Molar microwear of subfossil lemurs: improving the resolution of dietary inferences

被引:39
作者
Rafferty, KL
Teaford, MF
Jungers, WL
机构
[1] Univ Washington, Dept Orthodont, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
[2] Johns Hopkins Univ, Sch Med, Funct Anat & Evolut Program, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
[3] SUNY Stony Brook, Dept Anat Sci, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
subfossil lemurs; microwear; diet; Megaladapis; Archaeolemur; Palaeopropithecus; Babakotia; Hadropithecus; Papio; Propithecus; Hapatemur; Presbytis; Theropithecus;
D O I
10.1006/jhev.2002.0592
中图分类号
Q98 [人类学];
学科分类号
030303 ;
摘要
In this study we use molar microwear analyses to examine the trophic distinctions among various taxa of Malagasy subfossil lemurs. High resolution casts of the teeth of Megaladapis, Archaeolemur, Palaeopropithecus, Babakotia, and Hadropithecus were examined under a scanning electron microscope. Megaladapis was undoubtedly a browsing folivore, but there are significant differences between species of this genus. However, dietary specialists appear to be the exception; for example, Palaeopropithecus and Babakotia probably supplemented their leaf-eating with substantial amounts of seed-predation, much like modern indrids. Hadropithecus was decidedly not like the modem gelada baboon, but probably did feed on hard objects. Evidence from microwear and coprolites suggests that Archaeolemur probably had an eclectic diet that differed regionally and perhaps seasonally. Substantial trophic diversity within Madgascar's primate community was diminished by the late Quaternary extinctions of the large-bodied species (>9 kg). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:645 / 657
页数:13
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