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Predicting body mass in Ruminantia using postcranial measurements.
1Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Journal of Morphology
|September 14, 2023
Summary
Accurate body mass prediction for extinct mammals is crucial for understanding their ecology. Postcranial bones, particularly humerus width, offer reliable estimates for ruminant artiodactyls, aiding habitat inference.
Area of Science:
- Paleoecology
- Mammalian Ecology
- Biometrics
Background:
- Mammalian body mass is a key ecological factor.
- Accurate body mass estimates are vital for inferring extinct mammal ecology and habitat preferences.
- Ruminant artiodactyl digestive physiology may constrain body mass based on resource availability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop reliable body mass predictive equations for extant ruminant artiodactyls using postcranial measurements.
- To compare the efficacy of craniodental versus postcranial predictors for body mass estimation.
- To provide a method for estimating body mass in fossil taxa when optimal skeletal elements are missing.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetically informed bivariate and multiple regression analyses were employed.
- 56 postcranial measurements from 101 extant ruminant artiodactyl species were utilized.
- Stepwise multiple regression models were favored, with bivariate models also assessed.
Main Results:
- Models incorporating proximal and distal humerus width were globally preferred for body mass prediction.
- Widths of long limb bones were generally better predictors than lengths or midshaft circumferences.
- Several radioulna-based models also showed comparable predictive power.
Conclusions:
- Postcranial bone dimensions, especially humerus width, provide accurate body mass estimates for ruminant artiodactyls.
- This method improves upon less reliable craniodental predictors for ungulates.
- A novel approach for estimating fossil mammal mass involves selecting models with the lowest prediction error for the most specific clade assignment.
