A Morphometric and Multivariate Analysis Using Fragmented Fruit Bat (Pteropus sp.) Mandibles to Predict the Presence of Three Species in an Early Lapita Archaeological Assemblage from Arapus, Vanuatu

Loren Howell

This study performed morphometric and multivariate analyses on fruit bat mandibles in a Lapita midden assemblage from Arapus, Vanuatu, with the aims of (1) quantifying the extent of morphological variation previously observed, (2) estimating resemblance between archaeological and modern reference specimens, (3) predicting the number of taxa present, and (4) drawing inferences about how fruit bats were utilised in early Lapita subsistence strategies. The analysis determined that there were three quantifiably distinct mandible morphologies present in the Arapus assemblage, consistent with previous observations. One morphology type was confidently attributed to the P. samoensis subclade, based on tooth morphology, and most likely represented Pteropus anetianus. The remaining two types were morphologically similar, sharing characteristics of the griseus subclade and most likely representing subspecies of the Insular flying fox, P. tonganus. Comparative analysis with modern species showed that archaeological specimens were consistently larger than modern counterparts. Although size reduction can be an effect of over predation, this was probably associated with difficultly comparing the variables selected. Nevertheless, distribution patterns in the data implies that the archaeological groups differed to each other in much the same way as the reference groups, supporting evidence for three separate species. These results offer important inferences for understanding early Lapita subsistence strategies, whereby Lapita people were opportunistically capturing large quantities of fruit bats within or nearby settlements with relative ease.