Taphonomic Characteristics of Micromammals Predated by Small Mammalian Carnivores in South Africa: Application to Fossil Accumulations

• Autores: Thalassa Matthews
• Localización: Journal of taphonomy, ISSN 1696-0815, Vol. 4, Nº. 3, 2006, págs. 143-161
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Micromammal (Murid, Soricid, Macroscelid and Chrysochlorid) bones and teeth may become incorporated into palaeontological and archaeological sites through the deposition of scats from small carnivores, or the regurgitated pellets of owls or diurnal birds of prey. The pellets and scats disaggregate over time leaving behind accumulations of micromammal bones and teeth. Such accumulations are frequently used in palaeoclimatic and palaeoecological research. This paper presents the results of a comparative taphonomic study of the micromammal assemblages recovered from the scats of some African species of small mammalian carnivore (including the genet (Genetta genetta), caracal (Felis caracal) and serval (Felis serval)) with the aim of investigating the digestion patterns produced by these predators in order to ascertain what taphonomic signature they are likely leave in fossil micromammal accumulations. The incisor digestion patterns from the comparative assemblages suggest that certain African small carnivores produce assemblages with 100% of teeth showing light to moderate digestion. The taphonomic signature of the caracal is compared to that of other previously researched felid species and results indicate that there is considerable variation within the Felidae. The incisor digestion patterns of the small carnivores investigated suggest that the mixing of a small carnivore assemblage from a predator such as the genet with a category 1 predator would produce a pattern of incisor digestion similar to that produced by a category 2 or category 3 predator. It is clearly important to establish the taphonomic patterns of assemblages produced by southern African small carnivore species in order to ascertain exactly what characteristics distinguish the small carnivores scat assemblages from each other, and from other categories of predator. This is turn will provide information which can be used to identify and interpret fossil micromammal assemblages which have been accumulated by more than one species of predator.