
horn core of Gazella praethomsoni. One does not know whether more complete
examples of these Omo horn cores would have shown backward curvature as at
Langebaanweg. Gazella gracilior from the Makapansgat Limeworks (Wells &
Cooke, 1956:37) might also turn out to be conspecific with the Langebaanweg
horn cores, providing that the type frontlet was from a female animal.
Neotragini
A right horn core and right maxilla L 12238, and other horn cores, belong
to this tribe. The horn cores have some compression in the direction antero-
lateral to postero-medial, an irregular cross section, a postero-lateral keel for
part of the length of the horn core, and oblique insertions in side view. They
may be doubtfully regarded as a very large Madoqua. The horn core from
Makapansgat Limeworks assigned to Cephalophus price (Wells & Cooke,
1956:13) is inseparable from the Langebaanweg horn cores, but the tooth rows
of this species are larger than the Langebaanweg maxilla L 12238. Since the
holotype of C. pricez is one of these tooth rows, its name cannot be used for the
Langebaanweg species. Baard’s Quarry contains another neotragine species
represented by L 1670 and other horn cores.
Langebaanweg is a difficult site. The TYragocerus or Protragocerus, the short-
horned Kobus, the small Hippotragus, and the alcelaphine species represented by
the skull L 7257 are all unique in my experience. There is a puzzling discrepancy
between primitive alcelaphine teeth and the horn cores apparently of the
Olduvai Bed II Parmularius angusticornis. If one supposed that the horn cores of
the Olduvai Bed I P. altidens, type species of its genus, were merely a local
variation, and therefore could be preceded at other sites by ‘angusticornis’ horn
cores, then the primitive Langebaanweg teeth could indicate a pre-Olduvai age.
However the kudu horn cores at Langebaanweg are of a size only attained at
Olduvai in middle and upper Bed II. Also the long horned buffalo Homoioceras
at Elandsfontein shows more primitive teeth than any other species of the genus,
and if such a late survival could occur in buffaloes in the south-west Cape
Province, might it not also have occurred earlier in an alcelaphine lineage?
PLIO/PLEISTOCENE DEPOSITS AT LANGEBAANWEG, CAPE PROVINCE At
REFERENCES
ARAMBOURG, C. 1947. Contribution a l’étude géologique et paléontologique du bassin du lac
Rodolphe et de la basse vallée de ’Omo. Mission scient. Omo 1: 231-562.
ARAMBOURG, C., CHAVAILLON, J. & Copprrns, Y. 1967. Premiers résultats de la nouvelle mission
de ’Omo (1967). C. R. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris (D) 265: 1891-1896.
Howe Lt, F. C. 1968. Omo research expedition. Nature, Lond. 219: 567-572.
Leakey, L. S. B. 1965. Olduvai Gorge 1951-1961. 1. Cambridge: University Press.
ScHwarz, E. 1937. Die fossilen Antilopen von Oldoway. Wiss. Ergebn. Oldoway-Exped. 1913
(N.F.) 4: 7-90.
Wetis, L. H. & Cooxse, H. B. S. 1956. Fossil Bovidae from the Limeworks Quarry,
Makapansgat, Potgietersrus. Palaeont. afr. 4: 1-55.
Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. 56 Plate 1
——S
A. Selachian teeth from the marine biostratigraphic zone (basal gravel). B. Tachysurid spines
from site No. 12 (approximately 1 m above basal gravel). C. Dasyatid spine (L 12157) (approxi-
mately 5 m above basal gravel). D. Spheniscid humerus (L 6510). E. Lacertid dentaries from
site No. 12. F. Macroscelidid mandible from site No. 12. G. Chrysochlorid mandible from site
No. 12. H & I. Murid mandibles from site No. 12. J. Leporid mandible (L 10529/2).
Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. 56 Plate 2
A & B. Buccal and occlusal views of hyaenid mandible (LBW 1966/1/11) (approximately 3-5 m
above basal gravel). C. cf. Machairodus sp. upper canine (L 11846) (approximately 5 m above
basal gravel). D. Dinofelis mandible (L122: 7) (approximately 5 m above basal gravel).
E. Mustelid mandible (L 6385).
Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. 56 Plate 3
A. Anancus sp. molar (L 2557). B. Diceros aff. bicornis mandible (L 11849). C. Hipparion albertense
molars (L 11751). D. Equus cf. helmei molar (L 2095). E. Equus sp. molar (L 5353).
Ann. S. Afr. Mus., Vol. 56 Plate 4
B
A. Alcelaphine skull (L . B. Gazella sp. horn core (L 3491). C. Hippotragus sp. horn cores
and frontlet (L 1836).
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
Based on
CONFERENCE OF BIOLOGICAL EDITORS, COMMITTEE ON FORM AND STYLE. 1960.
Siyle manual for biological journals. Washington: American Institute of Biological Sciences.
MANUSCRIPT
To be typewritten, double spaced, with good margins, arranged in the following order:
(1) Heading, consisting of informative but brief title, name(s) of author(s), address(es) of
author(s), number of illustrations (plates, figures, enumerated maps and tables) in the article.
(2) Contents. (3) The main text, divided into principal divisions with major headings; sub-
headings to be used sparingly and enumeration of headings to be avoided. (4) Summary.
(5) Acknowledgements. (6) References, as below. (7) Key to lettering of figures. (8) Explana-
tion to plates.
ILLUSTRATIONS
To be reducible to 4# in. x 7 in. (74 m. including caption). A metric scale to appear with
all photographs.
REFERENCES
Harvard system (name and year) to be used: author’s name and year of publication given
in text; full references at the end of the article, arranged alphabetically by names, chronologi-
cally within each name, with suffixes a, 5, etc. to the year for more than one paper by the same
author in that year.
For books give title in italics, edition, volume number, place of publication, publisher.
For journal articles give title of article, title of journal in italics (abbreviated according to
the World list of scientific periodicals. 4th ed. London: Butterworths, 1963), series in parentheses,
volume number, part number (only if independently paged) in parentheses, pagination.
Examples (note capitalization and punctuation)
BuLtoucu, W. S. 1960. Practical invertebrate anatomy. and ed. London: Macmillan.
Fiscuer, P.-H. 1948. Données sur la résistance et de le vitalité des mollusques. 7. Conch., Paris
88: 100-140.
FiscHer, P.-H., DuvaL, M. & Rarry, A. 1933. Etudes sur les échanges respiratoires des littorines.
Archs Zool. exp. gén. 74: 627-634.
Koun, A. J. 1960a. Ecological notes on Conus (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Trincomalee
region of Ceylon. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (13) 2: 309-320.
Koun, A. J. 1960. Spawning behaviour, egg masses and larval development in Conus from the
Indian Ocean. Bull. Bingham oceanogr. Coll. 17 (4): 1-51.
TuIrELe, J. 1910. Mollusca: B. Polyplacophora, Gastropoda marina, Bivalvia. Jn Schultze, L.
Koologische und anthropologische Ergebnisse einer Forschung sreise im westlichen und zentralen Stid-
Afrika. 4: 269-270. Jena: Fischer. Denkschr. med-naturw. Ges. Jena 162 269-270.
ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE
To be governed by the rulings of the latest International code of zoological nomenclature issued
by the International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature (particularly articles 22 and 51). ‘The
Harvard system of reference to be used in the synonymy lists, with the full references incorporated
in the list at the end of the article, and not given in contracted form in the synonymy list.
Example
Scalaria coronata Lamarck, 1816: pl. 451, figs 5 a, b; Liste: 11. Turton, 1932: 8o.
ee
3 9088 01206 6114
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11