Journal
ICHNOS-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL TRACES
Volume 21, Issue 2, Pages 131-146Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.1080/10420940.2014.909353
Keywords
Tooth mark; Feeding trace; Trophic interaction; Crocodylia
Categories
Funding
- NSF [DEB 0444133, DEB 1257786-125748]
- University of Iowa Department of Geosciences Littlefield Family Fund
- Division Of Environmental Biology
- Direct For Biological Sciences [1257786] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Crocodylians are known to consume and modify bones, but actualistic observations of their bite marks have been limited to forensic case studies and surveys of two taxa: Crocodylus niloticus and Crocodylus porosus. To further explore patterns of crocodylian bite mark expression, we conducted a survey of traces left by Alligator mississippiensis. We compared the results to pre-existing crocodylian datasets regarding the potentially diagnostic traits of bisected marks, hook scores, and a lack of furrows. Mark type did not correlate with vital statistics of the sampled animals or collections protocol. Bisected marks were found in rates similar to those seen in one previous survey of C. niloticus, and rates of hook scoring and bone breakage were higher. These traces were all present in higher rates than those reported in C. porosus. Unlike results seen in Crocodylus, furrows were identified in the A. mississippiensis samples. Hook scores were also identified, but recent surveys of non-crocodylian taxa have shown that these features are not unique to crocodylians and instead are related to inertial feeding strategies. The presence and rate of bisected marks found in this study bolster the interpretation that these traces are a clade-wide phenomenon and a useful diagnostic indicator for Crocodylia.
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