Decapod crustaceans in the archaeologic records from the Late and Middle Holocene of Provincia de Choapa: former results

Abstract

Eleven decapod crustacean species, plus others undeterminated remains were gathered from the archaeologic material obtained in the excavations carried out between the Río Choapa (Huentelauquén) and Pichidangui beach. These materials are pieces mainly from the brachyuran xanthid crab Homalaspis plana (common name: Jaiba mora), Pachycheles grossimanus, Taliepus dentatus, Portunus asper, Platyxanthops orbigny, Pilumnoides perlatus, Eurypanopeus crenatus, Cycloxanthops sexdecimdentatus, Paraxanthus barbiger, Acanthocyclus hassleri and Bellia picta. The material corresponds, from a taphonomic point of view, to the articulated and fixed crab dactylopodites. All the species correspond to common crustaceans from the intertidal rocky and sandy environments of Central Chile and from the present day water column composition. Their presence within the archaelogic record represent only a small fraction of the total 104 crustaceans species now extant in Los Vilos and its neighboring areas.