APPENDIX IV: FISH REMAINS FROM CENTURY RANCH SITE LAn-229, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA W. I. Follett Reprinted from Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1968, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, volume 10. Appendix in: The archaeological investigation of three sites on the Century Ranch, western Los Angeles County, California, by Chester King, Thomas Blackburn, and Ernest Chandonet. Date of publication: August 1, 1969. : r" • APPENDIX IV: FISH REMAINS FROM CENTURY RANCH SITE LAn-229, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA W. I. Follett INTRODUCTION This is a report on the fish remains collected by Thomas Blackburn, Ernest Chandonet and Chester King at LAn-229, one of the three Century Ranch sites (LAn-225, LAn-227 and LAn-229) in western Los Angeles County, California. These sites are located in a small, shallow valley on the inland side of the coastal Santa Monica Mountains. The geography of the region is shown on the Malibu Beach Quadrangle (7.5 minute series (topographic), 1950, United States Geological Survey). The location of the Century Ranch sites with reference to the entire territory of the Chumash was indicated by Landberg (1965:Fig. 2), and with reference to other sites in the western Santa Monica Mountains by Glassow (1965:Map 1) and by Leonard (1966:Map 1). LAn-229 is on the edge of Las Virgines Creek, at a point where a large spring once flowed into the stream. The site is marked by a dark brown adobe midden approximately three feet in depth, that contains numerous flecks of shell. It is some 1000 feet north of LAn-227, which occupies a small rise between Las Virgines and Stokes creeks just above their juncture; a short distance downstream from LAn-227, Las Virgines and Tritmfo creeks unite and enter Malibu Canyon. LAn-229 is tentatively dated between approximately 1550 A. D. and 1800 A. D. (LAn227, between approximately 500 A. D. and 1300 A.D. ). The specimens are deposited at the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles, under Accession Number 351. This discussion of the fish remains constitutes an appendix to the detailed report by Blackburn, Chandonet and King on the Century Ranch sites and their archaeology. I wish to express my appreciation to Thomas Blackburn, now of California State Polytechnic College in Pomona, for the opportunity to report on this collection; to Lillian J. Dempster of the California Academy of Sciences, for assistance with the manuscript; and to Maurice C. Giles, also of the California Academy of Sciences, for enlargements of the photographs. 132 FISHES REPRESENTED The collection of fish remains from LAn-229 comprises 574 specimens, of which 541 are vertebrae. Most of the specimens are incomplete or fragmentary; the centrum is the only element of the elasmobranch vertebra that has persisted. Of these remains, 292 are identified (287 to species, 5 to genus only); the rest are too fragmentary for satisfactory identification. At least 19 species, referable to 18 genera and 13 families (Table 1), are represented as follows: Family LAMNIDAE -- Mackerel Sharks Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque The mako (Garrick 1967:Fig. 6 (shark), Fig. 9 and Plate 2 (dentition)), a shark highly regarded as food, was discussed by Follett (1963a:300, Plate 1, Fig. a (tooth); 1965:82). Material: 2 teeth (1 nearly complete; 1 incomplete, its cusp black) -- 1 from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 1 from 12-18 in. These represent one or two sharks about 150 cm in total length. Family CARCHARHINIDAE -- Requiem Sharks Triakis semifasciata Girard The leopard shark was discussed by Follett (1957:68; 1963a:300; 1964:32; 1965:82-83). Material: 66 centra (12 complete, 44 incomplete, 10 fragments; 4 are partially charred) -- 1 from a depth of 0-6 in. ; 11 from 6-12 in.; 14 from 12-18 in.; 18 from 18-24 in. ; 7 from 24-30 in.; 13 from 30-36 in. ; 2 from 36-42 in, ; These represent sharks up to about 135 cm in total length and perhaps 11 kg in weight. Carcharhinus brachyurus (Gunther) The narrowtooth shark (Bigelow and Schroeder 1948:Fig. 76 (shark and dentition) as Carcharhinus remotus) is known to attain a total length of 243 cm and a weight of 66 kg (Radovich 1961:19 and 36 as Carcharhinus improvisus). Material: 1 tooth (lower, nearly complete, the cusp split vertically; Plate 1, Fig. a) from a depth of 24-30 in. ; referred to this species on the basis of its narrow, nearly symmetrical cusp and its finely serrulate margins. Family SQUATINIDAE -- Angel Sharks Squatina californica Ayres The Pacific angel shark was discussed by Follett (1963a:301, Plate 1, Fig. b (centrum); 1965:83). Occurrence of the angel shark in shallow water in southern California (San Diego Bay) was noted by Eigenmann (1892:134 as Squatina squatina). 133 Material: 63 centra (2 complete, 45 incomplete, 16 fragments) -- 3 from a depth of 0-6 in.; 8 from 6-12 in.; 13 from 12-18 in.; 12 from 18-24 in.; 10 from 24-30 in.; 12 from 30-36 in.; 5 from 36-42 in. These represent sharks up to about 103 cm in total length and perhaps 10 kg in weight. Family RHINOBATIDAE Guitarfishes Rhinobatos productus (Ayres) The shovelnose guitarfish was discussed by Follett (1963a:301; 1965:83; 1966:190). Material: 67 centra (32 complete, 35 incomplete; 2 are partially charred; 2 pairs each are fused) -- 3 from a depth of 0-6 in. ; 12 from 6-12 in.; 21 from 12-18 in. ; 17 from 18-24 in. ; 8 from 24-30 in.; 6 from 30-36 in. These represent guitarfish up to about 130 cm in total length and perhaps 10 kg in weight. Family MYLIOBATEDIDAE -- Eagle Rays Myliobatis californica Gill The bat stingray was discussed by Follett (1957:68; 1964:34; 1965:83; 1966:190; 1968:3). Material: 15 centra (4 complete, 11 incomplete) -- 2 from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 6 from 12-18 in. ; 2 from 18-24 in.; 1 from 24-30 in.; 4 from 30-36 in. These represent stingrays up to perhaps 32 kg in weight. Family CLUPEIDAE -- Herrings Sardinops sagax (Jenyns) The Pacific sardine, called sex by the Chumash (Craig 1967:119), was discussed by Follett (1965:83-84). Material: 2 vertebrae (incomplete) -- 1 from a depth of 18-24 in. ; 1 from 30-36 in. These represent two fish, the larger about 25 cm in total length. Family BOTHIDAE Lefteyed Flounders Paralichthys californicus (Ayres) The California halibut, possibly one of the species called Xewes by the Barbareflo Chumash and qewes by the Ventureno (Craig 1967:119-120), was discussed by Follett (1963a: 302; 1966:191). Material: 13 vertebrae (8 incomplete, 5 fragments; 1 is partially charred) -- 1 from a depth of 6-12 in.; 3 from 12-18 in.; 4 from 18-24 in.; 2 from 24-30 in.; 3 from 30-36 in. These represent fish up to about 90 cm in total length. 134 Family SPHYRAENIDAE -- Barracudas Sphyraena argentea Girard The Pacific barracuda was discussed by Follett 1965:84). (1963a:303; 1963b:Plate lb (vertebra); Material: 1 basioccipital (incomplete); 1 quadrate (right, incomplete); 1 premaxillarv (left, incomplete); 1 articular (right, fragment); 5 vertebrae (4 incomplete, 1 fragment; 2 are partially charred); 1 hypural (incomplete) -- 1 articular and 1 vertebra from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 1 vertebra from 12-18 in. ; 1 basioccipital and 2 vertebrae from 18-24 in.; 1 quadrate from 24-30 in. ; 1 premaxillary and 1 vertebra from 30-36 in. ; 1 hypural from 36-42 in. These represent fish up to about 86 cm in total length -- and therefore about 