Cave lynx Osteometrical Datasets from L'Escale Palaeontological site (South-East France)

Background
These datasets provide osteometrical measurements for dental and postcranial remains in cave lynx from the Middle Pleistocene site of L’Escale (South-East France).  The cave lynx sample from L’Escale is probably one of the richest and most important population for the European (Middle) Pleistocene.

L’Escale Cave, located about 30 km north to Aix-en-Provence, has been excavated during the 1960’s under the direction of Eugène and Marie-Françoise Bonifay. This site, dated to the first half of the Middle Pleistocene, yielded remarkable faunal associations, including abundant thar – Hemitragus bonali – remains as well as numerous and highly diverse carnivores such as the wolverine Gulo schlosseri, the « european » jaguar Panthera gombaszoegensis, the cave lynx Lynx spelaeus as well as the fossil striped hyena Hyaena prisca (Bonifay, 1971 ; Bonifay, 1974-75). L’Escale presents a unique palaeobiological record mixing phases of carnivore occupations (bears, striped hyenas?, jaguars?, wolves?, foxes) and natural trapping events (thar) (Coumont, 2006).

Method
All the specimens have been described and measured (in millimeters with callipers to 0.1mm) by the authors. They are stored and curated in the MNP – Musée National de Préhistoire, Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France.

Data description
File title:
Each file is named according to the following pattern:
    • First part: abreviation of considered species (i.e., Lps = Lynx pardinus spelaeus); 
    • Second part: anatomical part codification: 
        ◦ MAND: Mandible 
        ◦ U: Upper / L: Lower
        ◦ C: Canine / P: Premolar / M: Molar 
        ◦ 1 to 5: tooth or metapodials (metacarpals/metatarsals/phalanges) rank 
        ◦ HUM: Humerus / RAD: Radius / ULN: Ulna
        ◦ FEM: Femur / TIB: Tibia
        ◦ SCAPHL: Scapholunar (Carpal)
        ◦ CALCA: Calcaneus (Tarsal)
        ◦ TAL: Talus (Tarsal)
        ◦ MTC: Metacarpals / MTT: Metatarsals

File content:
    • chrono: Chronology (i.e., Middle or Late Pleistocene); 
    • MIS: Marine Isotopic Stage (if applicable); 
    • species: specific (or sub-specific) identification (i.e., Lynx spelaea); 
    • country: Site location (i.e., France); 
    • site: Site name; 
    • label: Specimen label such as archaeological number or museum inventory number; 
    • side: Specimen laterality, it could be left (sin) or right (dext); 
    • L_cond_infra (in mm): length from the condyle process to infradental (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • L_angul_infra: length from the angular process to infradental (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • L_coron_infra: length from coronion to infradental (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • L_diast: Diastema length (in mm),  applicable only for the mandible;
    • L_rawtth: Raw teeth length (in mm);
    • H_p3: Horizontal ramus height before p3 (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • H_m1: Horizontal ramus height behind m1 (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • B_c: Horizontal ramus breadth at lower canine (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • B_p3: Horizontal ramus breadth before p3 (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • B_m1: Horizontal ramus breadth behind m1 (in mm), applicable only for the mandible;
    • B: Breadth (in mm); 
    • L: Breadth (in mm); 
    • GL: Greatest length (in mm);
    • Dp: Depth of the proximal end (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • Bp: Greatest breadth of the proximal end (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • Ds: Depth of the diaphysis (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • SD: Smallest breadth of the diaphysis (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • Dd: Depth of the distal end (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • Bd: Greatest breadth of the distal end (in mm), applicable only for long bones and metapodials;
    • B_troch: Breadth of the trochlea (in mm), applicable only for the humerus;
    • DPA: Depth across the processus anconaeus (in mm), applicable only for the ulna;
    • SDO: Smallet depth of the olceranon (in mm), applicable only for the ulna;
    • BPC: Greatest breadth across the coronoid process (in mm), applicable only for the ulna;
    • GB: Greatest breadth (in mm), applicable only for carpals/tarsals; 
    • H: Greatest height (in mm), applicable only for carpals/tarsals; 
    • GD: Greatest depth (in mm), applicable only for carpals/tarsals; 
    • location: Curation place. 

References
• Bonifay, M.-F., 1974-1975. "Hemitragus bonali" Harlé et Stehlin, "Caprinae" de la grotte de l’Escale (Saint-Estève-Janson, Bouhes-du-Rhône). Quaternaria XVIII, 215–301.
• Bonifay, M.-F., 1971. Carnivores quaternaires du Sud-Est de la France. Mémoires du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sér. C – Sciences de la Terre 21, 1–334.
• Coumont, M.-P., 2006. Taphonomie préhistorique : mammifères fossiles en contexte naturel, les avens-pièges, apport pour l’étude des archéofaunes. Thèse de Doctorat. Université Aix-Marseille 1, Aix-en-Provence.