Premium
Fork formation and other signs of osteophagia on a long bone swallowed by a red deer stag ( Cervus elaphus )
Author(s) -
Kierdorf Uwe
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of osteoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1099-1212
pISSN - 1047-482X
DOI - 10.1002/oa.1390030105
Subject(s) - cervus elaphus , antler , fork (system call) , anatomy , biology , ecology , computer science , operating system
A right anterior cannon bone (os metacarpale 3 + 4) of a red deer that was found in the reticulum of a 7‐year‐old red deer stag is described. The bone, which had accidentally been swallowed by the stag, showed clear signs of bone chewing (osteophagia), the most prominent being the formation of a fork at its distal end. Knowledge of the possible bone changes brought about by ruminant osteophagia may prevent the erroneous interpretation of skeletal remains as being worked by hominids.