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Morphological disparity in Plio-Pleistocene large carnivore guilds from Italian Peninsula

100%

Meloro C.

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2011

tom 56

nr 1

Communities of large mammals exhibit changes in morphological diversity through space and time; changes that are possibly correlated to distinct aspects of the physical environment. Here, I explore shape changes in the trophic apparatus of large carnivore guilds, comparing extant communities with Quaternary ones, from peninsular Italy. Mandibular shape is quantified through geometric morphometrics and its disparity is computed for each carnivore guild. Patterns of morphospace occupation through space and time reveal that extant carnivore guilds are negatively influenced by number of artiodactyls. Very productive ecosystems show low values of morphological disparity because species tend to occupy central regions of the morphospace rather than extreme areas. Disparity of mandibular corpus shape remains relatively stable throughout the Quaternary in the large carnivore communities of the Italian peninsula. They exhibit similar values to extant guilds because the trophic apparatus did not evolved important morphological novelties. Interestingly, carnivore guilds of the late Pliocene (3.5 Ma) and early Pleistocene (0.8 Ma) show over−dispersed or random morphospace occupation because of a depleted fauna, precluding successive structural changes. The same applies for the extant European carnivore guild as a result of recent extinctions without replacement.

Ecomorphology of radii in Canidae: Application to fragmentary fossils from Plio-Pleistocene hominin assemblages

63%

Meloro C., Louys J.

Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2015

tom 60

nr 4

Fragmentary long bone material from fossil Carnivora is rarely considered to support palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Here, we use morphometry of the radius in extant carnivorans of the dog family (Canidae) to reconstruct the palaeobiology of extinct canids from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania (Bed I and II) and Koobi Fora, Kenya. We use radius mor-phometrics to predict adaptation to prey size and introduce a new method for quantifying canid habitat adaptations based on the geographic distributions of the extant species sampled. Linear Discriminant Function Analyses (DFA) and cluster neighbour-joining algorithms are employed to investigate radial morphometrics as described by 29 linear measurements. Results of our analyses suggest that a phylogenetic signal is present in radial morphometrics, even if it does not allow us to accurately discriminate among genera. A binary prey size categorisation of "small-medium" versus "large" prey can be more accurately predicted than a habitat categorisation scheme (Open, Mixed, Closed). The East African fossil specimens examined show morphometric affinities with the golden jackal (Canis aureus) and coyote (Canis latrans) and are likely attributable to the genus Canis. Fragmentary fossil specimens from Olduvai Gorge are predicted as habitat generalists (Open for Bed I and Mixed for Bed II) adapted for hunting small-medium prey, whereas the specimen from Koobi Fora was predicted as inhabiting mixed habitats and adapted for killing large prey. This study supports the inclusion of fossil Canidae in palaeoecological analyses attempting to clarify the palaeoenvironment of early hominin fossil sites.

Ograniczanie wyników

2 Acta Palaeontologica Polonica

2 Meloro C.

1 Louys J.

1 2015

1 2011

Wyniki wyszukiwania

Morphological disparity in Plio-Pleistocene large carnivore guilds from Italian Peninsula

Ecomorphology of radii in Canidae: Application to fragmentary fossils from Plio-Pleistocene hominin assemblages