NB: Additional species likely on basis of
recovered dentition and vertebrae, but not confirmed: trunk fish, parrot fish, sawfish,
Florida cougar, alligator. Human molars/premolars have also been recovered from the
midden. There are undoubtedly many more species whose remains have not yet been
separated from the field bags. The list above is provisional at this time and is actually
a "working list" of a project-in-preparation. It was planned to explore more
fully to the limits of the data, the evidence for and implications of, such aspects as
disease, gender, age and/or sex ratios, seasonality, extant or extinct species, migratory
types, animal behaviors, (likely) hunting/fishing/snaring technologies, etc. as might be
perhaps legitimately inferred from the skeletal material. The list is presented at this
time in the interests of presenting for general readers some factual information about
this interesting site. There is also a large undescribed inventory of invertebrates
from 8DA12.
Both maxillary and mandibular dentition of R.
rattus is present in the midden. Reis notes marked species similarities of many
members of the genus Rattus; if however the dentition is R.
norvigecus, it can only relate to post-Contact rats on and in the midden. No
inter-midden provenience data (vertical control or other) accompanies these particular
specimens; it is my personal recall that Rattus remains are ubiquitous at all
levels. Whether this places stricture on certain interpretations of the midden's age
span or formation of its physical components, I cannot say: the Rattus remains
would most likely be assumed to be from post-depositional burrowing activities in any
event.
I thank Dr. Kelley Reis, then of the Florida Natural
History Museum, and her associates, for the identifications and review of these
specimens.
BWP 9/3/99