Shark–seal interaction off South Africa’s west coast during the early Pliocene (5 Ma)-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Shark–seal interaction off South Africa’s west coast during the early Pliocene (5 Ma)

Published:2021-03-29 Issue:3/4 Volume:117 Page:
ISSN:1996-7489
Container-title:South African Journal of Science
language:en
Short-container-title:S. Afr. J. Sci

Author:

Govender Romala¹²^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Research and Exhibitions, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa

2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

A study of the Mio-Pliocene marine palaeoenvironment on South Africa’s west coast revealed aspects of the biology and behaviour of fossil marine mammals. Close examination showed that seals from Langebaanweg suffered from pathologies and bore marks of marine carnivore activity. This study adds to our knowledge of shark feeding behaviour in the geological past and is one of a few studies of sharks feeding on seals in the fossil record. Two incomplete seal humeri with shark tooth marks are the first documented evidence from South Africa’s Mio-Pliocene of such behaviour. These injuries show no healing, which suggests that the animals were most likely scavenged.

Funder

NRF/African Origins Platform grant

Publisher

Academy of Science of South Africa

Subject

General Earth and Planetary Sciences,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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