Anatomical and genetic study of an ancient animal tooth showing brachyodont and hypsodont mixed taxonomical characteristics

Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2013 May;72(2):167-70. doi: 10.5603/fm.2013.0028.

Abstract

A non-human dental piece was found in a Roman Empire tomb dated the 3rd century A.C. in Zaragoza (Spain). The morphology of this piece showed mixed brachyodont (carnivores) and hypsodont (herbivores) characteristics. As a result, the taxonomical assignation of the piece was impossible. Therefore, a protocol based on the DNA sequence of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial region (COI) was applied. For this purpose, a pair of primers able to amplify this region in a large variety of animals was designed. The results point to a species of the Genus Bos (Family Bovidae). This assignation was later confirmed by these quencing of a short fragment of the mitochondrial D-loop region. A complete morphological description of the tooth is presented together with the DNA sequence study and comparison protocol.

MeSH terms

  • Ancient Lands
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cattle*
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spain
  • Tooth / anatomy & histology*
  • Tooth / metabolism