1
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Serio C, Brown RP, Clauss M, Meloro C. Three-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses of humerus ecomorphology: New perspectives for paleohabitat reconstruction in carnivorans and ungulates. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 39126145 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Long bone ecomorphology has proven effective for paleohabitat reconstructions across a wide range of mammalian clades. Still, there is no comprehensive framework to allow interpretation of long bone morphological variation within and between different monophyletic groups. Here, we investigated the use of humerus morphometry to classify living members of the orders Carnivora and ungulates based on their preferred habitats. Using geometric morphometrics, we extracted three different kinds of humerus shape data describing interspecific variation with and without accounting for evolutionary allometry and phylogenetic signal. The traditional a priori categorization of species in open, mixed, and closed habitats was employed in combination with selected subsets of shape variables to identify the best-predictive models for habitat adaptation. These were identified based on the statistical performance of phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic discriminant analyses and then applied to predict habitats on a subsample of fossil species. Size-free shape data combined with phylogenetic discriminant analyses showed the highest rate of accuracy in habitat classification for a combined sample of carnivorans and ungulates. Conversely, when the two groups were investigated separately, traditional shape data analyzed with phylogenetic discriminant function analyses provided models with the greatest predictive power. By combining carnivorans and ungulates within the same methodological framework we identified common adaptive features in closed habitat-adapted species that show compressed epiphyses, while open habitat-adapted species have expanded epiphyses. These morphologies evolved to allow significant degree of direction switches during locomotion in closed habitats compared to open habitat-adapted species whose forelimb joints evolved to stabilize articulations for increasing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Serio
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Richard P Brown
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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2
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Wimberly AN. Predicting body mass in Ruminantia using postcranial measurements. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21636. [PMID: 37708510 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Size plays an important role in mammalian ecology. Accurate prediction of body mass is therefore critical for inferring aspects of ecology in extinct mammals. The unique digestive physiology of extant ruminant artiodactyls, in particular, is suggested to place constraints on their body mass depending on the type of food resources available. Therefore, reliable body mass estimates could provide insight into the habitat preferences of extinct ruminants. While most regression equations proposed thus far have used craniodental predictors, which for ungulates may produce misleading estimates based on indirect relationships between tooth dimensions and size, postcranial bones support the body and may be more accurate predictors of body mass. Here, I use phylogenetically informed bivariate and multiple regression techniques to establish predictive equations for body mass in 101 species of extant ruminant artiodactyls based on 56 postcranial measurements. Within limb elements, stepwise multiple regression models were typically preferred, though bivariate models often received comparable support based on Akaike's information criterion scores. The globally preferred model for predicting mass is a model including both proximal and distal width of the humerus, though several models from the radioulna received comparable support. In general, widths of long bones were good predictors, while lengths and midshaft circumferences were not. Finally, I show that where the best elements for prediction are unavailable for fossil taxa, selection of the model with lowest percent prediction error for the lowest level clade to which the fossil can be assigned could be a productive and novel way forward for predicting mass and subsequently aspects of ecology in fossil mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa N Wimberly
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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3
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Galán López AB, Pelletier M, Discamps E. Reconstructing past migratory behaviour of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus): Insights from geometric morphometric analysis of proximal phalanx morphology from extant caribou populations. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285487. [PMID: 37556460 PMCID: PMC10411787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Reindeer mobility patterns vary widely in modern ecosystems, notably between more open or more wooded environments. This renders the reconstruction of past reindeer mobility patterns challenging, while being at the same time key if archaeologists want to better understand the role that reindeer herds played in the subsistence and territorial organisation of Prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies. Studying the morphology associated with different habitats and mobility patterns can be a useful method for understanding past reindeer behaviour. To access paleoecological information, the relationship between locomotor anatomy and substrate type can be explored in modern animals and transposed to the past, as previous studies have proven that an animal´s environment affects bone morphology. In this study, 3D Geometric Morphometrics are used to explore the impact of extant reindeer habitat type and mobility pattern on phalanx morphology. Results obtained reflects on the potential archaeological application of such an approach for paleoecological reconstructions. Size and shape of phalanx vary significantly, yet complex to interpret in light of interplaying factors such as subspecies, sexual dimorphism and the influence of migration costs, snow cover and substrate type. If direct application to the archaeological record remains preliminary, this first study permits to highlight promising avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maxime Pelletier
- Archaeology, History, Culture and Communication Studies, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Emmanuel Discamps
- TRACES UMR 5608, CNRS-Université de Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France
