Abstract

FERRARI, Alejandro; GONZALEZ, Enrique M.  and  MANZUETTI, Aldo. A comprehensive review of the presence of the jaguar (Panthera onca) in Uruguay with new archaeozoological data. Rev. Mus. Antropol. [online]. 2023, vol.16, n.2, pp.97-118.  Epub Aug 31, 2023. ISSN 1852-060X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.31048/1852.4826.v16.n2.40595.

The jaguar, Panthera onca, has been considered extinct in Uruguay since 1901. There are paleontological and archeological records, as well as historical documentation, that show the presence of the species in different parts of the national territory. There are also numerous geographical features in the country that include the word “tiger” in their names, the local name given to the felid in colonial times, indicating its cultural importance. In order to determine the past distribution of the jaguar in Uruguay, the historical and current bibliography was reviewed, the existing material in the national zoological, paleontological and archeological collections was examined, and the national toponymy was analyzed in search of references to the species. We found 14 paleontological records, 3 archaeological records, 45 historical mentions and 51 toponyms. In addition, unpublished or little studied materials associated with archaeological sites are described and their anthropological implications are discussed. Literary references to their past abundance and their possible connection with the early development of domestication in this region of the continent are reviewed.

Keywords : American tiger; Distribution; Paleontology; Archeology; History; Toponymy.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )