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

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.Megal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of human evolution 2002-11, Vol.43 (5), p.645-657
Main Authors: Rafferty, K.L., Teaford, M.F., Jungers, W.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Physiological
Animals
Biological Evolution
Dental Enamel - anatomy & histology
Dental Enamel - pathology
Diet
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Fossils
Lemur - anatomy & histology
Lemur - physiology
Molar - anatomy & histology
Molar - pathology
Paleontology
subfossil lemurs, microwear, diet, Megaladapis, Archaeolemur, Palaeopropithecus, Babakotia, Hadropithecus, Papio, Propithecus, Hapalemur, Presbytis, Theropithecus
Vertebrate paleontology
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Summary: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 modern 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 (>9kg).
ISSN:0047-2484
1095-8606
DOI:10.1006/jhev.2002.0592