2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Ecological response to environmental fluctuations and morphological evolution of terrestrial mammals in Ryukyu Islands during Pleistocene.

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22800015
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Cultural property science
Research Institution	The University of Tokyo
Principal Investigator	KUBO Mugino 東京大学, 総合研究博物館, 特任研究員 (10582760)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2012
Keywords	琉球列島 / 化石 / 脊椎動物 / リュウキュウジカ / 古生態学 / 更新世
Research Abstract	The present study investigated morphology and ecology of two extinct deer species (Cervus astylodon, Dicrocerus sp.) excavated from late Pleistocene Ryukyu Islands. From stable isotope analysis and mesowear analysis, it was estimated that both species primary consumed leaves of trees and bushes, but C. astylodon consumed grass more frequently, implying a niche partitioning between sympatric species.