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Hogs, hippos or bears? Paleodiet of European Oligocene anthracotheres and entelodonts

  • Identification data

    Identifier: imarina:9287626
    Authors:
    Rivals FBelyaev RIBasova VBPrilepskaya NE
    Abstract:
    Anthracotheres and entelodonts are large mammals with peculiar morphological characteristics that combine plesiomorphic and derived features. The unusual anatomy of anthracotheres shows a morphological resemblance to pigs and hippos and their bunoselenodont low-crowned molars have been interpreted as an adaptation to frugivorous/folivorous diets. Entelodonts share cranial and dental similarities to pigs and carnivores, and this has been interpreted as an adaption to opportunistic omnivore diets, hunting/scavenging, or bone-crushing (cf. hyenas). The objective of the present study is to use dental microwear analysis to test these assumptions and to infer the diet of anthracotheres and entelodonts. Dental microwear was quantified on the upper and lower molars using a stereomicroscope. To assess the dietary traits of the fossil samples, the results were compared to a dataset of extant large mammals covering ten dietary categories. The microwear features indicate different diets for Anthracotherium sp. and Entelodon magnus. Our sample of entelodonts shows an omnivorous diet similar to that of the wild boar, and it probably varied considerably between seasons. The anthracotheres we analysed were opportunistic browsing, frugivore, and grazing herbivores. During the Oligocene, these two taxa occupied ecological niches characterised by a large diversity of food resources. The results of the study offer further insights into the characteristics of the digestive system in fossil artiodactyls. The large dataset used in this research opens new perspectives for the dietary reconstruction of poorly known mammal taxa by considering a wide range of diets.
  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Rivals F; Belyaev RI; Basova VB; Prilepskaya NE
    Department: Història i Història de l'Art
    URV's Author/s: Rivals, Florent Joseph Louis
    Keywords: Quercy phosphorites Oligocene Mammalia Europe Entelodontidae Diet Dental microwear Anthracotheriidae quercy phosphorites oligocene miocene microwear habits europe eocene entelodontidae elomeryx diet carnivora artiodactyla anthracotheriidae anatomy
    Abstract: Anthracotheres and entelodonts are large mammals with peculiar morphological characteristics that combine plesiomorphic and derived features. The unusual anatomy of anthracotheres shows a morphological resemblance to pigs and hippos and their bunoselenodont low-crowned molars have been interpreted as an adaptation to frugivorous/folivorous diets. Entelodonts share cranial and dental similarities to pigs and carnivores, and this has been interpreted as an adaption to opportunistic omnivore diets, hunting/scavenging, or bone-crushing (cf. hyenas). The objective of the present study is to use dental microwear analysis to test these assumptions and to infer the diet of anthracotheres and entelodonts. Dental microwear was quantified on the upper and lower molars using a stereomicroscope. To assess the dietary traits of the fossil samples, the results were compared to a dataset of extant large mammals covering ten dietary categories. The microwear features indicate different diets for Anthracotherium sp. and Entelodon magnus. Our sample of entelodonts shows an omnivorous diet similar to that of the wild boar, and it probably varied considerably between seasons. The anthracotheres we analysed were opportunistic browsing, frugivore, and grazing herbivores. During the Oligocene, these two taxa occupied ecological niches characterised by a large diversity of food resources. The results of the study offer further insights into the characteristics of the digestive system in fossil artiodactyls. The large dataset used in this research opens new perspectives for the dietary reconstruction of poorly known mammal taxa by considering a wide range of diets.
    Thematic Areas: Saúde coletiva Química Planejamento urbano e regional / demografia Paleontology Oceanography Interdisciplinar Geosciences, multidisciplinary Geography, physical Geografía Geociências Filosofia/teologia:subcomissão filosofia Ensino Engenharias iv Engenharias iii Engenharias ii Educação Ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics Earth-surface processes Ciências biológicas i Ciências ambientais Ciências agrárias i Biodiversidade Astronomia / física
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    Author's mail: florent.rivals@urv.cat
    Author identifier: 0000-0001-8074-9254
    Record's date: 2024-08-03
    Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
    Link to the original source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003101822200534X?via%3Dihub
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Papper original source: Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology. 611
    APA: Rivals F; Belyaev RI; Basova VB; Prilepskaya NE (2023). Hogs, hippos or bears? Paleodiet of European Oligocene anthracotheres and entelodonts. Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 611(), -. DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111363
    Article's DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2022.111363
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Journal publication year: 2023
    Publication Type: Journal Publications
  • Keywords:

    Earth-Surface Processes,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics,Geography, Physical,Geosciences, Multidisciplinary,Oceanography,Paleontology
    Quercy phosphorites
    Oligocene
    Mammalia
    Europe
    Entelodontidae
    Diet
    Dental microwear
    Anthracotheriidae
    quercy phosphorites
    oligocene
    miocene
    microwear
    habits
    europe
    eocene
    entelodontidae
    elomeryx
    diet
    carnivora
    artiodactyla
    anthracotheriidae
    anatomy
    Saúde coletiva
    Química
    Planejamento urbano e regional / demografia
    Paleontology
    Oceanography
    Interdisciplinar
    Geosciences, multidisciplinary
    Geography, physical
    Geografía
    Geociências
    Filosofia/teologia:subcomissão filosofia
    Ensino
    Engenharias iv
    Engenharias iii
    Engenharias ii
    Educação
    Ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics
    Earth-surface processes
    Ciências biológicas i
    Ciências ambientais
    Ciências agrárias i
    Biodiversidade
    Astronomia / física
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