Ruminant mesowear reveals consistently browse-dominated diets throughout the early and middle Miocene of eastern Africa

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dc.contributor.authorHall, Abigail S.
dc.contributor.authorCote, Susanne
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-21T15:16:01Z
dc.date.available2024-08-21T15:16:01Z
dc.date.issued2021-04-01
dc.description.abstractThe ecological preferences of ruminant artiodactyls are commonly used to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of Neogene fossil localities throughout Africa. However, comparatively little research has focused on the ecology of ruminant artiodactyls from the Miocene of Africa. Here, we contribute new molar mesowear and hypsodonty data for the ruminant artiodactyls from the early and middle Miocene of Kenya and Uganda. Macroscopic dental characteristics of 608 tragulids, stem pecorans, giraffoids, and bovids dated to between 20 and 13.7 Ma were analyzed. Our hypsodonty results reveal that, whereas tragulids remain brachydont throughout the early and middle Miocene, pecoran ruminants experience an increase in hypsodonty due to the appearance of high-crowned bovids and climacoceratids that migrate into eastern Africa in the middle Miocene. Results from dental mesowear analysis suggest that all tragulids and pecorans were likely browsers, with only one taxon showing mesowear values that overlap with both browsers and mixed feeders in both the upper and lower molars (Canthumeryx sirtensis). None of the taxa analyzed had mesowear scores indicative of a grazing diet. Surprisingly, middle Miocene bovids and climacoceratids, despite possessing gross tooth morphologies adapted to abrasive diets, were largely utilizing a browsing diet. Although the early and middle Miocene habitats of eastern Africa were likely very heterogenous, none of the ruminant artiodactyls present in these habitats is interpreted as having incorporated grasses into their diet in significant quantities.
dc.description.grantingagencyNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
dc.description.grantingagencyOther
dc.identifier.citationHall, A. S., & Cote, S. (2021). Ruminant mesowear reveals consistently browse-dominated diets throughout the early and middle Miocene of eastern Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 567, 110253-. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110253
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110253
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/119468
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.publisher.facultyArtsen
dc.publisher.hasversionsubmittedVersion
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.policyhttps://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/sharing
dc.rightsUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canadaen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/
dc.subjectWalangania
dc.subjectDorcatherium
dc.subjectCanthumeryx
dc.subjecthypsodonty
dc.subjectFort Ternan
dc.subjectMaboko
dc.titleRuminant mesowear reveals consistently browse-dominated diets throughout the early and middle Miocene of eastern Africa
dc.typeArticle
ucalgary.scholar.levelFaculty
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