The diet of Myotragus balearicus Bate 1909 (Artiodactyla: Caprinae), an extinct bovid from the Balearic Islands: evidence from coprolites |
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Authors: | JOSEP ANTONI ALCOVER RAMON PEREZ-OBIOL ERRIKARTA-IMANOL YLL PERE BOVER |
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Institution: | Institut Mediterrani ?Estudis Auangats (CSIC-UIB), Cta. de Valldemossa km 7,5, 07071 Ciutat de Mallorca, Balears, Spain;Departament de Biologia Animal, Biologia Vegetal i Ecologia, Unitat de Botanica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain |
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Abstract: | Myotragus balearicus Bate 1909 is an artiodactyl Caprinae endemic to the Balearic Islands which became extinct more than 4000 years ago. Coprolites produced by this species have been collected from the excavation of Holocene cave sediments in Cova Estreta (Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca). The pollen content of several samples of coprolites has been studied in order to determine the diet of Myotragus. Myotragus balearicus from Cova Estreta was a browser, and consumed huge amounts of box, Buxus balearica , a plant known for its high content of steroidal alkaloids. The coprolites are very fine textured, probably due to the result of a very efficient digestive process. |
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Keywords: | Holocene fossil ruminants cave sediments diet Buxus balearica |
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