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4
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Gruwier BJ, Kovarovic K. Ecomorphology of the cervid intermediate phalanx and its implications for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21528. [PMID: 36310423 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This paper reports on newly developed ecomorphological models for the cervid intermediate phalanx. Using a geometric morphometric approach, we quantitatively assess the overall gracility of the bone, the depth and concavity of the proximal articulation and the roundness and symmetry of the distal articulation in the intermediate phalanx, to establish relationships between morphology, locomotor behavior and environment. The morphology of the phalanx was found to vary along a gradient from gracile phalanges with shallow proximal articulations in forms adapted to yielding substrate, to robust phalanges with deeper proximal articulations in taxa adapted to firm substrate. Phylogeny and allometry are accounted for using regressions and phylogenetic comparative methods. Although the results indicate phylogeny explains part of the morphological variation, overall the shape of the intermediate phalanx appears mainly driven by differences in function. Consequently, this element promises to be a useful palaeoenvironmental proxy that can be applied on fossil assemblages with cervid remains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Gruwier
- Department of Art Sciences and Archaeology, Maritime Cultures Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Unit: Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Kris Kovarovic
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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5
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Wang B, Zelditch M, Badgley C. Geometric morphometrics of mandibles for dietary differentiation of Bovidae (Mammalia: Artiodactyla). Curr Zool 2022; 68:237-249. [PMID: 35592346 PMCID: PMC9113326 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian family Bovidae has been widely studied in ecomorphological research, with important applications to paleoecological and paleohabitat reconstructions. Most studies of bovid craniomandibular features in relation to diet have used linear measurements. In this study, we conduct landmark-based geometric-morphometric analyses to evaluate whether different dietary groups can be distinguished by mandibular morphology. Our analysis includes data for 100 species of extant bovids, covering all bovid tribes and 2 dietary classifications. For the first classification with 3 feeding categories, we found that browsers (including frugivores), mixed feeders, and grazers are moderately well separated using mandibular shape. A finer dietary classification (frugivore, browser, browser-grazer intermediate, generalist, variable grazer, and obligate grazer) proved to be more useful for differentiating dietary extremes (frugivores and obligate grazers) but performed equally or less well for other groups. Notably, frugivorous bovids, which belong in tribe Cephalophini, have a distinct mandibular shape that is readily distinguished from all other dietary groups, yielding a 100% correct classification rate from jackknife cross-validation. The main differences in mandibular shape found among dietary groups are related to the functional needs of species during forage prehension and mastication. Compared with browsers, both frugivores and grazers have mandibles that are adapted for higher biomechanical demand of chewing. Additionally, frugivore mandibles are adapted for selective cropping. Our results call for more work on the feeding ecology and functional morphology of frugivores and offer an approach for reconstructing the diet of extinct bovids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bian Wang
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1005, USA.,Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Miriam Zelditch
- Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
| | - Catherine Badgley
- Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1085, USA
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6
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Rossouw L. Morphological variation in the distal phalanges of the springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis (Zimmermann, 1780) (Mammalia: Bovidae). S AFR J SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.17159/sajs.2022/10452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
A comparative study of distal phalanges belonging to adult springbok individuals shows distinctive morphological differences between the subspecies Antidorcas marsupialis marsupialis and Antidorcas marsupialis hofmeyri, most notably reflected by significant lengthening of the sole of the latter. Results were derived from comparative osteomorphological techniques, using standard anatomical nomenclature for descriptions and parametric statistics for measurements and dimensions. The configuration in A. m. hofmeyri proved useful for distinguishing between the two subspecies. The findings suggest that the osteometrical differences observed in the distal phalanges relate to different habitats occupied by the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lloyd Rossouw
- Florisbad Quaternary Research Station, National Museum Bloemfontein, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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7
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Gruwier BJ, Kovarovic K. Ecomorphology of the cervid calcaneus as a proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:2207-2226. [PMID: 34837351 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This study presents new ecomorphological models for the cervid calcaneus that can be used to make predictions about the nature of ancient environments. Using geometric morphometrics to quantitatively assess the length of the articular surface supporting the malleolus, the length and orientation of the tuber calcanei, and the position of the articular facets, we aimed to establish correlations between morphological traits, locomotor behavior, and environmental parameters in extant cervids. The morphology of the calcaneus was found to primarily vary with locomotor strategy and habitat, along a continuum from habitats with an open vegetation structure to habitats with a closed vegetation structure. Confounding factors, including sexual dimorphism, allometry, and phylogeny were accounted for using Principal Component Analysis, regressions and phylogenetic comparative methods. The results of our analyses suggested that these factors did not substantially obscure habitat predictions. As such, the calcaneus provides a valuable proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstruction that is broadly applicable to Quaternary fossil assemblages with a sufficiently large sample of cervids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Gruwier
