Dental Microwear and Mesowear of the Microtus Voles Molars before and after Experimental Feeding of Owls

In small mammals, the degree of micro- and mesowear of molars depends on the feed hardness, abrasiveness, and some other characteristics. Analysis of micro- and mesorelief of the paleontological material is used for reconstruction of some animal diet parameters. Small mammals pass through a series o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Doklady. Biological sciences 2019-05, Vol.486 (1), p.79-82
Main Authors: Kropacheva, Yu. E., Zykov, S. V., Smirnov, N. G., Salimov, R. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Arvicolinae - anatomy & histology
Arvicolinae - physiology
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Dental enamel
Dental Enamel - ultrastructure
Diet
Digestive system
Evolutionary Biology
Feeding Behavior
General Biology
Life Sciences
Microtus gregalis
Molar - anatomy & histology
Molars
Owls
Paleontology
Plant Sciences
Strigiformes - physiology
Teeth
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Summary:In small mammals, the degree of micro- and mesowear of molars depends on the feed hardness, abrasiveness, and some other characteristics. Analysis of micro- and mesorelief of the paleontological material is used for reconstruction of some animal diet parameters. Small mammals pass through a series of complex transformations on the way from the objects of biocenosis to paleontological objects. Bone remains underwent transformations during accumulation and fossilization. In particular, bone remains from ornithogenous deposits were exposed to the bird digestive system elements. We have experimentally studied changes in some parameters of the narrow-headed vole ( Microtus gregalis ) molars derived from the owl pellets. Comparison of the same samples before and after exposure to the digestive system of the polar owl ( Nyctea scandiaca ) and eagle owl ( Bubo bubo ) showed that the tooth enamel microrelief undergoes serious changes and therefore, provides no information on the intravital diet of voles. A different degree of preservation of the characteristics of the mesorelief was shown. Depending on this, an assessment of their applicability to paleoreconstructions was given.
ISSN:0012-4966
1608-3105
DOI:10.1134/S0012496619030049