Chronological context, species occurrence, and environmental remarks on the Gelasian site Pedrera del Corral d'en Bruach (Barcelona, Spain) based on the small-mammal associations

Here we present the results of a study of the small mammal assemblage recovered from a now disappeared karstic fissure located in a quarry called 'Pedrera del Corral d'en Bruach'. The site was located at 330 m a.s.l. in the Garraf Massif, ca. 20 km south of Barcelona. An archaeological rescue excavation was conducted in 2006 by the Grup de Recerca del Quaternari, focusing on sieving the sediments that had accumulated at the foot of the quarry face. Fortunately, some faunal remains and sediment were recovered, which were later processed and sorted. Two hundred and seventy small mammal remains were identified at genus or species level, bringing to light 15 taxa. The assemblage is typical of the Mammal Neogene 17 (MN17) biozone, placing this site in the Gelasian stage of the Early Pleistocene. It is noteworthy that the first record of the glirid Glirulus pusillus in Iberia is documented. Based on the small mammals identified, the surrounding environment of the Garraf Massif is judged to have been characterised by open forest landscape and more humid environmental conditions than nowadays. Finally, the site provides a remarkable contribution to what is known of the Iberian small mammals of this time period.

Automated summary

This study presents the findings of a small mammal assemblage discovered in a vanished karstic fissure at the 'Pedrera del Corral d'en Bruach' quarry. The remains of 15 different species were identified from the collected faunal remains and sediment. The results indicate that the surrounding environment of the area was characterized by open forest landscape and more humid conditions than the present, contributing to our understanding of the Iberian small mammals during this time period.