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK.,HALMA - UMR 8164 (CNRS), Université de Lille, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Kris Kovarovic
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
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8
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Hunt KD, Dunevant SE, Yohler RM, Carlson KJ. Femoral Bicondylar Angles among Dry-Habitat Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Resemble Those of Humans: Implications for Knee Function, Australopith Sexual Dimorphism, and the Evolution of Bipedalism. JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1086/715398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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9
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Engelbrecht HM, Branch WR, Tolley KA. Snakes on an African plain: the radiation of Crotaphopeltis and Philothamnus into open habitat (Serpentes: Colubridae). PeerJ 2021; 9:e11728. [PMID: 34434643 PMCID: PMC8351568 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The African continent is comprised of several different biomes, although savanna is the most prevalent. The current heterogeneous landscape was formed through long-term vegetation shifts as a result of the global cooling trend since the Oligocene epoch. The overwhelming trend was a shift from primarily forest, to primarily savanna. As such, faunal groups that emerged during the Paleogene/Neogene period and have species distributed in both forest and savanna habitat should show a genetic signature of the possible evolutionary impact of these biome developments. Crotaphopeltis and Philothamnus (Colubridae) are excellent taxa to investigate the evolutionary impact of these biome developments on widespread African colubrid snakes, and whether timing and patterns of radiation are synchronous with biome reorganisation. Methods A phylogenetic framework was used to investigate timing of lineage diversification. Phylogenetic analysis included both genera as well as other Colubridae to construct a temporal framework in order to estimate radiation times for Crotaphopeltis and Philothamnus. Lineage diversification was estimated in Bayesian Evolutionary Analysis Sampling Trees (BEAST), using two mitochondrial markers (cyt–b, ND4), one nuclear marker (c–mos), and incorporating one fossil and two biogeographical calibration points. Vegetation layers were used to classify and confirm species association with broad biome types (‘closed’ = forest, ‘open’ = savanna/other), and the ancestral habitat state for each genus was estimated. Results Philothamnus showed an ancestral state of closed habitat, but the ancestral habitat type for Crotaphopeltis was equivocal. Both genera showed similar timing of lineage diversification diverging from their sister genera during the Oligocene/Miocene transition (ca. 25 Mya), with subsequent species radiation in the Mid-Miocene. Philothamnus appeared to have undergone allopatric speciation during Mid-Miocene forest fragmentation. Habitat generalist and open habitat specialist species emerged as savanna became more prevalent, while at least two forest associated lineages within Crotaphopeltis moved into Afromontane forest habitat secondarily and independently. Discussion With similar diversification times, but contrasting ancestral habitat reconstructions, we show that these genera have responded very differently to the same broad biome shifts. Differences in biogeographical patterns for the two African colubrid genera is likely an effect of distinct life-history traits, such as the arboreous habits of Philothamnus compared to the terrestrial lifestyle of Crotaphopeltis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlie M Engelbrecht
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.,Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.,Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - William R Branch
- Herpetology, Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa.,Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa
| | - Krystal A Tolley
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.,Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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10
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Etienne C, Filippo A, Cornette R, Houssaye A. Effect of mass and habitat on the shape of limb long bones: A morpho-functional investigation on Bovidae (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla). J Anat 2020; 238:886-904. [PMID: 33210307 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Limb long bones are essential to an animal's locomotion, and are thus expected to be heavily influenced by factors such as mass or habitat. Because they are often the only organs preserved in the fossil record, understanding their adaptive trends is key to reconstructing the paleobiology of fossil taxa. In this regard, the Bovidae has always been a prized group of study. This family is extremely diverse in terms of both mass and habitat, and it is expected that their bones will possess adaptations to both factors. Here, we present the first 3D geometric morphometric study focusing on bovid limb long bones. We used anatomical landmarks as well as curve and surface sliding semi-landmarks to accurately describe the stylopod and zeugopod bones. We included 50 species from ten of the twelve currently recognized tribes of bovids, ranging from 4.6 to 725 kg, and living in open plains, forests, mountains, or anywhere in-between. Shape data were correlated with the mean mass of the species and its habitat, even when taking into account the phylogenetic history of our sample. Bones pertaining to heavy species are more robust, adapted for a better repartition of stronger forces. Articulations are especially affected, being proportionally much larger in heavier species. Muscle insertion areas are unevenly affected. Insertion areas of muscles implied in body support and propulsion show a strong increase in their robustness when compared to insertion areas of muscles acting on the limb mostly when it is off the ground. Habitat influences the shape of the humerus, the radius-ulna, and the femur, but not of the tibia, whether the phylogeny is taken into account or not. Specific habitats tend to be associated with particular features on the bones. Articulations are proportionally wider in open-habitat species, and the insertion areas of muscles involved in limb extension and propulsion are wider, reflecting the fact that open habitat species are more cursorial and rely on fast running to avoid predators. Forest and mountain species generally present similar adaptations for increased manoeuvrability, such as a round femoral head, and generally have more gracile bones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Etienne
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Andréa Filippo
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Cornette
- UMR 7205, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- UMR 7179, Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
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11
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Dunn RH, Avery JE. Ecomorphological variation in artiodactyl calcanei using 3D geometric morphometrics. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 304:1529-1540. [PMID: 33099873 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Artiodactyl postcrania are commonly used as paleoecological indicators but these studies are usually limited to artiodactyls within a single family. Here, we use 3D geometric morphometrics to analyze the morphology of calcanei from five artiodactyl families (Antilocapridae, Bovidae, Cervidae, Giraffidae, and Tragulidae) and identify common ecological trends among these families using principal component analysis. Our results indicate that antilocaprid and some bovid calcanei show convergent evolution of cursorial morphology and that other bovids have independently evolved less cursorial morphology that is more similar to cervids. This study shows that parallel ecomorphological trends can be identified in multiple families of artiodactyls, as well as within artiodactyl groups. This further suggests that the calcaneus may be a good indicator of ecology and function in fossil groups that are taxonomically ambiguous or not closely related to living taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel H Dunn
- Department of Anatomy, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Jori E Avery
- Department of Biology, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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12
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Lazzeri L, Senini C, Mori E. Interspecific Aggressions between Crested Porcupines and Roe Deer. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E623. [PMID: 32260427 PMCID: PMC7222735 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being common amongst carnivore mammals, behavioral interference between wild herbivore species is poorly documented. Particularly, in temperate areas, where the ungulate guild is composed of a few species, and large-sized rodents are scarce, most cases of interspecific interactions involve at least one alien species. In this work, we report the first data on behavioral interactions between roe deer, Capreolus capreolus, and crested porcupine, Hystrix cristata. Aggressions by crested porcupines toward roe deer were observed in 34 out of 202 observations of both species feeding at the same site. In the other 168 observations, roe deer and porcupines shared the same feeding area, without any interaction. In 58% cases of interaction, porcupines chased and pushed roe deer away from feeding areas, and in several other cases, roe deer were bitten, or injured with quills. Aggressions by porcupines occurred mostly during warm months, when roe deer are mostly solitary and when competition for food between these species is suggested to be the highest, and against single female individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Lazzeri
- Research Unit in Behavioural Ecology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Caterina Senini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 43, 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia (Bologna), Italy;
| | - Emiliano Mori
- Research Unit in Behavioural Ecology and Wildlife Management, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy;
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13
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Paine OCC, Leichliter JN, Avenant N, Codron D, Lawrence A, Sponheimer M. The ecomorphology of southern African rodent incisors: Potential applications to the hominin fossil record. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0205476. [PMID: 30785886 PMCID: PMC6382097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomic identification of mammalian fauna within fossil assemblages is a well-established component of paleoenvironmental reconstructions. However, many fragmentary specimens recovered from fossil sites are often disregarded as they can be difficult to identify with the precision required for taxonomic methods. For this reason, the large numbers of isolated rodent incisors that are often recovered from hominin fossil bearing sites are generally regarded as offering little interpretive value. Ecomorphological analysis, often referred to as a “taxon-free” method, can potentially circumvent this problem by focusing on the adaptive, rather than the taxonomic significance of rodent incisor morphology. Here, we determine if the morphology of the upper incisors of modern southern African rodents reflects dietary behavior using discriminant function analysis. Our model suggests that a strong ecomorphological signal exists in our modern sample and we apply these results to two samples of isolated incisors from the hominin fossil bearing sites, Sterkfontein and Swartkrans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver C. C. Paine
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jennifer N. Leichliter
- Institut für Geowissenschaften, AG für Angewandte und Analytische Paläontologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nico Avenant
- Mammology Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Daryl Codron
- Mammology Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Florisbad Quaternary Research Department, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Austin Lawrence
- Department of Integrative Anatomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Matt Sponheimer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
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14
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Mori E, Ancillotto L, Lovari S, Russo D, Nerva L, Mohamed WF, Motro Y, Di Bari P, Plebani M. Skull shape and Bergmann's rule in mammals: hints from Old World porcupines. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Mori
- Unità di Ricerca in Ecologia Comportamentale Etologia e Gestione della Fauna Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita Università di Siena Siena Italy
| | - L. Ancillotto
- Wildlife Research Unit Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Portici Italy
| | - S. Lovari
- Unità di Ricerca in Ecologia Comportamentale Etologia e Gestione della Fauna Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita Università di Siena Siena Italy
- Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma Grosseto Italy
