Osteological evidence for predatory behavior of the giant percrocutid (Dinocrocuta gigantea) as an active hunter  

作　　者：DENG Tao TSENG Zhijie J 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China [2]Department of Vertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA 90007, United States [3]Integrative and Evolutionary Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States

出　　处：《Chinese Science Bulletin》2010年第17期1790-1794,共5页

基　　金：supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sci-ences (KZCX2-YW-Q09-120);the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40730210);the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2006CB806400)

摘　　要：We present osteological evidence that a rhinocerotid skull belonging to a female Chilotherium wimani was bitten by a giant percrocutid, Dinocrocuta gigantea. Aided by comparative evidence of black rhino (Diceros bicornis) predation by extant spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta, we interpret the healed wound on the C. wimani female as an injury incurred by the late Miocene D. gigantea. The hunting paleoecology of the giant percrocutid D. gigantea has long been speculated, but thus far no clear evidence has been discovered to point to the predatory habits of this carnivore. The present specimen of C. wimani provides evidence to indicate that the giant percrocutid shared similarities in predatory behavior to the modern spotted hyena: it was an active hunter in spite of the specialized bone-cracking craniodental morphology which imparted superb capability for processing bone.We present osteological evidence that a rhinocerotid skull belonging to a female Chilotherium wimani was bitten by a giant percrocutid, Dinocrocuta gigantea. Aided by comparative evidence of black rhino （Diceros bicornis） predation by extant spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta, we interpret the healed wound on the C. wimani female as an injury incurred by the late Miocene D. gigantea. The hunting paleoecology of the giant percrocutid D. gigantea has long been speculated, but thus far no clear evidence has been discovered to point to the predatory habits of this carnivore. The present specimen of C. wimani provides evidence to indicate that the giant percrocutid shared similarities in predatory behavior to the modern spotted hyena： it was an active hunter in spite of the specialized bone-cracking craniodental morphology which imparted superb capability for processing bone.

关 键 词：证据 巨型 行为 猎人 晚中新世 肉食动物 加工能力 古生态 

分 类 号：Q915[天文地球—古生物学与地层学]