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Evidence of frugivory and seed dispersal in Oligocene tortoises from South Dakota

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2013

ALAN O. MARRON  and
JASON R. MOORE
ALAN O. MARRON*
Affiliation:
Department for Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
JASON R. MOORE
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, HB 6105, Fairchild Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
*
†Author for correspondence: am543@cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

Fossilized hackberry (Celtis) seeds were found within the shells of two Stylemys individuals excavated from Oligocene sediments from South Dakota. The presence of in situ skeletal elements indicates that the tortoises were buried without extensive disarticulation. Abiotic transport of the seeds into the carcasses is unlikely given the anatomically correct placement of both skeletal elements and seeds and the comparative settling velocities of the encasing sediment versus modern Celtis seeds. Ecological evidence from modern Celtis and Stylemys analogues suggests that tortoises are commonly seed dispersal agents. The fossils are therefore interpreted as enterolites, providing the oldest reliable evidence of tortoise frugivory.

Keywords

endozoochoryhackberrysaurochoryStylemysWhite River Group
Type
Rapid Communication
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 150 , Issue 6 , November 2013 , pp. 1143 - 1149
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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