| | - D. Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit Dipartimento di Agraria Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Portici Italy
| | - L. Nerva
- Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology CREA Conegliano Veneto (Treviso) Italy
- Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection Torino Italy
| | - W. F. Mohamed
- Department of Biological and Geological Sciences Faculty of Education Ain Shams University Roxy, Cairo Egypt
| | - Y. Motro
- Vertebrate and Snail Division Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Rishon Leziyyon Israel
| | - P. Di Bari
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche Geologiche e Ambientali – Università di Catania Catania Italy
| | - M. Plebani
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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15
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Andrew Barr W. The Morphology of the Bovid Calcaneus: Function, Phylogenetic Signal, and Allometric Scaling. J MAMM EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-018-9446-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Prassack KA, Pante MC, Njau JK, de la Torre I. The paleoecology of Pleistocene birds from Middle Bed II, at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the environmental context of the Oldowan-Acheulean transition. J Hum Evol 2018; 120:32-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Forrest FL, Plummer TW, Raaum RL. Ecomorphological analysis of bovid mandibles from Laetoli Tanzania using 3D geometric morphometrics: Implications for hominin paleoenvironmental reconstruction. J Hum Evol 2018; 114:20-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Calamari ZT, Fossum R. Shape disparity of bovid (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) horn sheaths and horn cores allows discrimination by species in 3D geometric morphometric analyses. J Morphol 2017; 279:361-374. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary T. Calamari
- Richard Gilder Graduate School and Division of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNY USA
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Lovari S, Corsini MT, Guazzini B, Romeo G, Mori E. Suburban ecology of the crested porcupine in a heavily poached area: a global approach. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-016-1075-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Zedda M, Palombo MR, Brits D, Carcupino M, Sathé V, Cacchioli A, Farina V. Differences in femoral morphology between sheep (Ovis aries) and goat (Capra hircus): macroscopic and microscopic observations. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-016-0329-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lazagabaster IA, Rowan J, Kamilar JM, Reed KE. Evolution of Craniodental Correlates of Diet in African Bovidae. J MAMM EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-016-9329-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Elton S, Jansson AU, Meloro C, Louys J, Plummer T, Bishop LC. Exploring morphological generality in the Old World monkey postcranium using an ecomorphological framework. J Anat 2016; 228:534-60. [PMID: 26791626 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nearly all primates are ecologically dependent on trees, but they are nonetheless found in an enormous range of habitats, from highly xeric environments to dense rainforest. Most primates have a relatively 'generalised' skeleton, enabling locomotor flexibility and facilitating other crucial functions, such as manual foraging and grooming. This paper explores the associations between habitat, locomotion and morphology in the forelimbs of cercopithecids (Old World monkeys), contextualising their skeletal ecomorphological patterns with those of other mammals, and complementing functional morphological analyses with phylogenetic comparative techniques. The ecomorphological signals present in the generalised primate postcranium, and how an ancestral arboreal 'bauplan' might be modified to incorporate terrestriality or exploit distinct arboreal substrates, are investigated. Analysis of ecomorphological variation in guenons indicates that terrestrial Chlorocebus species retain core elements of a general guenon form, with modifications for terrestriality that vary by species. Adaptation to different modes of arboreality has also occurred in Cercopithecus. The considerable morphological similarity in the guenons sampled emphasises the importance of generality in the primate postcranium - much forelimb variation appears to have emerged stochastically, with a smaller number of traits having a strong functional signal. Analysis of a broader sample of cercopithecids and comparison with felids, suids and bovids indicates that although the cercopithecid humerus has functional morphological signals that enable specimens to be assigned with a reasonable degree of certainty to habitat groups, there is considerable overlap in the specimens assigned to each habitat group. This probably reflects ecological dependence on trees, even in predominantly terrestrial species, as well as the multiple functions of the forelimb and, in some cases, wide geographic distributions that promote intraspecific variation. The use of phylogenetic correction reduced the discriminatory power of the models, indicating that, like allometry, phylogeny contains important ecomorphological information, and should not necessarily be factored out of analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Elton
- Department of Anthropology, University of Durham, Durham, UK
| | | | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Julien Louys
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture, History and Languages, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Thomas Plummer
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, CUNY and NYCEP, Flushing, NY, USA
| | - Laura C Bishop
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
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Bovid ecomorphology and hominin paleoenvironments of the Shungura Formation, lower Omo River Valley, Ethiopia. J Hum Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Barr WA. Paleoenvironments of the Shungura Formation (Plio-Pleistocene: Ethiopia) based on ecomorphology of the bovid astragalus. J Hum Evol 2015; 88:97-107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Varela L, Fariña RA. Masseter moment arm as a dietary proxy in herbivorous ungulates. J Zool (1987) 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- L. Varela
- Sección Paleontología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad de la República; Montevideo Uruguay
| | - R. A. Fariña
- Sección Paleontología; Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad de la República; Montevideo Uruguay
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Curran SC. ExploringEucladocerosEcomorphology Using Geometric Morphometrics. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2014; 298:291-313. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina C. Curran