2.4 kg in weight (Walford 1932:Fig. 30, Table 6). Family CARANGIDAE -- Jacks Seriola dorsalis(Gill) The yellowtail, possibly the species called qaja by the Venturefio Chumash (Craig 1967: 120), was discussed by Follett (1963a:303, Plate 1, Fig. c (vertebra) ). It occurred in the Chumash region principally between May and October (Landberg 1965:Fig. 5). Material: 1 quadrate (left, fragment) and 6 vertebrae (4 incomplete, 2 fragments) -1 vertebra from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 1 from 12-18 in. ; 2 from 18-24 in. ; 1 quadrate and 1 vertebra from 24-30 in. ; 1 vertebra from 30-36 in. These represent fish up to about 1 m in total length -- and therefore about 8 kg in weight (Craig 1960:32-34). Trachurus symmetricus (Ayres) The Pacific jackmackerel (Roedel 1953:Fig. cm and a weight of 2.2 kg (Hyatt 1961:34). 80) is known to attain a total length of 81 Material: 4 vertebrae (incomplete; 1 is partially charred; Plate 1, Fig. b) -- 2 from a depth of 18-24 in. ; 2 from 24-30 in. These represent fish up to about 50 cm in total length. (On the ventral aspect of the antepenultimate vertebra, shown in Plate 1, Fig. b, the V-shaped grooves are those into which fit corresponding ridges of the dorsal aspect of the autogenous haemal arch; cf. Gosline 1961:265.) Family SCOMBRIDAE -- Mackerels Scomber japonicus diego (Ayres) The Pacific mackerel, called 'anamtas by the was discussed by Follett (1963a:304; 1965:84). Barbareno Chumash (Craig 1967:119), Material: 13 vertebrae (10 incomplete, 3 fragments) -- 3 from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 3 from 12-18 in. ; 4 from 18-24 in. ; 2 from 24-30 in. ; 1 from 30-36 in. These represent fish up to about 45 cm in total length -- and perhaps 0.9 kg in weight (cf. Fitch 1951:Fig. 15). 135 Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus) The oceanic skipjack (Kishinouye 1923:Plate 30, Fig. 53 (fish); Plate 32, Fig. 57 (skeleton)), which occurred in the Chumash region principally between July and October (Landberg 1965:Fig. 5), was discussed by Follett (1963a:304). Material: 4 vertebrae (incomplete; Plate 1, Fig. c) -- 2 from a depth of 18-24 in. ; 2 from 24-30 in. These represent fish up to about 56 cm in total length. Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre) The albacore (Kishinouye 1923:Plate 26, Fig. 46 (fish); Plate 29, Fig. 52 (skeleton); as Thunnus germo), possibly one of the species called kulilatw by the Venturefio Chumash (Craig 1967:119), was discussed by Follett (1963a:304, Plate 1, Fig. d (vertebra)). It occurred in the Chumash region principally between July and October (Landberg 1965:Fig.5). Material: 12 vertebrae (10 incomplete, 2 fragments) -- 1 from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 1 from 12-18 in. ; 4 from 18-24 in.; 3 from 24-30 in.; 3 from 30-36 in. These represent fish about 74 cm in total length -- and therefore perhaps 6.5 kg in weight (cf. Clemens 1961:Fig. 1, Table 19). Family SCIAENIDAE -- Croakers Cheilotrema saturnum (Girard) The black croaker (Skogsberg 1939:Fig. 6, as Sciaena saturna) has been said to attain a total length of about 38 cm (Roedel 1953:98). Material: 1 vertebra (incomplete) from a depth of 24-30 in., representing a fish about 33 cm in total length. Cynoscion nobilis (Ayres) The white seabass was discussed by Follett (1957:68; 1963a:305). Material: 1 premaxillary (right, incomplete; Plate 1, Fig. d); 1 vertebra (incomplete) -- both from a depth of 12-18 in. These represent fish about 105 cm and 124 cm in total length and about 9.5 kg and perhaps 15 kg in weight. Family LABRIDAE Wrasses Pimelometopon pulchrum (Ayres) The California sheephead was discussed by Follett (1963a:305). Material: 1 dentary (right, fragment) from a depth of 6-12 in., representing a fish perhaps 60 cm in total length. 