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The emporion of Pech Maho was destroyed after a warlike event at the end of the third century BC. Shortly after that, around 200 BC, the site was resettled. This reuse is characterised above all by massive deposits of equid carcasses in various locations around the city. The conditions of these deposits are investigated in this paper. We focus on examining several biological parameters (weight, age and sex) of the equid population, as well as their feeding habits, using three different proxies: stable isotope, dental meso- and microwear. This interdisciplinarity gives us access to the overall equid diet, as well as to the diet during the last phases of their lives. This population is largely dominated by small size young adult males. Isotopic as well as morphometric analyses indicate that they were bred in various locations before being brought to Pech Maho. Dental wear analyses show that they experienced the same feeding throughout their lives and just before their death. The animals were all slaughtered within a short period of time. This study illustrates the advantages of combining proxies in order to enhance our understanding of the life and death conditions of Iron Age equids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teeth have excellent mechanical properties, with high wear resistance and excellent fracture resistance. This is due to their well-organized multilevel hierarchical structure. While a number of studies in the last decades have revealed the relationship between tooth structure and mechanical properties, there is still no general agreement on how different orientations of hydroxyapatite (HAp) fibers affect the mechanical properties of enamel. With a scanning electron microscope and nanoindenter, the orientations of HAp fibers and their properties were investigated. HAp fibers have two different orientations: parallel and perpendicular to the surface. Fibers oriented parallel to the surface exhibited higher hardness, elastic modulus and wear resistance. Under applied force, fibers oriented perpendicular to the surface suffered deeper shearing in the protein along the long axis, resulting in lower mechanical properties. Teeth resist damaging fractures by combining hard and soft structures. This study may lead to new insights into how nature selects for tooth structure and provide a theoretical basis for the bioinspired design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study seeks to contribute to the current understanding of dietary variation in the late Prehistory of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula by examining buccal dental microwear patterns alongside archeological data from the same populations. Materials and Methods: Teeth from 84 adult individuals from eight distinct samples spanning the Middle‐Late Neolithic to the Middle Bronze Age (Cova de l'Avi, Cova de Can Sadurní, Cova de la Guineu, Cova Foradada, Cova del Trader, Roc de les Orenetes, Cova del Gegant, Cova dels Galls Carboners) were analyzed using optical microscopy to examine buccal dental microwear patterns. Results: The analysis did not reveal clear chronological contrasts in the dietary habits of these samples. Nevertheless, significant differences emerged among the samples, leading to their classification into two distinct sets based on the abrasiveness of the diet informed by the microwear patterns. These findings offer similarities and differences among samples in the Iberian Peninsula, shedding light on the diverse lifestyles of these individuals. Discussion: Integrating our new results with other available proxies points to a multifaceted specialization in dietary patterns among these samples, influenced by factors such as habitat, resource selection, and available technology. By contextualizing the results within the broader context of the Iberian Peninsula, this research discerns shared characteristics and distinctive adaptations in the dietary practices and subsistence strategies of these groups. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between culture and environment in shaping human diets throughout late Prehistory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spanish Journal of Palaeontology is the property of Socieadad Espanola de Paleontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Anthropocene's human‐dominated habitat expansion endangers global biodiversity. However, large mammalian herbivores experienced few extinctions during the 20th century, hinting at potentially overlooked ecological responses of a group sensitive to global change. Using dental microwear as a proxy, we studied large herbivore dietary niches over a century across mainland China before (1880s–1910s) and after (1970s–1990s) the human population explosion. We uncovered widespread and significant shifts (interspecific microwear differences increased and intraspecific microwear dispersion expanded) within dietary niches linked to geographical areas with rapid industrialization and population growth in eastern China. By contrast, in western China, where human population growth was slower, we found no indications of shifts in herbivore dietary niches. Further regression analysis links the intensity of microwear changes to human land‐use expansion. These analyses highlight dietary adjustments of large herbivores as a likely key factor in their adaptation across a century of large‐scale human‐driven changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dietary preferences of most rodents, especially in tropical countries, are poorly known. In the tropics, rodent diversity can be high and several species can coexist in the same habitats. In order to better document the dietary habits of Southeast Asian murid and diatomyid rodents, we examined microwear patterns in 21 species, with a particular focus on those living in karst habitats. Five variables of microwear scars (scratches and pits) were counted and measured on the dental facet of the first molar hypocone. We observed large variation and overlap in microwear patterns between and within genera, suggesting that feeding ecology is diverse (mostly generalist omnivorous species) within species and genus. For species living in agro-ecosystems, few differences were observed when we compared sympatric species within a genus, suggesting that niche partitioning is not achieved by feeding, neither in terms of diet composition nor in the way food is processed, or that food items are more homogeneous in terms of physical properties that affect microwear patterns. Differences between sympatric species were more pronounced in forest or karst contexts, suggesting that specialisation and niche differentiation have persisted in more preserved environments. Finally, differences were also observed in urban ecosystems suggesting that the communities of rodents evolved niche partitioning in these human-modified habitats. Our results also revealed differences in microwear patterns between karst and non-karst rodents, with all karst species showing a trend towards increasing numbers of small scratches and small pits. This suggested that the karst environment may influence the dietary habits of rodents, either in terms of the composition of the diet or by altering the general characteristics of the food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary reconstructions based on dental microwear methodologies may be limited due to the various taphonomic processes that affect the formation of archaeological deposits. These limitations are primarily affected by two issues: 1) taphonomic alterations occurring over dental microwear patterns which mimic dietary signals and can lead to confusion in quantifying these signals, and 2) the exclusion of teeth due to structural damage caused by taphonomic processes, resulting in a reduction of the sample size. Thus, it is necessary to understand how taphonomic processes impact teeth to avoid biases in dietary reconstructions and improve the validity of their interpretations. Under these considerations, we conducted two experiments: one involving the simulation of sediment pressure, and the other focusing on thermal alterations. A hydraulic press and a muffle furnace were used for these purposes. The results of the experiments allowed us to characterise the alterations produced by abrasion caused by sediment pressure, enabling differentiation from dietary signals (scratches, pits, and gouges) and excluding them from dental microwear analyses. However, the thermal alteration experiment showed that this process does not produce significant effects, and even carbonized teeth retain dental microwear, making them appropriate for dietary reconstructions. Additionally, a comparison of archaeological teeth from level IIIb of Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona) was conducted, confirming the inferences drawn from the experimental results. This research highlights the importance of conducting such studies to better understand the impact of taphonomic processes on dental microwear, which is crucial for accurate dietary and palaeoecological interpretations.

