Fish remains from Arbreda Cave (Serinyà, Girona), northeast Spain,and their palaeoecological significance

This paper presents the study and palaeoecological analysis of fossil fish vertebrae of the Arbreda Cave (Serinyà, Girona), probably the most significant Catalan palaeolithic site. Morphological and radiographical studies were used to identify vertebrae to genus and, whenever possible, to species level. The taxa identified are: Anguilla anguilla, Barbussp., Leuciscussp., Rutilus sp., Salmo salar, Salmo trutta and Salmo sp. Species distribution at various archaeological levels provided palaeoecological data. There is a high proportion of Salmo trutta remains in the Upper Gravettian level and a sudden decrease of fossil fish bones in the Solutrean level with shouldered points. This decrease coincides with the period of lower temperatures of the Late Pleniglacial. Finally, the post-glacial terra rossa level is characterised by the absence of Salmo trutta remains. The presence of Salmo salar in Mediterranean sites has often been discussed. However, the dating of remains of this Atlantic species found in the Arbreda Cave makes it likely that these specimens were caught in Atlantic rivers on the northern Pyrennean slope and then transported to the area studied. © 1997 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.