title: Identifying predation on rodent teeth through structure and composition: A case from Morocco.
abstract: Predation by nocturnal birds of prey is one of the most frequent modes leading to the concentration of rodents in fossil assemblages. This mode of accumulation leaves characteristic surface alterations on bones and teeth. In order to evaluate and characterize the effects of these pre-diagenesis alterations on rodent fossil samples, we have carried out microstructural and chemical analyses on incisors collected from present day Moroccan wild animals and owl pellets. The microstructure of both dentine and enamel was well preserved, but chemical changes were evident in pellet samples and depended on the particular tissue and the nature of the predator. The comparison of compositional data obtained from electron microprobe chemical analyses and infrared spectrometry has allowed us to assign a possible predator to an incisor extracted from a pellet of an unknown origin. This method has further implications for the understanding of taphonomy and palaeoecology of archaeological and fossil sites.
authors.affiliation: GDR 3591 TAPHENA, UFR TEB, Université P.& M. Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France. Electronic address: yannicke.dauphin@upmc.fr.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dauphin
authors.affiliation: ID21, ESRF, 6 rue J. Horowitz, 38000 Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Castillo-Michel
authors.affiliation: GDR 3591 TAPHENA, UFR TEB, Université P.& M. Curie, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France; UMR ISTO 7327, 1A rue de la Férolerie, 45071 Orléans cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farre
authors.affiliation: Institut Scientifique, Avenue Ibn Battota, B.P. 703, Agdal 10106 Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mataame
authors.affiliation: Fondis Electronic, 4 rue Galilée, Quartier de l'Europe, 78285 Guyancourt, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rbii
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences de la Vie et de la Terre, Centre Régional des Métiers de l'Education et la Formation (CERMEF), Casablanca, Morocco.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rihane
authors.affiliation: GDR 3591 TAPHENA,UMR ISYEB 7205, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, 55 rue Buffon, CP51, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stoetzel
authors.affiliation: GDR 3591 TAPHENA,UMR ISYEB 7205, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Evolution, 55 rue Buffon, CP51, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Denys
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry; D003804:Dentin / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry; D005580:Fossils; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry*; D009018:Morocco; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D020304:Raptors; D051381:Rats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: Alteration; Composition; Dentine; Enamel; Owl regurgitation pellet; Structure