Despite the important role of livestock farming amongst Iron Age communities living in mountain regions, there is little information about livestock management, and particularly stabling practises, breeding systems, and grazing/foddering patterns. The study of the ground floor of Building G in Tossal de Baltarga has provided valuable insights into these important issues and has given us a better understanding of the social and economic patterns involved in all these livestock activities. It revealed the existence of a stable from the Late Iron Age, thanks to unique in situ finds of the stabled animals, including four sheep, a goat, and a horse, in addition to a range of organic remains preserved by fire and penning deposits. It is the first documented to date in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. Through an integrated bio-geoarchaeological approach, combining a range of analytic procedures, including osteology, dental microwear, stable isotopes, phytoliths, dung spherulite analyses, and thin-section micromorphology, for the first time, this study has provided new, high-resolution evidence of livestock management strategies. Specifically, the research shed light on animal penning and feeding practises, revealing variable herbivorous regimes between species, the practise of seasonal movements, and the possible use of fodder as the main dietary regime of the animals stabled there. At the same time, the Baltarga case-study illustrates an indoor production unit that could reveal possible private control of some domestic animals in the Pyrenean Late Iron Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, paleodietary and paleoenvironmental studies have made great progress due to new techniques, such as the analysis of dental wear at micro and macro level and the analysis of stable isotopes of different elements in animal tissues. Recently, the combination of these proxies has substantially improved these types of studies, however, these analyses go hand in hand with biology and the animal behavior, so it is essential to understand the species studied previously. This paper describes the analyses commonly used in recent years in the Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) and the relationship that the biology of this species has with the correct application of these analyses. Likewise, the samples and measurements taken from these fossil individuals must be taken with care, since the peculiarities in dental ontogenesis, behavior and metabolism are key to the comprehension of the results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reconstructs Middle and Late Neolithic dietary practices in the area of the today Czech Republic and Lower Austria with a help of complementary evidence of stable isotope and dental microwear analysis. From a total of 171 humans, carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured in bone collagen of 146 individuals (accompanied by 64 animals) while 113 individuals were included into buccal dental microwear analysis. The samples were divided into two newly established chronological phases: Neolithic B (4900–4000 BC) and Neolithic C (3800–3400 BC) based on radiocarbon data modelling. Isotopic results show that the Neolithic diet was of terrestrial origin with a dominant plant component. A small but statistically significant shift in human carbon isotopic values to a higher δ13C was observed during the Neolithic C, probably reflecting an underlying change in plant growing conditions. Dental microwear results suggest a shift in adult diet and/or food preparation techniques between the Neolithic B and C, which, however, was not reflected in either the carbon or nitrogen isotopic values. The positive correlations between nitrogen isotopic values and the dental microwear variables (NV, XV, XT and NV/NT) observed in the adult sample suggest that meat rather than milk was the dominant source of animal protein, or that food enriched in 15N was processed specifically. Also, as both methods offer a snapshot of different periods of an individual’s life, the presence of a significant correlation may imply highly repetitive dietary behaviour during their lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we announce the discovery of the first remains of Megaloceros giganteus found in Catalonia (north-eastern Iberia) from the Late Pleistocene: a fragment of maxillary. Dated between 35,000 and 37,000 cal BP, it is also among the youngest occurrence of this taxon in the Iberian Peninsula, while its last known occurrence is dated to the Neolithic period. Through a comparison with the giant deer of the northern Pyrenees, we analyzed the herbivore guilds in which this taxon was associated to understand the context in which it was able to enter the Iberian Peninsula. By comparing its diet with those of specimens from Northern Europe, we detail the ecological adaptations of this taxon in this new environment. We suggest that Megaloceros accompanied the migrations of cold-adapted species by taking advantage of the opening of corridors on both sides of the Pyrenees during the coldest periods of the Late Pleistocene. The diet of the Iberian individuals, which is oriented towards abrasive plants, suggests an adaptation to a different ecological niche than that found in Northern European individuals. The northern Iberian Peninsula may have been an extreme in the geographical expansion of M. giganteus. More specimens will be needed in the future to establish the variability of the southern Megaloceros populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study on the dental wear of a human skeletal sample from the "Vovidenia" Church in Iași, Romania, dating back to the 16th-17th centuries. The researchers used a scoring system and quantitative analysis to assess the degree of wear, finding that the teeth exhibited all three grades of wear and an increase in dentine exposure with age. Chipping and oblique wear were also observed, likely due to hard food fragments. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of dental wear in past human populations in Romania. Another article discusses dental wear in a similar sample from the same church, finding that wear increased with age and chipping and oblique wear were observed in the posterior teeth. The wear patterns suggest a diet that included hard particles and grit, possibly due to the use of cereals and baking techniques during that time period. The document provides a list of references to scientific articles on dental wear and its implications for diet and behavior in different populations, including Neanderthals, medieval populations, gorillas, baboons, and indigenous peoples. These articles utilize various methods to study dental wear and provide valuable insights into the dietary habits of different populations throughout history. [Extracted from the article]

Haploidoceros mediterraneus is one of the recently described cervid taxa endemic to the Iberian Peninsula (three sites) and southern France (two sites). Compared to the other endemic cervids from Iberia that have emerged, as well, during the mid-Middle Pleistocene, its chronological and geographical range are more expanded, indicative of a relative adaptative success. However, very little is known about H. mediterraneus ecology. From site contexts and faunal associations, its habitat during the Middle and Late Pleistocene corresponded to open forest under a mildly-humid temperate Mediterranean or semi-continental climate. First, its diet was reconstructed using dental meso- and microwear and second, its relationships with other cervids over time was analysed using Multiple Component Analysis (MCA). Diet reconstruction indicates that it was mostly a browse-dominated mixed-feeder during the Middle Pleistocene. Such a relatively flexible diet has allowed it to coexist, often with some cervid taxa (Cervus and Capreolus) and exceptionally with others (Praedama / Megaloceros and Dama sp.) by resource partitioning. During the Late Pleistocene, H. mediterraneus shifted toward a more browse-specialized diet. At this period, co-occurrence analyses show that the presence of H. mediterraneus seems to exclude that of C. capreolus and D. dama. The evolution of H. mediterraneus dietary habits from the Middle to the Late Pleistocene may have led to direct competition with other browsing-specialist cervids, which may be one of the causes of its extinction. • The H. mediterraneus diet ranged from browse-dominated mixed-feeding during Middle Pleistocene to more browsing during Late Pleistocene. • H. mediterraneus dietary specialization through time may have led to direct competition with browsing-specialist species: C. capreolus and Dama sp. • Competition with other browse-dominated diet cervids may have led to H. mediterraneus extinction during early Late Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) is commonly used to assess the dietary ecology of modern and fossil taxa. In carnivorans, teeth with different functions record dietary behavior differently. Here, we assess DMTA variability along the tooth row of an extant carnivorous marsupial—the Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii—which has multiple carnassial-like molars that may function and record diet similarly. We compared the complexity (Asfc), anisotropy (epLsar), and textural fill volume (Tfv) of the lower second, third, and fourth molars of Tasmanian devils to test the hypothesis that teeth with similar forms yield similar functions. Although third molars do have significantly higher epLsar values than fourth molars, all other DMTA attributes are indistinguishable from one another. These data suggest that teeth with comparable morphologies in the same taxon have similar functions and largely record diet similarly. In addition, we compared fossil and modern specimens of S. harrisii from Tasmania to assess dietary behavior over time. These analyses indicate that