136 Family SCORPAENIDAE -- Rockfishes Sebastodes paucispinis (Ayres) The bocaccio (Phillips 1957:Fig. 9) has been said to attain a total length of 91 cm and a weight of 9.5 kg (Fitch 1958:63). Material: 1 quadrate (incomplete); 2 vertebrae (incomplete) -- 1 vertebra from a depth of 6-12 in. ; 1 from 18-24 in. ; 1 quadrate from 24-30 in. These represent fish up to about 54 cm in total length. Sebastodes melanops (Girard) The black rockfish (Phillips 1957:Fig. 16) attains a total length of 59 cm (Miller, Gotshall and Nitsos 1965:20). Material: 1 preopercle (left, fragment) from a depth of 18-24 in., representing a fish perhaps 35 cm in total length. Sebastodes sp. Several specimens, recognizable as representing rockfishes, have not been determined as to species. Material: 1 vomer (incomplete); 1 frontal (left, incomplete); 3 vertebrae (incomplete) -- 1 vomer and 1 vertebra from a depth of 6-12 in.; 1 vertebra from 18-24 in. ; 1 frontal and 1 vertebra from 24-30 in. DISCUSSION This collection, like that from nearby LAn-227, contains evidence of Chumash fishing far from land. The evidence is twofold: (1) remains of the albacore and the oceanic skipjack, tunalike pelagic species occurring far from land (in southern California, the albacore comes within three or four miles of shore, according to Cannon 1964:240), and (2) remains of the larger rockfishes occurring near the seabottom in relatively deep water. Remains of the blue shark, Prionace glauca (Linnaeus), a pelagic species that occasionally enters relatively shallow water, were represented at LAn-227 but not at LAn-229. Material of two pelagic species, the albacore and the bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus), and of deepwater rockfishes was obtained at Arroyo Sequit Shellmound (LAn-52), a coastal Chumash site some 15 miles generally westward from the Century Ranch (Follett 1963b:116-117). Among the fishes that generally occur a short distance from shore, the mako, Pacific barracuda, yellowtail, Pacific mackerel and white seabass were found at both Century Ranch sites. The narrowtooth shark and Pacific jackmackerel were found at LAn-229 but not at LAn-227. The kelp bass, Paralabrax clathratus (Girard), and the California bonito, Sarda 137 lineolata (Girard), called muhun by the Barbarefio Chumash and muhum by the Venturefio (Craig 1967:119-120), were not found at LAn-229 but were represented at LAn-227 and at Arroyo Sequit. The kelp beds (Landberg 1965:Fig. 2), and the waters for some distance seaward and shoreward from them, provide a habitat within which most of these fishes will at times be found. For offshore fishing the Chumash used hook and line, basket, net and harpoon from a frameless plank canoe (Craig 1967:119). Among the species occurring in estuaries and off sandy shores, the leopard shark, Pacific angel shark, shovelnose guitarfish and California halibut were represented at both Century Ranch sites (in this same region the first three were found also at Conejo Rock shelter (Follett:1965) and at Arroyo Sequit). The bat stingray, Pacific sardine and black croaker were found at LAn-229 but not at LAn-227. Remains of the soupfin, Galeorhinus zyopterus Jordan and Gilbert, were found at LAn-227 but were not recognized at LAn-229. For estuary fishing the Chumash used hook and line, basket and net from a canoe; for surf fishing, a handline cast from a sandy beach (Craig 1967:119). Among the fishes that commonly occur off rocky shores, the sheephead was represented at both Century Ranch sites, and the black rockfish was found only at LAn-229. These two species may have been caught by pole and line, as described by Craig (1967:119). Perhaps twice as many