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A Dental Microwear Texture Analysis of the Early Pliocene African Ursid Agriotherium africanum (Mammalia, Carnivora, Ursidae)

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Abstract

The craniodental morphology of the early Pliocene ursid Agriotherium africanum has been studied extensively to reveal aspects of its dietary ecology. Results suggest that this large-bodied, long-legged, short-faced African native primarily consumed vertebrate matter. While many carnivoran families exhibit a clear functional relationship between craniodental form and performance on the one hand, and dietary behavior on the other, this is not always the case with Ursidae. Because of uncertainties regarding the appropriateness of using craniodental form to investigate ursid diets, questions still linger about the dietary ecology of Ag. africanum. Here, we report on a dental microwear texture analysis of six Ag. africanum lower second molars from the South African fossil site of Langebaanweg. Results support morphological evidence that suggests a diet focused on vertebrate soft tissue and bone. Unfortunately, results cannot clarify questions about mode of acquisition.

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Acknowledgments

This work is based on research supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant Number 103807 provided to Stynder, University of Cape Town). It is also supported by the National Science Foundation of the USA (Grant Number 1053839 provided to DeSantis, Vanderbilt University). We would like to thank Romala Govender for access to the Agriotherium africanum material under her curatorship at Iziko, The South African Museum.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Science, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa

    Deano D. Stynder

  2. Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA

    Larisa R. G. DeSantis

  3. Department of Rancho La Brea, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA

    Larisa R. G. DeSantis

  4. Department of Paleontology, San Diego Natural History Museum, P.O. Box 121390, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA

    Shelly L. Donohue

  5. Center of Excellence in Paleontology and Department of Geosciences, East Tennessee State University, Box 70357, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA

    Blaine W. Schubert

  6. Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Old Main 330, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA

    Peter S. Ungar

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  1. Deano D. Stynder
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Correspondence to Deano D. Stynder.

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Stynder, D.D., DeSantis, L.R.G., Donohue, S.L. et al. A Dental Microwear Texture Analysis of the Early Pliocene African Ursid Agriotherium africanum (Mammalia, Carnivora, Ursidae). J Mammal Evol 26, 505–515 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-018-9436-y

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