foods with similar textures have been consumed since the late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Neanderthal-Environment interactions very often lacks precise data that match the chrono-geographical frame of human activities. Here, we reconstruct Neanderthals' hunting grounds within three distinct habitats using dental microwear analysis combined with zooarchaeological data. The predation patterns toward ungulates are discussed in term of frequency (NISP/MNI) and potential meat intake (MAM). Unit IIIa of Teixoneres Cave (MIS 3, NE Spain) corresponds to a mosaic landscape, Unit IIIb was more forested, and, in the "Ensemble" II of Pié Lombard (MIS 4, SE France), forest cover dominated. At Pié Lombard, Neanderthals rely on a high diversity of taxa from closed and semi-open hunting grounds, mostly two ungulate species as well as rabbits and several bird taxa. At Teixoneres Cave, mainly open areas are exploited in summer with a predation mostly focused on large gregarious ungulates. The larger size of ungulate herds in open spaces may have allowed Neanderthals to restrict their subsistence behaviour only to very few species, in specific hunting strategies. In Unit IIIa, they do not appear to have made any selection within the most abundant species, while in Unit IIIb, they focused on aurochs and also opportunistically and heavily on newborn red deer. Neanderthal subsistence strategies seem, therefore, only partially linked to the hunting grounds they had access to. While it impacted the diversity of the prey they selected, Neanderthal groups were able to develop distinct hunting strategies within similar environments. • Confronting zooarchaeological indices and dental microwear allows the reconstruction of past human hunting grounds. • Neanderthal in open hunting grounds lead to a specialization on large gregarious ungulates. • Neanderthal predation in closed hunting grounds relies on a greater diversity of prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extinct cave bears inhabited a large part of Eurasia in a wide diversity of habitats during the Pleistocene. This study investigates via tooth wear analysis the feeding habits of 66 individuals belonging to three genetically different species located in the Urals and eastern Europe: Ursus rossicus from Kizel cave, U. kanivetz from Secrets cave, and U. ingressus from Shiriaevo 1 cave. For the microwear analysis, the three species were compared with a reference collection of extant ursids. The dietary space of U. kanivetz does not match any of the extant species' spaces. U. rossicus and U. ingressus tended towards some of the extant species' measurements without any overlapping. For all three sites, the same microwear pattern was identified for all age groups (juvenile, prime, and old adult), meaning no differences related to ontogeny were found. The extinct species presented a larger number of coarse scratches compared to extant species, pointing to a preference for abrasive food items like dry grass or shrubs typical of the mammoth steppe biome during the cold season. These results indicate a niche partitioning between U. rossicus and U. kanivetz that co-existed in the same area, and in this way they avoiding competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental microwear is used to investigate feeding ecology. Animals ingest geological material in addition to food. The full effect of geological abrasives on tooth wear is unknown. To evaluate mineralogical abrasives as tooth wear agents, rats were fed food manufactured with quartz silt, diatomaceous earth, and calcium carbonate. Rats were assigned to treatments and fed for 15 days. Molars were scanned with a Sensofar Plu Neox confocal microscope and evaluated using ISO-25178-2 parameters and traditional microwear variables using light microscopy. Using a pellet-diet as the control, all treatments had influence on microwear and discriminant function analyses indicated that unique surface textures had been produced. ISO variables with high discriminatory values were correlated to scratch and pit frequencies, but more ISO parameters identified changes associated with numbers of scratches than changes associated with pits. The microwear changes associated with the abrasive inclusions were co-dependent on the type of diet that the abrasives had been added to. The abrasives had less effect with pellets but produced more modified and more differentiated microwear when added to the transgenic dough. Although abrasives produce distinctive surface textures, some knowledge of the properties of food with the abrasives is needed to identify the abrasive agent.

Copyright of Památky Archeologické is the property of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Experimental approaches are often used to better understand the mechanisms behind and consequences of post-mortem alteration on proxies for diet reconstruction. Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) is such a dietary proxy, using dental wear features in extant and extinct taxa to reconstruct feeding behaviour and mechanical food properties. In fossil specimens especially, DMTA can be biased by post-mortem alteration caused by mechanical or chemical alteration of the enamel surface. Here we performed three different dental surface alteration experiments to assess the effect of common taphonomic processes by simplifying them: (1) tumbling in sediment suspension to simulate fluvial transport, (2) sandblasting to simulate mechanical erosion due to aeolian sediment transport, (3) acid etching to simulate chemical dissolution by stomach acid. For tumbling (1) we found alteration to be mainly dependent on sediment grain size fraction and that on specimens tumbled with sand fractions mainly post-mortem scratches formed on the dental surface, while specimens tumbled with a fine-gravel fraction showed post-mortem formed dales. Sandblasting (2) with loess caused only negligible alteration, however blasting with fine sand quartz particles resulted in significant destruction of enamel surfaces and formation of large post-mortem dales. Acid etching (3) using diluted hydrochloric acid solutions in concentrations similar to that of predator stomachs led to a complete etching of the whole dental surface, which did not resemble those of teeth recovered from owl pellets. The experiments resulted in post-mortem alteration comparable, but not identical to naturally occurring post-mortem alteration features. Nevertheless, this study serves as a first assessment and step towards further, more refined taphonomic experiments evaluating post-mortem alteration of dental microwear texture (DMT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental approaches are often used to better understand the mechanisms behind and consequences of post-mortem alteration on proxies for diet reconstruction. Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) is such a dietary proxy, using dental wear features in extant and extinct taxa to reconstruct feeding behaviour and mechanical food properties. In fossil specimens especially, DMTA can be biased by post-mortem alteration caused by mechanical or chemical alteration of the enamel surface. Here we performed three different dental surface alteration experiments to assess the effect of common taphonomic processes by simplifying them: (1) tumbling in sediment suspension to simulate fluvial transport, (2) sandblasting to simulate mechanical erosion due to aeolian sediment transport, (3) acid etching to simulate chemical dissolution by stomach acid. For tumbling (1) we found alteration to be mainly dependent on sediment grain size fraction and that on specimens tumbled with sand fractions mainly post-mortem scratches formed on the dental surface, while specimens tumbled with a fine-gravel fraction showed post-mortem formed dales. Sandblasting (2) with loess caused only negligible alteration, however blasting with fine sand quartz particles resulted in significant destruction of enamel surfaces and formation of large post-mortem dales. Acid etching (3) using diluted hydrochloric acid solutions in concentrations similar to that of predator stomachs led to a complete etching of the whole dental surface, which did not resemble those of teeth recovered from owl pellets. The experiments resulted in post-mortem alteration comparable, but not identical to naturally occurring post-mortem alteration features. Nevertheless, this study serves as a first assessment and step towards further, more refined taphonomic experiments evaluating post-mortem alteration of dental microwear texture (DMT).

In this article we announce the discovery of the first remains of Megaloceros giganteus found in Catalonia (north-eastern Iberia) from the Late Pleistocene: a fragment of maxillary. Dated between 35,000 and 37,000 cal BP, it is also among the youngest occurrence of this taxon in the Iberian Peninsula, while its last known occurrence is dated to the Neolithic period. Through a comparison with the giant deer of the northern Pyrenees, we analyzed the herbivore guilds in which this taxon was associated to understand the context in which it was able to enter the Iberian Peninsula. By comparing its diet with those of specimens from Northern Europe, we detail the ecological adaptations of this taxon in this new environment. We suggest that Megaloceros accompanied the migrations of cold-adapted species by taking advantage of the opening of corridors on both sides of the Pyrenees during the coldest periods of the Late Pleistocene. The diet of the Iberian individuals, which is oriented towards abrasive plants, suggests an adaptation to a different ecological niche than that found in Northern European individuals. The northern Iberian Peninsula may have been an extreme in the geographical expansion of M. giganteus. More specimens will be needed in the future to establish the variability of the southern Megaloceros populations.

