Dental mesowear analysis of the late Miocene Bovidae from Toros-Menalla (Chad) and early hominid habitats in Central Africa

This study aimed to reconstruct the environmental conditions that prevailed in the Chadian palaeo-lake basin ca. 7 Ma ago based on the feeding preferences of late Miocene Bovidae from Toros-Menalla (Chad). This is a key issue for understanding the circumstances (regional landscapes) under which the earliest known hominid Sahelanthropus tchadensis evolved. A dental mesowear analysis was applied to 117 specimens of bovids representing the four tribes present in the anthracotheriid unit localities: Hippotragini, Reduncini, Antilopini and Bovini. All these bovids fed on grasses, at least partially. Previous analyses and the present results indicate the presence of a mosaic-like environment containing various habitats from grasslands to woodlands in the surroundings of the Chadian lake basin. Indeed, our data support the availability of grass or grass-like plants and therefore open patches in the vicinity of the Chadian palaeo-lake shores.