安徽省东至县华龙洞遗址出土了丰富的古人类化石及大量哺乳动物骨骼和牙齿。为探讨华龙洞人与这些哺乳动物之间的关系，本文对该遗址2014~2024年发掘出土的大额牛牙齿化石进行了研究。研究结果显示：1）已发掘出的大额牛牙齿有1205颗，包括门齿139颗（包含门齿化犬齿），残缺颊齿202颗和完整可测量颊齿864颗（乳齿69颗，恒齿795颗）；2）最小个体数量为53例；3）牙齿的大小尺寸与白龙洞遗址出土的大额牛最接近；4）华龙洞大额牛的年龄结构为：幼年组占38%、壮年组占44%、老年组占18%；5）华龙洞大额牛的年龄结构对应灾难型死亡模式；6）华龙洞大额牛幼年个体比例偏高，这可能说明了华龙洞古人类采取了多种狩猎方式或者在繁殖季节狩猎了更多的幼年个体。本研究为探讨华龙洞人的狩猎行为提供了新证据。

The Hualongdong site in Dongzhi County, Anhui Province has yielded abundant hominin fossils along with numerous mammalian bones and teeth. Among the large mammal fossils unearthed at the site, cervid remains are the most common, followed by those of large bovids. To investigate the relationship between the Hualongdong hominins and these mammals, this study focuses on the gaur [Bos (Bibos) sp.] dental fossils excavated from the site between 2014 and 2024. The subgenus Bos (Bibos) represents an extinct group of the Bos (Bibos) sp., distinct from extant Bos frontalis. Fossils of these bovids are frequently found in Pleistocene cave sites in southern China, with a temporal range spanning from the Early to the Late Pleistocene. In this study, the dental sequence was first identified, and the tooth dimensions were measured and compared with those of bovids from other sites as well as extant gaur. Based on this analysis, the minimum number of individuals (MNI) was calculated. The age-at-death was estimated using crown height measurements, and age groups were classified to construct the mortality profile. The mortality pattern of the Hualongdong bovids was identified using a ternary diagram and its possible causes inferred through comparative analysis.

The results indicate that: 1) A total of 1,205 bovid teeth were unearthed, including 139 incisors (Including incisiform canines), 202 fragmented cheek teeth, and 864 complete and measurable cheek teeth (69 deciduous teeth and 795 permanent teeth); 2) The MNI was estimated at 53, based on the combination of 39 left M3s and 14 right DP3s; 3) The tooth dimensions of the Hualongdong bovids most closely resemble those of Bos (Bibos) gaurus from the Bailong Cave site; 4) Using a quadratic crown height equation for permanent teeth and a linear equation for deciduous teeth, the age distribution of the Hualongdong bovids was determined to be 38% juveniles, 44% prime adults, and 18% old adults; 5) The age profile plotted on a ternary diagram closely aligns with that of extant wild gaur and European bison, indicating a catastrophic mortality pattern; 6) The relatively high proportion of juveniles suggests that the Hualongdong hominins may have employed multiple hunting strategies, such as a combination of non-selective ambush and endurance hunting, or that they may have targeted more juvenile bovids during the breeding season.

Teeth are among the most well-preserved animal remains at archaeological sites and contain rich information about the animals themselves. By analyzing the dental fossils of large bovids from Hualongdong, this study reconstructs their mortality profile and provides new evidence for interpreting the hunting behavior of the Hualongdong hominins.