During the Pleistocene and Holocene, large-scale climatic changes occurred, resulting in severe environmental changes. Such changes in the Carpathian Basin were examined using dental elements of cervids from localities of Slovakia and Hungary. Their dental wear and the stable carbon and oxygen isotope values of structural carbonate and phosphate in bio-apatite of enamel were measured. Dental wear reflects the long and short-term changes of past vegetation, and stable isotope analyses can be used to uncover palaeotemperature and photosynthetic pathways of the consumed plants, thus indirectly providing information on the vegetation. The changes of mesowear scores, from the early Pleistocene onwards, indicate a gradual transition from a more or less closed to an open environment, as climate got cooler. The results of microwear analysis suggest that even though the environment became more open, some tree cover remained in the Carpathian Basin, even in the glacial periods. Based on the measured δ18O values for glacial periods, estimated temperatures were approximately 5–6°C cooler, whereas for interglacials, temperatures were similar to the recent climate of Hungary. The δ13C values of the examined cervids suggest predominantly C3 plant consumption, which agrees with the fact that C4 plants are scarcer in colder environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental microwear formation on the posterior dentition is largely attributed to an organism's diet. However, some have suggested that dietary and environmental abrasives contribute more to the formation process than food, calling into question the applicability of dental microwear to the reconstruction of diet in the fossil record. Creating microwear under controlled conditions would benefit this debate, but requires accurately replicating the oral environment. This study tests the applicability of Artificial Resynthesis Technology (ART 5) to create microwear textures while mitigating the challenges of past research. ART 5 is a simulator that replicates the chewing cycle, responds to changes in food texture, and simulates the actions of the oral cavity. Surgically extracted, occluding pairs of third molars (n = 2 pairs) were used in two chewing experiments: one with dried beef and another with sand added to the dried beef. High‐resolution molds were taken at 0, 50, 100, 2500, and 5000 simulated chewing cycles, which equates to approximately 1 week of chewing. Preliminary results show that ART 5 produces microwear textures. Meat alone may produce enamel prism rod exposure at 5000 cycles, although attrition cannot be ruled out. Meat with sand accelerates the wear formation process, with enamel prism rods quickly obliterated and "pit‐and‐scratch" microwear forming at approximately 2500 cycles. Future work with ART 5 will incorporate a more thorough experimental protocol with improved controls, pH of the simulated oral environment, and grit measurements; however, these results indicate the potential of ART 5 in untangling the complex variables of dental microwear formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are some of the most diverse organisms on Earth, with species inhabiting a wide variety of niches across every major biome. As such, birds are vital to our understanding of modern ecosystems. Unfortunately, our understanding of the evolutionary history of modern ecosystems is hampered by knowledge gaps in the origin of modern bird diversity and ecosystem ecology. A crucial part of addressing these shortcomings is improving our understanding of the earliest birds, the non‐avian avialans (i.e. non‐crown birds), particularly of their diet. The diet of non‐avian avialans has been a matter of debate, in large part because of the ambiguous qualitative approaches that have been used to reconstruct it. Here we review methods for determining diet in modern and fossil avians (i.e. crown birds) as well as non‐avian theropods, and comment on their usefulness when applied to non‐avian avialans. We use this to propose a set of comparable, quantitative approaches to ascertain fossil bird diet and on this basis provide a consensus of what we currently know about fossil bird diet. While no single approach can precisely predict diet in birds, each can exclude some diets and narrow the dietary possibilities. We recommend combining (i) dental microwear, (ii) landmark‐based muscular reconstruction, (iii) stable isotope geochemistry, (iv) body mass estimations, (v) traditional and/or geometric morphometric analysis, (vi) lever modelling, and (vii) finite element analysis to reconstruct fossil bird diet accurately. Our review provides specific methodologies to implement each approach and discusses complications future researchers should keep in mind. We note that current forms of assessment of dental mesowear, skull traditional morphometrics, geometric morphometrics, and certain stable isotope systems have yet to be proven effective at discerning fossil bird diet. On this basis we report the current state of knowledge of non‐avian avialan diet which remains very incomplete. The ancestral dietary condition in non‐avian avialans remains unclear due to scarce data and contradictory evidence in Archaeopteryx. Among early non‐avian pygostylians, Confuciusornis has finite element analysis and mechanical advantage evidence pointing to herbivory, whilst Sapeornis only has mechanical advantage evidence indicating granivory, agreeing with fossilised ingested material known for this taxon. The enantiornithine ornithothoracine Shenqiornis has mechanical advantage and pedal morphometric evidence pointing to carnivory. In the hongshanornithid ornithuromorph Hongshanornis only mechanical advantage evidence indicates granivory, but this agrees with evidence of gastrolith ingestion in this taxon. Mechanical advantage and ingested fish support carnivory in the songlingornithid ornithuromorph Yanornis. Due to the sparsity of robust dietary assignments, no clear trends in non‐avian avialan dietary evolution have yet emerged. Dietary diversity seems to increase through time, but this is a preservational bias associated with a predominance of data from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Lagerstätte. With this new framework and our synthesis of the current knowledge of non‐avian avialan diet, we expect dietary knowledge and evolutionary trends to become much clearer in the coming years, especially as fossils from other locations and climates are found. This will allow for a deeper and more robust understanding of the role birds played in Mesozoic ecosystems and how this developed into their pivotal role in modern ecosystems. Video abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low magnification dental microwear analysis is a widespread dietary proxy for palaeoenvironmental analyses. The limitations of the method, such as observer bias or variation of microwear scars between different tooth positions, are still not quite understood. This study aims to reveal that reproducibility and variability of low magnification dental microwear is better, than it was previously thought. The main focuses of this study were differences between results produced by independent observers, and individual variability of the wear features on different teeth of the same specimen. To approach these issues, the microwear of 1944 0.4 × 0.4 mm areas on every right molar and premolar (144 teeth of 12 extant ungulate specimens) was quantified. Reproducibility and interobserver error was tested by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficients for the scores produced by the observers. The microwear features of each tooth were characterized by the mean, median, standard deviation, range, skewness and kurtosis. These statistical parameters were than compared. To test whether observed differences between the microwear patterns of different tooth positions are significant, ANOVA and Dunnett's post hoc tests were performed. To calculate the minimal number of sampling sites required for characterizing a tooth, a computer-assisted bootstrap method was applied. As a result, it can be suggested that the low magnification microwear method is quite robust, with low interobserver error. The variance of microwear scars seems uniform throughout the dentition of the examined specimens. Some differences can be noted between tooth positions, however, some limitations could be lifted, at least in the case of ungulates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic climate change poses serious threats to polar bears (Ursus maritimus) as reduced sea ice makes seal prey inaccessible and marine ecosystems undergo bottom‐up reorganization. Polar bears' elongated skulls and reduced molar dentition, as compared to their sister species the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), are adaptations associated with hunting seals on sea ice and a soft, lipid‐rich diet of blubber and meat. With significant declines in sea ice, it is unclear if and how polar bears may be altering their diets. Clarifying polar bear dietary responses to changing climates, both today and in the past, is critical to proper conservation