Dental mesowear analysis of the late Miocene Bovidae from Toros-Menalla (Chad) and early hominid habitats in Central Africa

Cécile Blondel (1) , Gildas Merceron (2) , Likius Andossa (3) , Mackaye Hassane Taisso (3) , Patrick Vignaud (1) , Michel Brunet (1, 4)

1 IPHEP - Institut International de Paléoprimatologie, Paléontologie Humaine : Évolution et Paléoenvironnement
2 PEPS - PaleoEnvironnements et PaleobioSphere
3 Departement de Paleontologie [Université de N'Djaména]
4 Collège de France - Chaire Paléontologie Humaine

This study aimed to reconstruct the environmental conditions that prevailed in the Chadian palaeo-lake basin ca 7 Ma ago based on the feeding preferences of late Miocene Bovidae from Toros-Menalla (Chad). This is a key issue for understanding the circumstances (regional landscapes) under which the earliest known hominid Sahelanthropus tchadensis evolved A dental mesowear analysis was applied to 117 specimens of bovids representing the four tribes present in the anthracotheriid unit localities Hippotragini, Reduncini, Antilopini and Bovini All these bovids fed on grasses, at least partially. Previous analyses and the present results indicate the presence of a mosaic-like environment containing various habitats from grasslands to woodlands in the surroundings of the Chadian lake basin. Indeed, our data support the availability of grass or grass-like plants and therefore open patches in the vicinity of the Chadian palaeo-lake shores

Keywords: Central Africa; Miocene; Ruminants; Sahelanthropus; Teeth; Environment

Domains: Paleontology

Cécile Blondel, Gildas Merceron, Likius Andossa, Mackaye Hassane Taisso, Patrick Vignaud, et al.. Dental mesowear analysis of the late Miocene Bovidae from Toros-Menalla (Chad) and early hominid habitats in Central Africa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2010, 292, pp.184-191. ⟨10.1016/j.palaeo.2010.03.042⟩. ⟨hal-00489997⟩