- Ohio University; Department of Sociology and Anthropology; Athens OH 45701
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Ecomorphology and phylogenetic risk: Implications for habitat reconstruction using fossil bovids. J Hum Evol 2014; 73:47-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Barr WA. Functional morphology of the bovid astragalus in relation to habitat: Controlling phylogenetic signal in ecomorphology. J Morphol 2014; 275:1201-16. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Revised: 01/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. Andrew Barr
- Department of Anthropology; University of Texas at Austin; Austin Texas USA
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Barr WA, Scott RS. Phylogenetic comparative methods complement discriminant function analysis in ecomorphology. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2013; 153:663-74. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- W. Andrew Barr
- Department of Anthropology; University of Texas; Austin TX 78712
| | - Robert S. Scott
- Department of Anthropology Rutgers; The State University of New Jersey; New Brunswick NJ 08901
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian M. Lister
- Earth Sciences Department; Natural History Museum; Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD UK
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ROZZI R, PALOMBO MR. Do methods for predicting paleohabitats apply for mountain and insular fossil bovids? Integr Zool 2013; 8:244-59. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2012.00325.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Merceron G, Kostopoulos DS, Bonis LD, Fourel F, Koufos GD, Lécuyer C, Martineau F. Stable isotope ecology of Miocene bovids from northern Greece and the ape/monkey turnover in the Balkans. J Hum Evol 2013; 65:185-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2012] [Revised: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 05/09/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Kovarovic K, Slepkov R, McNulty KP. Ecological continuity between Lower and Upper Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. J Hum Evol 2013; 64:538-55. [PMID: 23566459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Revised: 11/01/2012] [Accepted: 02/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The sediments of Bed II at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, have received less scientific scrutiny than Bed I strata, likely due to the lower density of fossil hominins in the younger layers. Nevertheless, Bed II provides important contextual information about changes over time in early hominin environments. Mammal fossils from Bed II are separated into older and younger faunas by a regional disconformity under which lies an aeolian tuff, the Lemuta Member, dated to ∼1.74 Ma (millions of years ago). Differences between the faunal communities above and below the Lemuta Member have been previously noted and interpreted as evidence for distinct environmental change. Here, we investigate the palaeoecological conditions that characterised the transition between older and younger Bed II sites via analysis of their mammalian community ecological niche exploitation profiles, comparing these to known modern habitats. We present a comprehensive species list for both Bed II faunas. An initial correspondence analysis points to palaeoecological differences in pre- and post-Lemuta Member assemblages, although neither is representative of a forest habitat. When taphonomic differences in body mass profiles are taken into account, however, ecological differences appear far less important. Based on a resampling procedure to generate modern locality data with body mass profiles similar to the Bed II faunas, discriminant correspondence analyses liken both fossil assemblages to modern woodland habitats, with Lower Bed II having some affinity to floodplain and marshy woodlands, likely related to the presence of the Olduvai palaeolake in this stratigraphic interval. A comparison of the Bed II faunas to each other suggests that their differences could reasonably be sampled from within a single modern habitat. Although additional evidence points to an increase in aridity subsequent to the Lemuta Member, the importance of woodland habitats throughout Bed II is clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kris Kovarovic
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Dawson Building, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
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Dietary and paleoenvironmental reconstruction using stable isotopes of herbivore tooth enamel from middle Pliocene Dikika, Ethiopia: implication for Australopithecus afarensis habitat and food resources. J Hum Evol 2012. [PMID: 23199576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Carbon and oxygen isotopes of mammalian tooth enamel were used to reconstruct paleoenvironments of Australopithecus afarensis from the middle Pliocene locality of Dikika, Ethiopia. Isotopic analyses were conducted on 210 mammalian herbivore teeth from 15 different taxa collected from the Basal Member (~3.8-3.42 Ma) and Sidi Hakoma Member (3.42-3.24 Ma) of the Hadar Formation. The isotopic analyses aim specifically at reconstructing shifts in the relative abundance of C(4) grasses in mammalian diets, and more generally at paleoclimate factors such as aridity and seasonality, as well as habitat structure. Carbon isotopic data suggest a wide range of foraging strategies, characterized by mixed C(3)/C(4) to C(4)-dominated diets in wooded grasslands to open woodlands. Weighted average C(4) dietary proportions range between 60% and 86% in the Basal Member and 49% and 74% in the Sidi Hakoma Member. Paleoclimatic conditions based on the reconstructed mean annual water deficit from the δ(18)O(enamel) values indicate a wetter climate as compared to either the early Pliocene or the Pleistocene nearby. The middle Pliocene habitat structure at Dikika could be as diverse as open grassland and wooded grassland, and woodland to forest in the Sidi Hakoma Member while wooded grassland, woodland to grassland are evident in the Basal Member. All habitats except closed woodland and forest are persistent through both members; however, the relative proportion of individual habitats changed through time. These changes could have put the fauna in competition for preferred habitats and food resources, which could have forced migration, adaptation to other resources and/or extinction. Thus, the existence of A. afarensis throughout the middle Pliocene indicates either this species might have adapted to a wide range of habitats, or its preferred habitat was not affected by the observed environmental changes.