and management of this apex predator. This is particularly important when a dietary strategy may be maladaptive. Here, we test the hypothesis that hard‐food consumption (i.e., less preferred foods including bone), inferred from dental microwear texture analysis, increased with Arctic warming. We find that polar bears demonstrate a conserved absence of hard‐object feeding in Alaska through time (including approximately 1000 years ago), until the 21st century, consistent with a highly conserved and specialized diet of soft blubber and flesh. Notably, our results also suggest that some 21st‐century polar bears may be consuming harder foods (e.g., increased carcass utilization, terrestrial foods including garbage), despite having skulls and metabolisms poorly suited for such a diet. Prior to the 21st century, only polar bears with larger mandibles demonstrated increased hard‐object feeding, though to a much lower degree than closely related grizzly bears which regularly consume mechanically challenging foods. Polar bears, being morphologically specialized, have biomechanical constraints which may limit their ability to consume mechanically challenging diets, with dietary shifts occurring only under the most extreme scenarios. Collectively, the highly specialized diets and cranial morphology of polar bears may severely limit their ability to adapt to a warming Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermophilinus is a primitive marmotine ground squirrel from the early Miocene – early Pliocene of Eurasia. Despite the high abundance in small mammal communities, apparently indicating its important role in Neogene terrestrial ecosystems, an autecological study of this taxon based on direct methods has not yet been carried out. Herein, we report on a dental microwear analysis of S. bredai, the type species of the genus, based on the m3 specimens from the early late Miocene locality Grytsiv in western Ukraine. The results suggest that the diet of this ground squirrel has presumably consisted of hard fruit and seeds with no evidence of significant grass consumption or burrowing behaviour, thus suggesting feeding preferences most closely resembling those of the living tree squirrels of the genera Sciurus and Callosciurus. We also discuss the dental microwear of the extant ground and tree-dwelling Sciuridae in relation to their diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental microwear has been used for the reconstruction of diet for decades, and given its long history, substantial changes in the methodologies and technologies used to observe and quantify microwear have occurred. For instance, early work on microwear used optical microscopy (OM), before being largely replaced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). More recently, SEM-based studies have been overshadowed by confocal microscopy and dental microwear texture analysis. However, SEM is still the preferred method of data acquisition for buccal microwear analysis and significant improvements in OM have also occurred in recent years – particularly with the development of continuous focus systems for OM. Given the low-cost and simple upkeep of OM compared to SEM, this study seeks to explore the utility of OM for buccal microwear data acquisition compared to the methods established using SEM. A sample of 18 human teeth (originals and casts) were analyzed using both OM and SEM. Results show that more striations are observed using OM than when analyzing the same surface with SEM. However, the central counting trend is similar with both techniques. We can therefore conclude that OM is a consistent and user-friendly method that provides good image resolution together with a series of economic and technical advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess diet and economies of middle Holocene (~7,500 to 4,000 calibrated [cal] B.P.) humans at coexisting mound sites (Huaca Prieta and Paredones) in north coastal Peru and document regular consumption of maize by ~6,500 to 6,000 cal B.P. and its earliest use as a staple food in this area of the Andes between 5,000 and 4,500 cal B.P. Stable isotope data from enamel carbonates and dentin collagen (childhood diet) and dental microwear texture analysis (adult diet) demonstrate dietary and economic specialization. Previous studies revealed maize and mixed-food refuse at both sites, but this study documents actual food consumption, showing that these communities situated a few hundred meters apart had significantly distinct diets in childhood and adulthood. Huaca Prieta focused on marine resources, although there are some contributions from terrestrial meat. Paredones individuals primarily consumed maize during childhood (up to 70% of the juvenile diet), as shown by δ13C values, apatite-collagen spacing, and discriminant analysis of δ13Ccoll, δ13Ccarb, and δ15N values. Maize was likely used as a weaning food (e.g., gruel and/or chicha--a maize beverage), hinting at the significant role of breastfeeding mothers, weanling infants, and children in the development of maize as a staple crop. Additionally, dental microwear data show Paredones adult diets are high in abrasives, potentially from maize processing. The distinct foodways at these neighboring sites result from and also reflect their social and political distinctions. These differences in food production, distribution, and consumption generated opportunities for exchange, an interaction that bound them together in mutual benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to understand the feeding habits of the cave bear, Ursus spelaeus by investigating the dental microwear patterns of 106 molars from six Late Pleistocene caves in Catalonia (Spain): Ermitons Cave, Arbreda Cave, Mollet Cave, Llenes Cave, Toll Cave, and Teixoneres Cave. Dental microwear patterns of U. spelaeus were compared with a reference collection of extant ursid species. The results show an omnivorous and carnivorous diet in all sites analyzed with both intra- and inter-site pattern variability. Unlike previous studies, here dental microwear identified more carnivorous habits for the herbivorous cave bear during the days/weeks before death. More varied and higher energy items would help to cope with the hibernation period. The variability between the samples could be due to the characteristic climatic shifts of the Late Pleistocene and to the corresponding differences in the availability of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dental microwear analysis (DMA) focuses on diet reconstructions, being able to provide proxy indicators of some events regarding technological shifts in food processing and social hierarchy and differences between individuals. Although DMA approaches diet characterization in ancient times, medieval samples have received limited attention, especially in Eastern Europe. The aim of this article is to explore, identify, and describe within-group patterns of dental microwear variation depending on sex and anatomic position (i.e., left/right, superior/inferior). The bioarchaeological material belongs to the Princely Court Necropolis of the seventeenth century discovered in Iasi (Romania)—the former capital city of Medieval Moldavia. We analyzed the micromorphological features on the occlusal surface of the second molar tooth through scanning electronic microscopy and imaging. Quantification of the microwear features (i.e., fine and coarse scratches, small and large pits) along with their bidimensional measurements (i.e., length and width) has been subjected to multivariate analysis. Our results show heterogeneous distribution of the microwear features within the analyzed second molars. Although the general microwear profile is dominated by fine and coarse scratches, large pits are also present. We can generally characterize the food as abrasive and relatively hard. In females, there are two microwear profiles highlighted based on the molar laterality, which suggests the use of the right side of the oral cavity to process harder foods. In males, the microwear profile is homogeneous and does not differ by laterality; it shows a great affinity with the pattern of the female right molars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European arrival into Australia had large‐scale impacts on the local flora and fauna. Most notably, Europeans brought with them numerous non‐native species, including the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes), European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and the goat (Capra hircus) among many others. The introduction of these species had significant consequences on native Australian mammals, causing some small‐ to medium‐sized herbivores to become geographically restricted to primarily islands. Here, we examined the dietary ecology of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus), a native marsupial herbivore with a restricted geographic range in Western Australia before and after European arrival. Fossils from south‐western Australia and modern specimens were examined via dental microwear texture analysis and stable isotope analysis to assess whether the diet of the quokka