Lainyamok
Basic information
Sample name: Lainyamok
Sample aka: Khaki 2
Reference: R. Potts, P. Shipman, and E. Ingall. 1988. Taphonomy, paleoecology, and hominids of Lainyamok, Kenya. Journal of Human Evolution 17(6):597-614 [ER 3865]
Geography
Country: Kenya
Coordinate: -1.78° S, 36.19° E
Latlng basis: estimated from map
Time interval: Middle Pleistocene
Ma: 0.392
Age basis: Ar-Ar
Geography comments: "8 km west of Lake Magadi and 40 km southwest of Olorgesailie" (about 2 km south-southwest of Oldorko Primary School on a Google map based on triangulation with Fig. 1)
the original age assignment of 0.70 to 0.56 Ma by Potts et al. (1988) was based on geochronological and biochronological correlation with Olorgesailie Member 11, but the most current assignment of the Khaki 2 layer is 392 +/- 4 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar dating (Potts and Deino 1995)
the original age assignment of 0.70 to 0.56 Ma by Potts et al. (1988) was based on geochronological and biochronological correlation with Olorgesailie Member 11, but the most current assignment of the Khaki 2 layer is 392 +/- 4 ka based on 40Ar/39Ar dating (Potts and Deino 1995)
Environment
Lithology: siltstone
Taphonomic context: carnivore accumulation, lake deposit
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: "none of the criteria for butchery sites is met. Instead, the primary fossiliferous layer (Khaki 2) represents a debris flow which introduced artifacts and possibly some bones into a lake margin setting... hyenas accumulated most of these bones in burrows after deposition of Khaki 2... evidence of hominid activities is negligible"
most of the fossils are from the Khaki 2 layer, a "poorly sorted, massive silt, 1-2.5 m thick" with "abundant rounded fragments and cobbles of Magadi Trachyte" that is "interpreted as as subaerially deposited mudflow"
most of the fossils are from the Khaki 2 layer, a "poorly sorted, massive silt, 1-2.5 m thick" with "abundant rounded fragments and cobbles of Magadi Trachyte" that is "interpreted as as subaerially deposited mudflow"
Methods
Life forms: carnivores, primates, rodents, ungulates, other large mammals, other small mammals
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 307 specimens
Years: 1984
Net or trap nights: 0
Basal area status: not applicable
Sampling comments: "extensive excavations were carried out for the first time in 1984"
the entered species list is based on Potts and Deino (1995) and does reflect minor additions, revisions, and changes in specimen counts
it applies strictly to Khaki 2
the entered species list is based on Potts and Deino (1995) and does reflect minor additions, revisions, and changes in specimen counts
it applies strictly to Khaki 2
Metadata
Sample no: 4240
Contributor no: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Created: 2023-04-21 10:48:08
Modified: 2023-04-21 00:48:08
Abundance distribution
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts. Values are logged.
Statistics
42 species
10 singletons
total count 307
geometric series index: 73.2
Fisher's α: 13.159
geometric series k: 0.9065
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.927
Shannon's H: 3.081
Good's u: 0.9676
Register
| Antidorcas sp. | 1 | |
| Nanger granti (Grant's gazelle) | 18 | |
| "Gazella granti" | ||
| Eudorcas thomsonii (Thomson's gazelle) | 11 | |
| "Gazella thomsoni" | ||
| Litocranius walleri (gerenuk) | 2 | 31.0 kg |
| plus four indeterminate Antilopini | ||
| Aepyceros melampus (impala) | 7 | 51.0 kg |
| Damaliscus cf. pygargus (bontebok) | 27 | |
| "Damaliscus cf. dorcas" | ||
| Beatragus hunteri (hirola) | 1 | |
| "Damaliscus hunteri" | ||
| Damaliscus lunatus (topi) | 3 | 122.0 kg |
| Connochaetes sp. | 2 | |
| plus 10 indeterminate Alcelaphini | ||
| Hippotragus equinus (roan) | 7 | 246.0 kg |
| plus one indeterminate Hippotragini | ||
| Oryx beisa (East African oryx) | 6 | 168.0 kg |
| plus four indeterminate Oryx | ||
| Kobus sp. | 2 | |
| plus one indeterminate Reduncini | ||
| Taurotragus oryx (common eland) | 17 | |
| Bovini indet. | 1 | |
| Madoqua sp. | 7 | |
| Cephalophus silvicultor (yellow-backed duiker) | 1 | 27.0 kg |
| "Cephalophus sylvicultor": plus one indeterminate Cephalophini and 462 indeterminate Bovidae | ||
| Giraffa camelopardalis (northern giraffe) | 7 | 942.0 kg |
| plus two indeterminate Giraffa | ||
| Phacochoerus aethiopicus (desert warthog) | 1 | 65.0 kg |
| presumably legitimate because the species does range well into Kenya | ||
| Potamochoerus porcus (red river hog) | 1 | 66.0 kg |
| plus one indeterminate suid | ||
| Hippopotamus sp. | 1 | |
| Equus grevyi (Grévy's zebra) | 56 | 386.0 kg |
| Equus quagga (plains zebra) | 24 | |
| "Equus burchelli": plus 28 indeterminate Equus | ||
| Elephantidae indet. | 2 | |
| Procavia sp. | 7 | |
| Orycteropus afer (aardvark) | 32 | 40.0 kg |
| Canis mesomelas (black-backed jackal) | 4 | 7.9 kg |
| Canis adustus (side-striped jackal) | 5 | 9.8 kg |
| plus eight indeterminate Canis | ||
| Lycaon pictus (African wild dog) | 1 | 26.0 kg |
| Otocyon megalotis (bat-eared fox) | 1 | 3.2 kg |
| plus eight indeterminate Otocyon and one indeterminate Canidae | ||
| Mellivora capensis (honey badger) | 4 | 7.7 kg |
| Ichneumia albicauda | 6 | 3.4 kg |
| Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena) | 3 | 66.0 kg |
| Hyaena hyaena (striped hyena) | 1 | 30.0 kg |
| Panthera leo (lion) | 4 | 147.0 kg |
| Panthera pardus (leopard) | 2 | |
| Caracal caracal (caracal) | 2 | |
| "Felis caracal" | ||
| Felis lybica (African wildcat) | 11 | 4.5 kg |
| "Felis libyca": plus one indeterminate felid | ||
| Papio sp. | 6 | |
| Homo sp. | 2 | |
| Lepus capensis | 2 | |
| Pedetes sp. | 7 | |
| Thryonomys sp. | 2 | |
| plus 10 indeterminate rodents | ||