Pumas as taphonomic agents: A comparative analysis of actualistic studies in the Neotropics

Puma (Puma concolor) taphonomic action on vertebrate assemblages in the Neotropics is described and analyzed. Actualistic information based on the literature and observations are presented from a comparative perspective, to determine some general patterns and, particularly, the ranges of variation in this felid's action. Information available for the Nearctic region is considered for comparative purposes. Particular attention is given to cases departing from the more general trends, such as one case in Mendoza (Argentina) in which the intensity of bone damage is outstanding. Variation in puma taphonomic action in the Neotropics is increasingly apparent as new studies are carried out, and knowledge on the range of this variation and the conditions under which it occurs needs to be deepened by future research.