had changed dramatically over time. Collectively, we help clarify whether there were any ecological reasons as to why this marsupial became geographically restricted, aside from the presence of invasive predators on mainland Australia. The quokka maintains a browsing diet from the Pleistocene to the present on the mainland, but modern island populations eat drier and tougher foods when living on islands lacking invasive mammals. There is also an apparent shift in the feeding environment of the quokkas on mainland Australia, from more open forests/shrublands in the Pleistocene to denser and wetter forests. Multi‐proxy data collectively indicate that the restricted range of the quokka today is most likely a result of predation from non‐native taxa and/or other human influences—not because of a lack of suitable habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last years, the knowledge of the children’s diet is a topic of growing interest in dental anthropology. Our aim seeks to establish patterns of interpopulation and intrapopulation variability in dietary microwear among children from four Iberian sites dated to the Neolithic through Bronze Age. Buccal and occlusal surfaces are compared to assess whether their differential rates of microwear turnover correspond with dietary differences linked to social and biological maturation (e.g., weaning and shifts to adult-like diets). This study is based on the analysis of 46 deciduous molars (Udm1, Udm2, and Ldm2). Occlusal and buccal surfaces were observed using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) following standard microwear methodologies. The results show that from an interpopulation perspective, there are differences in the number of buccal scratches between Valdavara and the other sites. From an intrapopulation perspective, there was a greater number of buccal striations in the older age category from Cova de la Guineu and more occlusal pitting in the older age category from Cova dels Galls Carboners. This study shows the utility of the combined approach to buccal and occlusal microwear analysis as a means of understanding child dietary maturation in prehistory, showing that feeding practices and/or food choice can explain differences between specific age categories of children in addition to differences between archeological sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a pilot study using dental microwear analysis on 23 sheep and goat teeth dated to the 6th century BC from the Iron Age site of El Turó Font de la Canya (Barcelona, Spain). This study aimed to reconstruct livestock management practices and landscape use. The dental microwear pattern indicates that sheep and goats could have been grazing in the same area where vegetation was composed of shrubs, bushes and non-graminaceous plants on an eroded landscape, although additional supplies of fodder cannot be excluded. This scenario is compatible with the archaeological and palaeoenvironmental data which suggest a possibly increased territoriality, land degradation and an increase of woodland clearance during Iron Age in the North-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, we applied two recent microwear approaches which provide more information about mortality events and the possibility of distinguishing between an intensive and extensive management. This paper demonstrates how this method can be used to better understand animal husbandry practices and landscape use in Late Prehistory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The genus Macaca includes medium- to large-bodied monkeys and represents one of the most diverse primate genera, also having a very large geographic range. Nowadays, wild macaque populations are found in Asia and Africa, inhabiting a wide array of habitats. Fossil macaques were also present in Europe from the Late Miocene until the Late Pleistocene. Macaques are considered ecologically flexible monkeys that exhibit highly opportunistic dietary strategies, which may have been critical to their evolutionary success. Nevertheless, available ecological information regarding fossil European species is very sparse, limiting our knowledge of their evolutionary history in this geographic area. To further our understanding of fossil European macaque ecology, we investigated the dietary ecology of Macaca majori , an insular endemic species from Sardinia. In particular, we characterized the dental capabilities and potential dietary adaptations of M. majori through dental topographic and enamel thickness analyses of two M2s from the Early Pleistocene site of Capo Figari (1.8 Ma). We also assessed its diet through dental microwear texture analysis, while the microwear texture of M. majori was also compared with microwear textures from other European fossil macaques from mainland Europe. The dental topographic and enamel thickness analyses suggest that M. majori frequently consumes hard/mechanically challenging and/or abrasive foods. The results of the dental microwear analysis are consistent with this interpretation and further suggest that M. majori probably exhibited more durophagous dietary habits than mainland Plio-Pleistocene macaques. Overall, our results indicate that M. majori probably occupied a different dietary niche compared to its mainland fossil relatives, which suggests that they may have inhabited different paleoenvironments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet of the extinct European cave bear, Ursus spelaeus, has widely been debated. Diverging from the extant brown bear (Ursus arctos) approximately 1.2 million years ago, the cave bear is one of the most ubiquitous fossil bears occurring in Europe during the middle and Late Pleistocene. Early morphological studies suggested that the cave bear was likely specialized on processing tough and/or abrasive foods, while later two-dimensional low-magnification microwear studies suggested that they were omnivorous and may have consumed more bone than U. arctos. Here, we used dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) to further interpret the diet of the cave bear. Microscopic wear features were assessed and compared to modern ursids, including the cave bears’ closest living relative, U. arctos. Results suggest that U. spelaeus consumed a diet with a diversity of textural properties, similar to most other bears and only distinguishable from the hyper-carnivorous polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Further, only U. maritimus can be distinguished from all bear species here examined (i.e., the giant panda bear, Ailuropoda melanoleuca; sun-bear, Ursus malayanus; spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus; American black bear, Ursus americanus; and U. arctos), with significantly greater area-scale fractal complexity (Asfc) of microwear surfaces. The DMTA of A. melanoleuca also has significantly lower Asfc than T. ornatus and U. americanus, consistent with observed dietary behavior. As modern bears vary their diets seasonally and across their range, it may be difficult to characterize the dietary ecology of extinct bears using dental microwear alone. Nevertheless, DMTA here demonstrates that U. spelaeus had a diet distinct from the hyper-carnivorous U. maritimus and instead likely consumed food with textural properties most similar to other herbivorous/omnivorous bears. Lastly, the European cave bear and North American giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus) may have had similar diets as evident from DMTA, with U. spelaeus potentially eating tougher food items.

Pleistocene Paranthropus robustus fossils from Swartkrans have yielded stable isotope values suggesting some foraging on C4 plants possibly including underground storage organs. Dental microwear texture analysis on P. robustus (SK 6, SK 34 and SK 47) from Swartkrans Member 1 is performed to examine whether tooth surface damage from mastication agrees with prior dietary inferences from carbon isotopes. There is considerable variation in textural characteristics among the P. robustus specimens. Specifically, adult SK 34 stands apart from the two subadult specimens, SK 6 and SK 47, suggesting life history could be reflected in patterns of dental microwear texture characteristics, although seasonality and availability of fallback foods may also explain the variation observed in P. robustus. The fossils all exhibit elevated surface texture complexity, resembling the values for Lophocebus albigena and Cebus apella, and to a lesser extent, Pan troglodytes. Paranthropus robustus is dissimilar to primary folivores, such as Trachypithecus cristatus or folivore- frugivores such as Alouatta palliata suggesting leaves comprised very little of its diet. The textural fill volume of P. robustus differs from that observed in extant primates from tropical forests indicating extreme durophagy, perhaps a function of differences in habitat. Ingestion of extraneous grit on the underground parts of plants and from terrestrial resources, perhaps as fallback foods or as dietary staples, may account for these enamel textural properties and may help explain the mixed C3/C4 isotopic signal in P. robustus.

