Abstract
Major climatic and ecological changes are documented in terrestrial ecosystems during the Miocene epoch. The Rhinocerotidae are a very interesting clade to investigate the impact of these changes on ecology, as they are abundant and diverse in the fossil record throughout the Miocene. Here, we explored the spatio-temporal evolution of rhinocerotids’ paleoecology during the early and middle Miocene in Europe and Pakistan. We studied the dental texture microwear (proxy for diet) and enamel hypoplasia (stress indicator) of 19 species belonging to four sub-tribes and an unnamed clade of Rhinocerotidae, and coming from nine Eurasian localities ranging from MN2 to MN7/8. Our results suggest a clear niche partitioning based on diet at Kumbi 4 (MN2, Pakistan), Sansan (MN6, France), and Villefranche d’Astarac (MN7/8, France), while dietary overlap and subtle variations are discussed for Béon 1 (MN4, France) and Gračanica (MN5/6, Bosnia-Herzegovina). All rhinocerotids studied were browsers or mixed-feeders, and none had a grazing nor frugivore diet. Regarding hypoplasia, the prevalence was moderate (~ 10%) to high (> 20 %) at all localities but Kumbi 4 (~ 6 %), and documented quite well the local conditions. Sansan and Devínska Nová Ves (MN6, Slovakia), both dated to the MN6 (i.e., by the middle Miocene Climatic Transition, ca. 13.9 Mya), had moderate hypoplasia prevalence. Besides locality, species and tooth locus were also important factors of variation for the prevalence of hypoplasia. The very large hippo-like Brachypotherium brachypus was one of the most affected species at all concerned localities (but Sansan), while early-diverging elasmotheriines were very little affected.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
