Correlations among dietary proxies in African fossil hominins: Dental buccal microwear, occlusal textures and 13C stable isotope

Abstract

Dietary proxies for inferring diet composition of African hominin species have been widely used. However, results derived from buccal microwear patters, occlusal textural data and carbon stable isotope are not always concordant. We have analyzed the correlations between the different variables measured with each methodological approach at two distinct levels. We first, computed paired correlation among fossil specimens for whom dietary data was available and then analyzed the trends in dietary proxies variables among the fossil hominin species considered. The results show some significant correlations between variables. However, some inconsistencies among the different methodologies are evident, especially between buccal and occlusal microwear proxies and between the microwear patterns and δ13C signals. Differences in age ranges and life span for applying the different techniques might explain the inconsistencies observed. Further data on dental microwear patterns are required for further a more informative investigation on the associations between the dietary proxies.