Mecrowear of mammalian teeth as an indicator of diet.
Microwear details on teeth of two sympatric species of hyrax are correlated with major dietary differences observed in the wild. Grazing (Procavia john-stoni) and browsing (Heterohyrax brucei) species can be distinguished. The results show that diets of extinct species may be deduced from tooth microwear.
D000818:Animals; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003804:Dentin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010161:Paleodontology; D012377:Rodentia; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*