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Proboscidea from Kanapoi, Kenya.

William J Sanders1

  • 1Museum of Paleontology and Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1085, USA.

Journal of Human Evolution
|February 13, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fossil proboscideans at the Kanapoi site reveal diverse diets and adaptations in the early Pliocene. Their feeding habits and the presence of multiple megaherbivores influenced ecosystem structure, potentially aiding early hominin evolution.

Keywords:
Anancine gomphotheresDeinotheresEarly PlioceneElephantsKanapoi, KenyaTurkana Basin

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Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Paleoecology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The Kanapoi site in Kenya's Turkana Basin offers a rich vertebrate fossil record from the early Pliocene.
  • This assemblage includes early representatives of the hominin genus Australopithecus and a significant collection of fossil proboscideans.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the diversity and dietary habits of fossil proboscideans from the Kanapoi site.
  • To understand the ecological implications of these megaherbivores on the early Pliocene environment and early hominin evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Identification and classification of fossil proboscidean remains (Deinotherium bozasi, Anancus ultimus, Loxodonta adaurora, Loxodonta exoptata, Elephas ekorensis, Elephas recki).
  • Review of dental carbon isotope analyses to infer dietary preferences (browsing vs. grazing).
  • Correlation of proboscidean morphology (e.g., molar crown height, plate count) with feeding behaviors.

Main Results:

  • The Kanapoi proboscidean assemblage includes deinotheres, anancine gomphotheres, and multiple elephant species.
  • Dental isotope data indicate a spectrum of diets, from dedicated browsing in deinotheres to mixed feeding/grazing in elephants and gomphotheres.
  • Early Pliocene elephant molars show adaptations (higher crowns, more plates) aligning with their feeding behaviors, differing from late Miocene relatives.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary variations among Kanapoi proboscideans reflect a heterogeneous habitat with significant grass presence.
  • The presence of multiple megaherbivores likely contributed to ecosystem fragmentation.
  • This ecosystem structure may have positively impacted early hominin success and promoted ungulate diversification.