The diet of Myotragus balearicus Bate 1909 (Artiodactyla: Caprinae), an extinct bovid from the Balearic Islands: evidence from coprolites

Abstract

hyotrqus baleaiim Batc 1909 is an artiodactyl Caprinae endemic to thc Balearic Islands which bccamc extinct more than 4000 years ago. Coprolitcs produced by this spccics have been collected from the excavation of Holocene cave sediments in Cova Estreta (Serra dc Tramuntana, Mallorca). Thc pollcn content of several samplcs of coprolites has been studied in ordcr to dctcrmine the diet of AlyotraguJ. A@otragus balearicus from Cova Estreta was a browser, and consumed huge amounts of box, BUXUJ balearica, a plant known for its high content of stcroidal alkaloids. The coprolitcs are very fine textured, probably due to thc result of a very cfficient digestive process. 0 I999 The 1.iilneaii Socict\. of London