Evidence of diseases on vertebrate fossil bones can provide detailed information on many aspects of extinct animals. This study focused on pathological craniodental remains (left maxilla and dentary) referred to the canid Cuon alpinus unearthed from a Late Pleistocene karst filling deposit at San Sidero (Apulia, southern Italy). These fossils show clear evidence of a chronic periodontitis that caused the animal's death. Clinical diagnosis of the disease and the timing of its development have been defined on the basis of a veterinary odontostomatology approach, in addition to radiographic and tomographic techniques. From the initiation of the infection until death, a time span of at least 6 months occurred, and three main steps have been defined: (1) the bacterial infections of the buccal cavity turning into severe periodontitis, (2) the fracture of the lower carnassial and (3) the loss of teeth due to the worsening infection that deformed and/or eroded maxillary and mandibular bones and enlarged alveoli. The analysis of the palaeopathology also provides information about the biomechanics of the bite, on the feeding behaviour and on the relationships of injured members in a pack of Late Pleistocene canids.

A Pathological Late Pleistocene canid from San Sidero (Italy): Implications for social- and feeding-behaviour / Dawid Adam, Iurino; Rosario, Fico; Mauro, Petrucci; Sardella, Raffaele. - In: NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN. - ISSN 0028-1042. - STAMPA. - 100:3(2013), pp. 235-243. [10.1007/s00114-013-1018-5]

A Pathological Late Pleistocene canid from San Sidero (Italy): Implications for social- and feeding-behaviour

SARDELLA, Raffaele
2013

Abstract

Evidence of diseases on vertebrate fossil bones can provide detailed information on many aspects of extinct animals. This study focused on pathological craniodental remains (left maxilla and dentary) referred to the canid Cuon alpinus unearthed from a Late Pleistocene karst filling deposit at San Sidero (Apulia, southern Italy). These fossils show clear evidence of a chronic periodontitis that caused the animal's death. Clinical diagnosis of the disease and the timing of its development have been defined on the basis of a veterinary odontostomatology approach, in addition to radiographic and tomographic techniques. From the initiation of the infection until death, a time span of at least 6 months occurred, and three main steps have been defined: (1) the bacterial infections of the buccal cavity turning into severe periodontitis, (2) the fracture of the lower carnassial and (3) the loss of teeth due to the worsening infection that deformed and/or eroded maxillary and mandibular bones and enlarged alveoli. The analysis of the palaeopathology also provides information about the biomechanics of the bite, on the feeding behaviour and on the relationships of injured members in a pack of Late Pleistocene canids.
2013
tomography; cuon alpinus; late pleistocene; italy; palaeopathology; carnivora
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
A Pathological Late Pleistocene canid from San Sidero (Italy): Implications for social- and feeding-behaviour / Dawid Adam, Iurino; Rosario, Fico; Mauro, Petrucci; Sardella, Raffaele. - In: NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN. - ISSN 0028-1042. - STAMPA. - 100:3(2013), pp. 235-243. [10.1007/s00114-013-1018-5]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/513971
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