Mesowear and Paleodiet Analysis of Middle Miocene Artiodactyls from Kanhatti, Punjab, Pakistan

Background. Mesowear is a broadly used tooth wear method that is indicative of herbivore diet. This study evaluates the paleodiet of Middle Miocene artiodactyls from the subtropical Siwaliks of South Asia. Methodology. New specimens of artiodactyls were recovered from the Kanhatti outcrops, Khushab, Pakistan. These specimens were tested by recording the sharpness and height of tooth cusps, both with unaided eye and lens. Results. The results depicted that suids and tragulids were browsers, bovids were mixed feeders which spent some time in browsing, and anthracotheriids were mixed feeders, pre-dominantly grazers. Conclusion. The findings support the presence of a mixed palaeoenvironment from moist, humid, and closed forests to grassland during the Middle Miocene period in Kanhatti, Punjab, Pakistan.