individual fishes were represented at LAn-229 as at LAn-227. Many more remains of the leopard shark, Pacific angel shark and shovelnose guitarfish were found at LAn-229; these species could readily be caught by the simplest of fishing gear: a handline cast from shore, perhaps at the mouth of an estuary. This suggestion of a greater emphasis on inshore fishing at LAn-229 is supported by the presence of fewer remains of yellowtail and albacore and by the absence of remains of the California bonito. But at both Century Ranch sites, as at Arroyo Sequit, the remains of tunalike fishes point unquestionably to the canoes of the Chumash. BIBLIOGRAPHY BIGELOW, HENRY B. and WILLIAM C. SCHROEDER 1948 Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Chapter 3. Sharks. Memoir Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale University, No. 1, Part 1, pp 59546. New Haven. CANNON, RAYMOND 1964 How To Fish the Pacific Coast. A Manual for Salt Water Fishermen. Second Edition. Lane, Menlo Park. 138 CLEMENS, HAROLD B. 1961 The Migration, Age, and Growth of Pacific Albacore (Thunnus germo), 1951-1958. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 115. Sacramento. CRAIG, STEVE 1967 The Basketry of the Ventureno Chumash. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1967, Vol. 9, pp 78-149. University of California, Los Angeles. CRAIG, WILLIAM L. 1960 Weight-Length Relationship. In: "A Study of the Yellowtail, Seriola dorsalis John L. Baxter and a Staff of Associates. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 110, pp 32-34. Sacramento. EIGENMANN, CARL H. 1892 The Fishes of San Diego, California. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Vol. 15, pp 123-178. Washington, D. C. FITCH, JOHN E. 1951 Age Composition of the Southern California Catch of Pacific Mackerel 1939-40 Through 1950-51. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 83. Sacramento. 1958 Offshore Fishes of California. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento FOLLETT, W. I. 1957 Fish Remains from a Shellmound in Morin County, California. American Antiquity, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp 68-71. Salt lake City. 1963a Fish Remains from the Century Ranch Site (LAn-227), Los Angeles County, California. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1962-1963, pp 295-316. University of California, Los Angeles. 1963b Fish Remains from Arroyo Sequit Shellmound (LAn-52), Los Angeles County, California. In: "Arroyo Sequit--LAn-52. Archeological Investigations in Leo Carrillo Beach State Park, Los Angeles County, California:' Freddie Curtis. California Division of Beaches and Parks Archeological Report, No. 9, pp 113-121. Sacramento. 1964 Fish Remains trom a Sixteenth Century Site on Drakes Bay, California. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1963-64, pp 27-44. University of California, Los Angeles. 1965 Appendix: Fish Remains from the Conejo Rock Shelter Site (Ven-69), Ventura County, California. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1965, Vol. 7, pp 81-90. University of California, Los Angeles. 139 1966 Fish Remains from Archaeological Sites at Irvine, Orange County, California. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1966, Vol. 8, pp 185-195. University of California, Los Angeles. 1968 Fish Remains from Two Submerged Deposits in Tomales Bay, Mann County, California. Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, No. 67. San Francisco. GARRICK, J. A. F. 1967 Revision of Sharks of Genus Isurus with Description of a New Species (Galeoidea, Lamnidae). Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Vol. 118, pp 663-690. Washington, D. C. GLASSOW, M. A. 1965 The Conejo Rock Shelter: An Inland Chumash Site in Ventura County, California. