Abstract
The diet of the cave bear group (Ursus spelaeus) has been debated extensively.
Traditionally, U. spelaeus was thought to be herbivorous, but more recently studies have shown that it was potentially omnivorous. Presented here is a preliminary study using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on mandibles of U. spelaeus and its congeners. Multivariate analyses of variance indicate the allometric nature of sexual dimorphism. Principal component analyses and analyses of variance reveal the relationship between morphology and diet in the mandible of extant bears, displaying a gradient from carnivory to herbivory; U. spelaeus is found at the herbivorous extreme, supporting the hypothesis that cave bears were highly herbivorous. The position of the
masseteric fossa in U. spelaeus indicates large bite forces necessary for the mastication of tough plant materials. U. americanus has a mandible shape which may reflect previous selection pressures. The necessity of correcting for allometry is shown by comparing the results for corrected and uncorrected data.
Traditionally, U. spelaeus was thought to be herbivorous, but more recently studies have shown that it was potentially omnivorous. Presented here is a preliminary study using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics on mandibles of U. spelaeus and its congeners. Multivariate analyses of variance indicate the allometric nature of sexual dimorphism. Principal component analyses and analyses of variance reveal the relationship between morphology and diet in the mandible of extant bears, displaying a gradient from carnivory to herbivory; U. spelaeus is found at the herbivorous extreme, supporting the hypothesis that cave bears were highly herbivorous. The position of the
masseteric fossa in U. spelaeus indicates large bite forces necessary for the mastication of tough plant materials. U. americanus has a mandible shape which may reflect previous selection pressures. The necessity of correcting for allometry is shown by comparing the results for corrected and uncorrected data.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 33-46 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Acta Carsologica Slovaka |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | S1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Keywords
- Cave bear, Ursus spelaeus, Ursidae, Pleistocene, mandible, masseteric fossa, 3D geometric morphometrics, allometry, functional morphology, diet