Skeleton and habitat of recent and fossil ruminants
1993
Köhler, Meike
"Ruminants and especially bovids are considered to be excellent ecological indicators. In the first part of this study skeletons of 59 recent ruminant species and 7 nonruminant ungulate species are described and analysed. Three morphological types of ruminants are defined by numerous anatomic features related to locomotion in determined habitats. In the second part 50 fossil ruminants and 2 nonruminant artiodactyles are classified by the established morphological groups. Some important european and circummediterranean ruminants are picked out as 'ecological indicators' and compared with recent ruminants. Based on this classification the ecology of Western and Eastern Eurasian localities from MN 6 up to MN 13 is reconstructed. In this space of time four climatic phases indicating the evolution of four ecological systems sensu Margalef (1986) are distinguished. It is demonstrated that quantity and quality of specialization increase with the maturity of the ecological systems. In this process specialists are increasingly exposed to extinction while more plesiomorphic forms tolerate perturbations better. Therefore convergencies are more frequent within specialists"--P.5.
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