Final answer:
Middle Paleolithic prepared-core stone tools associated with Neanderthals are called Mousterian tools, which were versatile flake tools made from carefully prepared cores.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Middle Paleolithic prepared-core stone tools that are associated with Neanderthals are called Mousterian tools. These tools represent a significant technological advancement over earlier stone tool industries, such as the Acheulean tools used by Homo erectus. The Mousterian industry, associated with Homo neanderthalensis, was characterized by the production of smaller and sharper flake tools from carefully prepared cores, which had greater utility for various tasks such as cutting meat, scraping leather, and serving as spearheads. This method of toolmaking marked an improvement in the hominins' efficiency and adaptability. Mousterian tools remained dominant until around 40,000 BCE, when the Upper Paleolithic period heralded the transition to even more sophisticated toolkits, including tools made from antler, ivory, and bone.