Late-Pleistocene Megafauna at Cueva del Puma, Pali-Aike Lava Field, Chile Fabiana M. Martin, Alfredo Prieto, Manuel San Román, Flavia Morello, Francisco Prevosti, Pedro Cárdena, and Luis A. Borrero The Pali-Aike region is located in the steppes of Southern Patagonia, Chile and Argentina. It is characterized by a volcanic landscape, which is expressed as extinct craters, maars and lava plateaus. The modern fauna includes native species like the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), foxes (Pseudalopex griseus and P. culpaeus), puma (Puma concolor), skunk (Conepatus humboldtii) and ñandú (Pterocnemia pennata). Exotic fauna, mainly sheep, cattle, and horses, were massively introduced near the end of the 19th century. The presence of dogs is recorded well before that time. Previous archaeological research in the region produced a detailed record of extinct fauna that includes ground sloth (Mylodon sp.), Lama sp., horse (Hippidion saldiasi), bear (Pararctotherium sp.), panther (Panthera onca mesem- brina), and fox (Dusicyon avus) (Alberdi and Prieto 2000; Bird 1988; Prevosti et al. 2003; San Román et al. 2000). Taphonomic research focusing on the recovery and study of faunal remains at Cueva del Puma was initiated in October 2002. The cave is located at the Estancia “Brazo Norte,” Chile, about 2 km from the Chico River. Its small entry opens toward the north on the external wall of an extinct crater. The cave was known to locals for decades, and in 1975 researchers of the Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia, were notified of its existence. In 1999 members of this center visited the cave in order to evaluate its research potential. They found fresh guanaco, ñandú, and sheep carcasses on the surface near the rear end of the cave. On this basis the first phase of field work was planned. Fabiana M. Martin, Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego-Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA, UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. Alfredo Prieto, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia (UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. Manuel San Román , Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego-Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA, UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. Flavia Morello, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia (UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. Francisco Prevosti, Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego-Patagonia y Antártica (CEQUA, UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. LATYR, Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque S/N, 1900 La Plata, Argentina, Comisión de Investigaciones de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC). Pedro Cárdenas, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia (UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. Luis A. Borrero, Centro de Estudios del Hombre Austral, Instituto de la Patagonia (UMAG), Casilla de Correo 113-D, Punta Arenas, Chile. DIPA, IMHICIHU-CONICET, Saavedra 15, Piso 5, 1083 (ACA), Buenos Aires, Argentina. CRP 21, 2004 MARTIN ET AL. 101