Recently, dental microwear analysis has been successfully employed to xenarthran teeth. Here, we present new data on use wear features on 16 molariforms of Orophodon hapaloides and Octodontotherium grande. These taxa count among the earliest sloths and are known from the Deseadan SALMA (late Oligocene). Modern phylogenetic analyses classify Octodontotherium and Orophodon within Mylodontoidea with whom they share lobate cheek teeth with an outer layer of cementum and a thick layer of orthodentine. Similar target areas of 100μm2 were analyzed on the orthodentine surface of each tooth by stereomicroscopic microwear and by SEM microwear. Results were unlike those of extant sloths (stereomicroscopic microwear: Bradypus, Choloepus) and published data from fossil sloths (SEM microwear: Acratocnus, Megalonyx, Megatherium, Thinobadistes); thus, both approaches independently indicate a different feeding ecology for the Oligocene taxa. The unique microwear results suggest that both taxa fed on plant material with low to moderate intrinsic toughness (foliage, twigs) but also proposes intake of tougher food items (e.g., seeds). Frequent gouging of the tooth surfaces can be explained by exogenous influence on microwear, such as possible intake of abrasive grit. We suggest an unspecialized herbivorous diet for Octodontotherium and Orophodon utilizing diverse food resources of their habitat. These interpretations support the reconstruction of (1) Deseadan environments as open habitats with spreading savannas/grasslands and (2) both taxa as wide-muzzled bulk feeders at ground level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proboscideans are so-called ecosystem engineers and are considered key players in hypotheses about Late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions. However, knowledge about the autoecology and chronology of the proboscideans in South America is still open to debate and raises controversial views. Here, we used a range of multiproxy approaches and new radiocarbon datings to study the autoecology of Chilean gomphotheres, the only group of proboscideans to reach South America during the Great American Biotic Interchange (~3.1 to 2.7 million years before present). As part of this study, we analyzed stable isotopes, dental microwear, and dental calculus microfossils on gomphothere molars from 30 Late Pleistocene sites (31° to 42°S). These proxies provided different scales of temporal resolution, which were then combined to assess the dietary and habitat patterns of these proboscideans. The multiproxy study suggests that most foraging took place in relatively closed environments. In Central Chile, there is a positive correlation between lower δ13C values and an increasing consumption of arboreal/scrub elements. Analyses of dental microwear and calculus microfossils have verified these leaf-browsing feeding habits. From a comparative perspective, the dietary pattern of South American gomphotheres appears to be constrained more by resource availability than by the potential dietary range of the individual taxa. This multiproxy study is aimed at increasing knowledge of the life history of gomphotheres and thus follows an issue considered one of the greatest challenges for paleontology in South America, recently pointed out by the need to thoroughly understand the role of ecological engineers before making predictions about the consequences of ecosystem defaunation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastication causes distinct use wear scars on teeth that can aid in dietary reconstructions of fossils. However, the role played by exogenous grit in dental wear complicates the association between wear and diet. Dental wear analyses often assume that foods closer to the soil contain more exogenous grit than those in the forest canopy. Yet, a layer of leaf litter covering many forest floors may trap grit from the soil, keeping it from settling on surrounding vegetation or becoming part of atmospheric dust. Cercocebus atys is frequently referenced in dental wear studies because of its dependence on hard Sacoglottis gabonensis seeds collected from the forest floor. Here we examine quantities of dust deposition at different forest levels and assess its potential role in wear patterns observed in C. atys. We collected grit from S. gabonensis seeds (N = 64) found under the leaf litter and compared them to grit samples taken from the surface of leaves at different forest strata (N = 450) in Ivory Coast’s Taï National Park. Seeds underneath the leaf litter were coated with significantly more grit than leaves above the leaf material and we conclude that leaf litter is a significant barrier to grit particles originating from the soil. Given that evidence points to a significant difference in grit amount between foodstuffs on the ground and foods near the ground, the findings lead to a prediction of differences in dental wear patterns between purely arboreal foragers and those incorporating terrestrial food sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the environmental conditions that prevailed in the Plio-Pleistocene Shungura Formation, Lower Omo Valley, Ethiopia, we analyze the feeding preferences of Tragelaphini, the third most common tribe of Shungura bovids. Molar mesowear and dental microwear texture analyses were applied to three species ( Tragelaphus rastafari , T. nakuae , and T. gaudryi ) and body mass estimates were calculated for the T. rastafari-nakuae lineage to test whether dietary shifts were linked to body mass changes. We compare our results with previous work on stable carbon isotopes (δ 13 C) of enamel, which indicated that tragelaphins from the Shungura Formation possessed dietary flexibility. We found that the both the T. rastafari-nakuae lineage and T. gaudryi maintained a mixed feeding dietary niche, with varying proportions of C 3 versus C 4 inputs, from ~3.6 to >2 Ma. Our results show that T. rastafari consumed more browse than its descendant, T. nakuae , which was a mixed feeder consuming a greater proportion of C 4 dicots ~ 2.8 Ma. The T. rastafari - T. nakuae dietary shift may reflect environmental changes in the Shungura Formation during this time, but appears to be offset from body mass increases in this lineage, which occurred gradually through the Plio-Pleistocene. This study highlights the importance of a multi-proxy approach to precisely determine the dietary ecologies of extinct bovids and points to how each proxy offers a slightly different perspective on the ecology of fossil organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of convergences in mammals is crucial to understand the evolutionary processes underlying the origin of shared traits. A classic example is the independent evolution in the pygmy rock-wallaby, the silvery mole-rat, and manatees of continuous dental replacement to compensate for high dental wear. The origins of continuous dental replacement in mammals remain unresolved. As the functional study of a trait may permit pinpointing the adaptive nature of its independent evolution, we aimed at comparing first the morpho-functional characteristics of the masticatory apparatus between the pygmy rock-wallaby and their closest relatives, and then with some published data on the silvery mole-rat. 3D geometric morphometric and biomechanical analyses were complemented by dental microwear analyses. Our results showed that the pygmy rock-wallaby clearly departs from its relatives in having a wider skull, a shorter snout, and a dentition situated more distally. These cranial modifications, previously observed in the silvery mole-rat, are probably linked with a neotenic development. Because of higher developmental constraints on marsupial skulls, such adjustment in the pygmy rock-wallaby may have improved the force generated by adductor muscles at molars for comminution of tough and abrasive plants. In contrast, the strong attrition combined with the ingestion of dust during high activity of digging and feeding might contribute to both molar damage and high wear in the silvery mole-rat. Our results stress the importance of combining morphological, developmental, and functional data to show that different behaviors related to ecology can explain the convergent occurrence of continuous dental replacement in mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change in Mediterranean grinding technology during the Hellenistic/Roman period affected the pattern of dental microwear since external grit particles were finer when flour was prepared using large rotary querns. Therefore, it is possible to detect the technological change through the analysis of human dentition. Here, the sample of teeth from Kültepe (ancient Kanesh), Turkey, is investigated to determine if the grinding technology changed at this site between the Middle Bronze Age ( n = 12) and Hellenistic/Roman period ( n = 4). A Hellenistic/Roman sample from Assos ( n = 7) is also included for comparative purposes. The proportions and size of linear and nonlinear features did not differ significantly between periods or sites, which indicates that in spite of technical advances, old grinding technologies were still used in the Hellenistic/Roman period in Anatolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscopic wear patterns on teeth, that is, dental microwear, are capable of recording observed dietary behaviour in a diversity of extant and extinct animals. However, recent work has questioned the utility of dental microwear at clarifying dietary behaviour, instead suggesting that dental microwear textures are reflective of grit consumed and not the dietary properties of ingested food. Some suggest that dental microwear cannot reflect the textural properties of vegetation consumed because phytoliths are too soft to form microwear. Koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus) are model organisms for examining dental microwear formation because they consume a specialized diet consisting almost exclusively of eucalyptus leaves, which notably lack phytoliths. Here, we assess