Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 39(1) 1996

Issue:

VOL 39(1) 1996

Keywords:

Micromammals, owl pellets, Algeria, taphonomy, palaeoecology

Download PDF

Share this article:

Taphonomic study of Algerian owl pellet assemblages and differential preservation of some rodents: palaeontological implications

• Christiane DENYS
• Yannicke DAUPHIN
• Barbara RZEBIK-KOWALSKA
• Kazimierz KOWALSKI

Abstract:

Taphonomic study of five Algerian Bubo bubo ascalaphus pellet assemblages and comparison with other Bubo bubo data, as well as with faunal lists for Algeria, indicates significant bias in faunal representation, bone representation and bone fragmentation. Some rodents characteristic of a given biogeographic region or vegetation zone cannot be found in the Bubo pellet assemblages of the corresponding region. Dipodid, gerbillid and crocidurid skulls are more digestion resistant than those of murids. The digestion biases shown here all influence the future fossilisation of such assemblages. Some palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographical consequences are described. The main conclusion is that a careful taphonomic analysis must be made prior to palaeoenvironmental interpretation.