Date of Graduation

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biology

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biological Sciences

Advisor/Mentor

Dr. Peter Ungar

Committee Member

Dr. Jeremy Beaulieu

Second Committee Member

Dr. Kristian Forbes

Third Committee Member

Dr. Jill Geisler Wheeler

Abstract

The Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT), which was characterized by a decline in global temperature and atmospheric CO2 levels, represents one of the most significant climate shifts in the Earth’s history (Pound & Salzmann, 2017). Environmental changes during the EOT had a significant impact on terrestrial ecosystems and mammalian communities (de Vries et al., 2021). The Fayum Depression in Egypt is home to the most well-preserved and important fossil record of early primate evolution that spans the EOT (Simons & Rasmussen, 1990). The Fayum fossils are critical for understanding early anthropoid evolution and the diversity of primates in the region. This study aims to reconstruct ancient primate diets by utilizing the dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) technique. DMTA quantifies the textures on the tooth surface that are created during the process of chewing. It can reflect short-term feeding behavior and ultimately be used to make predictions about diet (Ungar & Sponheimer, 2011). Fayum primate molars used in this study were sampled from three localities within the Fayum Depression representing three different time intervals: BQ2 (late Eocene), L-41 (terminal Eocene), and I/M (early Oligocene). A taxon-free approach was used to compare microwear (as a proxy for diet) among the three samples using MANOVA, F-Tests, and Tukey’s HSD tests. Results revealed significant microwear differences among sites, specifically considering the complexity variables: Smfc and HAsfc81. Differences in these complexity variables suggests that primates who lived in different time periods demonstrated statistically significant differences in their dietary behavior. The presumed dietary changes made evident by the results are likely linked to the ecological restructuring that occurred as a result of the EOT. This study found that BQ2 had a lower diversity of diet and smaller abrasives on average than the two later sites which demonstrates the overall effectiveness of using DMTA as a method to reconstruct extinct animal diets.

Keywords

Dental microwear texture analysis; Eocene–Oligocene Transition; Fayum Depression Egypt; fossil primates; paleoecology; dietary reconstruction

Download

Available for download on Tuesday, October 12, 2027

Share

COinS