if koala dental microwear records a diet consistent with the consumption of tough leaves - despite the absence of phytoliths in their primary food source. Dental microwear texture data of koalas are consistent with tough folivorous diets, with high anisotropy values indistinguishable from folivorous primates and grazing bovids. However, koalas have significantly higher complexity (indicative of hard object feeding) than the folivorous primate Alouatta palliata, and are indistinguishable in this variable from mixed feeding and browsing bovids. While higher complexity values in koalas may result from increased dust and/or grit on the landscape in comparison to folivores that occur in wetter environments, it may also result from the mastication of woody browse. We also determined that complexity and textural fill volume are not significantly greater in drier environments - as one would predict if grit was the major contributor to dental microwear formation. Koalas may instead be selecting softer younger leaves in drier regions where water is more limited. Collectively, microwear associated with tough object feeding can be formed in the absence of phytoliths and grit may interact with food to form microwear reflective of diet, as opposed to overprinting dietary signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The La Brea Tar Pits are a highly fossiliferous late Pleistocene locality, with over 230 vertebrate species, and the potential to help clarify the ecology of Pleistocene megafauna prior to their extinction. Here, we analyze dental microwear textures, dental mesowear, and stable carbon isotopes to assess the dietary behavior of the three most abundant ungulates at La Brea. We examined Bison antiquus , Camelops hesternus , and Equus occidentalis teeth from pits spanning the latest Pleistocene, focusing on pit 77 (~ 35 Ka, glacial period), and pits 61/67 (~ 11.5 Ka, interglacial period). Dental microwear attributes demonstrate that B . antiquus and E . occidentalis consumed foods with similar textural properties to those preferred by mixed feeding and browsing bovids, as well as significantly different food textures than the diet of modern bison and horses. Camelops hesternus has attributes most similar to modern browsing bovids and giraffes, revealing that all taxa studied likely consumed at least some woody browse. Complexity values ( Asfc ) in B . antiquus and E . occidentalis are significantly greater at pit 77 than at pits 61/67 and modern populations, suggesting a dietary decrease in woody vegetation and shrubs from the glacial to interglacial period. Dental mesowear values further indicate that B . antiquus and C . hesternus consumed woody vegetation, whereas E . occidentalis grazed. The different dietary interpretation for E . occidentalis may reflect a discrepancy between its average diet inferred from mesowear and its most recent diet inferred from microwear. Lastly, stable carbon isotopes reveal diets composed mostly of C 3 vegetation, with B . antiquus incorporating significantly more C 4 vegetation than either of the other dominant herbivores during the accumulation of both assemblages. Collectively, these data suggest that the dietary ecology of the dominant La Brea herbivores was more nuanced than previously thought, shifting coincident with changing climates, and not necessarily predictable from morphology or any one proxy method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last European wild equids — Equus ferus and Equus hydruntinus — were among the large mammals (or megafauna) that became extinct during the Late Quaternary Extinction Event disappearing from Europe during the Holocene. The role that the combined action of the major climatic changes of the Pleistocene/Holocene Transition and the human activities played in their extinction is not fully understood. The reduction of steppe-like biomes in Europe following the increase of mean global temperatures during the Holocene is usually regarded as the main event that triggered their disappearance, as both equids display typical morphological adaptations for open grasslands and grass eating. However, E. ferus and E. hydruntinus are found, often even co-occurring, in both warm and cold phases of the Late Pleistocene. Thus, the investigation of their niche occupation can help decipher whether their ecology and specialised dietary adaptations were the main reason of their decline following the early Holocene global warming. Here we investigate the feeding strategies of the two equids by studying their long- and short-term dietary adaptations through examination of their patterns of dental wear. As expected, dental mesowear points to a highly abrasive diet concordant with a grazing feeding behaviour for both E. ferus and E. hydruntinus which is consistent with their specialised morphological adaptations for open habitats. In contrast, dental microwear suggests a somewhat degree of plasticity in diets, as both species display microscopic features commonly recorded in modern mixed feeders. Such a flexibility may be the reason for which they could have persisted even when open grasslands were not the dominant landscape. Our findings provide a new line of evidence supporting the idea that human activities (e.g., competition with the first domestic forms brought from Eurasia and Africa) may have played a larger role in the extinction of some megafauna groups than climate change per se. • Palaeoecology of Late Pleistocene equids from La Carihuela is investigated. • Dental microwear patterns are consistent with a short-term mixed diet. • Late Pleistocene equids could adapt to the reduction of open grasslands in Europe. • Holocene climate warming may not have been the main trigger of their extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive oral processing of food through dental occlusion and orbital mandibular movement is often cited as a uniquely mammalian trait that contributed to their evolutionary success. Save for mandibular translation, these adaptations are not seen in extant archosaurs or lepidosaurs. In contrast, some ornithischian dinosaurs show evidence of precise dental occlusion, habitual intraoral trituration and complex jaw motion. To date, however, a robust understanding of the diversity of jaw mechanics within non-avian dinosaurs, and its comparison with other vertebrates, remains unrealized. Large dental batteries, well-developed dental wear facets, and robust jaws suggests that neoceratopsian (horned) dinosaurs were capable chewers. But, biomechanical analyses have assumed a relatively simple, scissor-like (orthal) jaw mechanism for these animals. New analyses of dental microwear, presented here, show curvilinear striations on the teeth of Leptoceratops. These features indicate a rostral to caudal orbital motion of the mandible during chewing. A rostrocaudal mandibular orbit is seen in multituberculates, haramiyid allotherians, and some rodents, and its identification in Leptoceratops gracilis is the first evidence of complex, mammal-like chewing in a ceratopsian dinosaur. The term circumpalinal is here proposed to distinguish this new style of chewing from other models of ceratopsian mastication that also involve a palinal component. This previously unrecognized complexity in dinosaurian jaw mechanics indicates that some neoceratopsian dinosaurs achieved a mammalian level of masticatory efficiency through novel adaptive solutions.

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. • First dental microwear analysis of Oligocene entelodonts and anthracotheres. • Entelodonts had an omnivorous diet similar to that of the extant wild boar. • Anthracotheres were opportunistic herbivores (browsers, frugivores and grazers). • The dietary traits show the availability of a large diversity of food resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diet of the extinct European cave bear, Ursus spelaeus, has widely been debated. Diverging from the extant brown bear (Ursus arctos) approximately 1.2 million years ago, the cave bear is one of the most ubiquitous fossil bears occurring in Europe during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. Early morphological studies suggested that the cave bear was likely specialized on processing tough and/or abrasive foods, while later two-dimensional low-magnification microwear studies suggested that they were omnivorous and may have consumed more bone than U. arctos. Here, we used dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) to further interpret the diet of the cave bear. Microscopic wear features were assessed and compared to modern ursids, including the cave bears' closest living relative, U. arctos. Results suggest that U. spelaeus consumed a diet with a diversity of textural properties, similar to most other bears and only distinguishable from the hyper-carnivorous polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Further, only U. maritimus can be distinguished from all bear species here examined (i.e., the giant panda bear, Ailuropoda melanoleuca; sun-bear, Ursus malayanus; spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus; American black bear, Ursus americanus; and U. arctos), with significantly greater area-scale fractal complexity (Asfc) of microwear surfaces. The DMTA of A. melanoleuca also has significantly lower Asfc than T. ornatus and U. americanus, consistent with observed dietary behavior. As modern bears vary their diets seasonally and across their range, it may be difficult to characterize the dietary ecology of extinct bears using dental microwear alone. Nevertheless, DMTA here demonstrates that U. spelaeus had a diet distinct from the hyper-carnivorous U. maritimus and instead likely consumed food with textural properties most similar to other herbivorous/omnivorous bears. Lastly, the European cave bear and North American giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus) may have had similar diets as evident from DMTA, with U. spelaeus potentially eating tougher food items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]