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Environments and hominin activities across the FLK Peninsula during Zinjanthropus times (1.84 Ma), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. J Hum Evol 2012; 63:364-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2009] [Revised: 09/26/2010] [Accepted: 10/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Louys J, Montanari S, Plummer T, Hertel F, Bishop LC. Evolutionary Divergence and Convergence in Shape and Size Within African Antelope Proximal Phalanges. J MAMM EVOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-012-9211-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
The savannah biome of sub-Saharan Africa harbours the highest diversity of ungulates (hoofed mammals) on Earth. In this review, we compile population genetic data from 19 codistributed ungulate taxa of the savannah biome and find striking concordance in the phylogeographic structuring of species. Data from across taxa reveal distinct regional lineages, which reflect the survival and divergence of populations in isolated savannah refugia during the climatic oscillations of the Pleistocene. Data from taxa across trophic levels suggest distinct savannah refugia were present in West, East, Southern and South-West Africa. Furthermore, differing Pleistocene evolutionary biogeographic scenarios are proposed for East and Southern Africa, supported by palaeoclimatic data and the fossil record. Environmental instability in East Africa facilitated several spatial and temporal refugia and is reflected in the high inter- and intraspecific diversity of the region. In contrast, phylogeographic data suggest a stable, long-standing savannah refuge in the south.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Lorenzen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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Clavel J, Merceron G, Hristova L, Spassov N, Kovachev D, Escarguel G. On Mesopithecus habitat: Insights from late Miocene fossil vertebrate localities of Bulgaria. J Hum Evol 2012; 63:162-79. [PMID: 22677560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2011] [Revised: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to describe the environments where the cercopithecid Mesopithecus was found during latest Miocene in Europe. For this purpose, we investigate the paleoecology of the herbivorous ungulate mesofauna of three very rich late Miocene fossil localities from southwestern Bulgaria: Hadjidimovo, Kalimantsi and Strumyani. While Mesopithecus has been found in the two first localities, no primate remains have yet been identified in Strumyani. Comparison between localities with and without primates using the herbivore mesofauna allows the cross-corroboration of paleoenvironmental conditions where this primate did and did not live. A multi-parameter statistical approach involving 117 equid and 345 bovid fossil dental and postcranial (phalanges, metapodia, astragali) remains from these three localities provides species to generic-level diet and locomotor habit information in order to characterize the environment in which Mesopithecus evolved. The analysis of dental mesowear indicates that the bovids were mainly mixed feeders, while coeval equids were more engaged in grazing. Meanwhile, postcranial remains show that the ungulate species from Hadjidimovo and Kalimantsi evolved in dry environments with a continuum of habitats ranging from slightly wooded areas to relatively open landscapes, whereas the Mesopithecus-free Strumyani locality was in comparison reflecting a rather contrasted mosaic of environments with predominant open and some more closed and wet areas. Environments in which Mesopithecus is known during the late Miocene were not contrasted landscapes combining open grassy areas and dense forested patches, but instead rather restricted to slightly wooded and homogeneous landscapes including a developed grassy herbaceous layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Clavel
- Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon, Terre, Planètes, Environnement, UMR 5276, CNRS, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, ENS Lyon, Bvd. du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
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Grine FE, Sponheimer M, Ungar PS, Lee-Thorp J, Teaford MF. Dental microwear and stable isotopes inform the paleoecology of extinct hominins. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012; 148:285-317. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Abstract
Although best known for its fossil hominins, the Omo-Turkana Basin of Kenya and Ethiopia is the source of one of the best records of vertebrate evolution from the Late Cenozoic of Africa. Located near the heart of the East African Rift Valley, the basin serves as an important frame of reference for the continent. The fossil record from this region plays a key role in our efforts to understand the environmental and ecological context of human evolution in Africa. The Omo-Turkana faunal data shed light on key questions of human evolution: What kinds of environments did early humans inhabit? How did these environments change over time? What is the relationship between faunal change in East Africa and broader patterns of climatic change?
