Palaeoecology of Kolpochoerus heseloni (= K. limnetes): a multiproxy approach

Abstract

Kolpochoerus heseloni is known from the later Pliocene into the middle Pleistocene of Africa. It is widely distributed in time and space, and it is known from many hominin palaeontological and archaeological sites in Africa. We use three methods to investigate the diet and habitat preferences of this species. Dental microwear analysis and carbon stable isotope analysis are used to examine diet, and limb bone ecomorphological analysis is used to reconstruct habitat preference. Results suggest that there is synchronic variability and change through time in the diet and habit preferences of K. heseloni. The results also reinforce how different this taxon is from extant pig species.