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1965, Vol. 7, pp 19-80. University of California, Los Angeles. GOSLINE, WILLIAM A. 1961 The Perciform Caudal Skeleton. Northridge. Copeia, 1961, No. 3, pp 265-270. HYATT, HAROLD 1961 Jack Mackerel, Trachurus symmetricus. In: California Ocean Fisheries Resources to the Year 1960, State of California Department of Fish and Game, pp 34-35. Sacramento. KISHINOUYE, KAMAKICHI 1923 Contributions to the Comparative Study of the So-Called Scombroid Fishes. Journal of the College of Agriculture, Imperial University of Tokyo, Vol. 8, No. 3. Tokyo. LANDBERG, LEIF C. W. 1965 The Chumash Indians of Southern California. Southwest Museum Papers, No. 19. Los Angeles. LEONARD, N. NELSON III 1966 Ven-70 and Its Place in the Late Period of the Western Santa Monica Mountains. Archaeological Survey Annual Report 1966, Vol. 8, pp 215241. University of California, Los Angeles. 140 MILLER, DANIEL J., DAN GOTSHALL and RICHARD NITSOS 1965 A Field Guide to Some Common Ocean Sport Fishes of California. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento. PHILLIPS, JULIUS B. 1957 A Review of the Rockfishes of California (Family Scorpaenidae). State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 104. Sacramento. RADOVICH, JOHN 1961 Relationships of Some Marine Organisms of the Northeast Pacific to Water Temperatures Particularly During 1957 Through 1959. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 112. Sacramento. ROEDEL, PHIL M. 1953 Common Ocean Fishes of the California Coast. State of California Department of Fish and Game, Fish Bulletin, No. 91. Sacramento. SKOGSBERG, TAGE 1939 The Fishes of the Family Sciaenidae (Croakers) of California. Division of Fish and Game of California, Fish Bulletin, No. 54. Sacramento. WALFORD, LIONEL A . 1932 The California Barracuda (Sphyraena argentea). Division of Fish and Game of California, Fish Bulletin, No. 37. Sacramento. 141 TABLE 1: DISTRIBUTION, BY LEVEL, OF FISH REMAINS FROM CENTURY RANCH SITES LAn-227 AND LAn-229 0-6 in. 227 229 6-12 in. 227 229 Black rockfish Rockfishes, unidentified Unidentified species 1 - 1 3 3 8 1 1 11 1 1 8 - 12 2 1 1 1 2 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 6 45 Total 1 15 Species Mako Leopard shark Narrowtooth shark Blue shark Soupfin Pacific angel shark Shovelnose guitarfish Bat stingray Pacific sardine California halibut Kelp bass Pacific barracuda Yellowtail Pacific jackmackerel Pacific mackerel California bonito Oceanic skipjack Albacore Black croaker White seabass California sheephead Bocaccio 18 91 12-18 in. 18-24 in. 24-30 in. 30-36 in. 36-42 in. 42-48 in. 48-51 in. Total 227 229 227 229 227 229 227 229 227 229 227 229 227 229 227 229 1 - 14 3 13 - 21 6 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 9 1 2 1 5 24 56 1 2 1 5 1 1 4 6 1 15 3 10 23 18 12 17 2 1 4 3 2 2 4 2 4 1 1 1 75 2 4 7 1 1 2 - 10 4 8 1 3 2 1 1 1 3 2 2 1 2 4 2 9 3 1 1 1 1 10 2 19 58 2 5 2 1 5 3 1 8 15 13 12 6 4 1 3 2 1 1 3 37 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 5 1 3 1 1 1 52 122 73 149 66 103 42 83 12 11 3 - 1 - 1 - 4 2 6 66 1 1 7 5 63 15 67 - 15 2 11 13 5 2 19 2 18 2 44 1 5 29 92 - 10 7 4 13 4 12 1 2 1 3 1 5 282 268 574 • 1, a. Narrowtooth shark, Carcharhinus brachyurus: lower tooth, extreme length 11 mm; from a depth of 2430 in. b. Pacific jackmackerel, Trachurus symmetricus: antepenultimate vertebra (ventral aspect), length 13 mm; from a depth of 24-30 in. c d. White seabass, Cynoscion nobilis. right prema.xillary, length 33 mm; from a depth of 12-18 in. PLATE 1 143 Oceanic skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis: precaudal vertebra, length 10.8 mm; from a depth of 24-30 in.
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