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Landscapes and their relation to hominin habitats: Case studies from Australopithecus sites in eastern and southern Africa. J Hum Evol 2011; 60:281-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2009] [Revised: 07/25/2010] [Accepted: 10/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Feeding Ecology and Niche Partitioning of the Laetoli Ungulate Faunas. PALEONTOLOGY AND GEOLOGY OF LAETOLI: HUMAN EVOLUTION IN CONTEXT 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-90-481-9956-3_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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46
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Oldest evidence of tool making hominins in a grassland-dominated ecosystem. PLoS One 2009; 4:e7199. [PMID: 19844568 PMCID: PMC2746317 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2009] [Accepted: 08/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Major biological and cultural innovations in late Pliocene hominin evolution are frequently linked to the spread or fluctuating presence of C4 grass in African ecosystems. Whereas the deep sea record of global climatic change provides indirect evidence for an increase in C4 vegetation with a shift towards a cooler, drier and more variable global climatic regime beginning approximately 3 million years ago (Ma), evidence for grassland-dominated ecosystems in continental Africa and hominin activities within such ecosystems have been lacking. Methodology/Principal Findings We report stable isotopic analyses of pedogenic carbonates and ungulate enamel, as well as faunal data from ∼2.0 Ma archeological occurrences at Kanjera South, Kenya. These document repeated hominin activities within a grassland-dominated ecosystem. Conclusions/Significance These data demonstrate what hitherto had been speculated based on indirect evidence: that grassland-dominated ecosystems did in fact exist during the Plio-Pleistocene, and that early Homo was active in open settings. Comparison with other Oldowan occurrences indicates that by 2.0 Ma hominins, almost certainly of the genus Homo, used a broad spectrum of habitats in East Africa, from open grassland to riparian forest. This strongly contrasts with the habitat usage of Australopithecus, and may signal an important shift in hominin landscape usage.
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De Esteban-Trivigno S, Mendoza M, De Renzi M. Body mass estimation in xenarthra: a predictive equation suitable for all quadrupedal terrestrial placentals? J Morphol 2009; 269:1276-93. [PMID: 18655156 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.10659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Magnorder Xenarthra includes strange extinct groups, like glyptodonts, similar to large armadillos, and ground sloths, terrestrial relatives of the extant tree sloths. They have created considerable paleobiological interest in the last decades; however, the ecology of most of these species is still controversial or unknown. The body mass estimation of extinct species has great importance for paleobiological reconstructions. The commonest way to estimate body mass from fossils is through linear regression. However, if the studied species does not have similar extant relatives, the allometric pattern described by the regression could differ from those shown by the extinct group. That is the case for glyptodonts and ground sloths. Thus, stepwise multiple regression were developed including extant xenarthrans (their taxonomic relatives) and ungulates (their size and ecological relatives). Cases were weighted to maximize the taxonomic evenness. Twenty-eight equations were obtained. The distribution of the percent of prediction error (%PE) was analyzed between taxonomic groups (Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Xenarthra) and size groups (0-20 kg, 20-300 kg, and more than 300 kg). To assess the predictive power of the functions, equations were applied to species not included in the regression development [test set cross validation, (TSCV)]. Only five equations had a homogeneous %PE between the aforementioned groups. These were applied to five extinct species. A mean body mass of 80 kg was estimated for Propalaehoplophorus australis (Cingulata: Glyptodontidae), 594 kg for Scelidotherium leptocephalum (Phyllophaga: Mylodontidae), and 3,550.7 kg for Lestodon armatus (Phyllophaga: Mylodontidae). The high scatter of the body mass estimations obtained for Catonyx tarijensis (Phyllophaga: Mylodontidae) and Thalassocnus natans (Phyllophaga: Megatheriidae), probably due to different specializations, prevented us from predicting its body mass. Surprisingly, although obtained from ungulates and xenarthrans, these five selected equations were also able to predict the body mass of species from groups as different as rodents, carnivores, hyracoideans, or tubulidentates. This result suggests the presence of a complex common allometric pattern for all quadrupedal placentals.
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Roche H, Blumenschine RJ, Shea JJ. Origins and Adaptations of Early Homo: What Archeology Tells Us. VERTEBRATE PALEOBIOLOGY AND PALEOANTHROPOLOGY 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9980-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Bogart SL, Pruetz JD. Ecological context of savanna chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) termite fishing at Fongoli, Senegal. Am J Primatol 2008; 70:605-12. [PMID: 18288689 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.20530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Fongoli, Senegal, consume termites year-round. Understanding the ecological context behind this behavior is especially important in light of the environmental conditions at Fongoli. This mosaic savanna habitat is one of the hottest and driest sites where chimpanzees have been studied. Two genera and four species of termites were found in association with tools used by chimpanzees in a sample of 124 termite mounds that were monitored. The chimpanzees of Fongoli termite fish predominantly in woodland and forest habitat types, and, although woodland accounts for the majority of the chimpanzees' home range, forest habitat types comprise only about 4% of their range. Thus, habitat type has an influence on the Fongoli chimpanzees' termite fishing. Termite consumption to the degree seen at Fongoli may have particular significance for hominid evolution, given the expansion of Pliocene hominids into increasingly open, hot, and dry habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Bogart
- Department of Anthropology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.
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