INFERENCES FOR LATE PLEISTOCENE HORSES GENUS EQUUS SP. AT LATE PLEISTOCENE FROM SEVEN MEXICAN LOCALITIES

Using δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O biogeochemical markers found at the dental enamel, it was inferred the diet of 37 individuals of Pleistocene horse from seven Mexican localities, as follows: Cedral, Laguna de las Cruces, and La Presita(San Luis Potosí), Tequixquiac (State of México), Valsequillo (Puebla), Los Glifos (Chiapas), and Loltun (Yucatán). Values for δ¹³C ranged from – 7.9‰ to 0.9‰ with an average at -3.4‰, while the average value for δ¹⁸O was -2.3‰ ranging from -8.1‰ to -2.9‰. Comparisons of the isotopic carbon values were assayed and showed that there were not differences between analyzed individuals (D. F. 36, p<0.706494, F: 0.63; p<0.439386, H: 5.857106); linear regressions assayed between δ¹³C and altitude, latitude and longitude, respectively, shown that there are not differences in δ¹³C values with respect to those geographic factors. Based on those results, it can be inferred that this animal in México had a mixed-feeding diet with some individuals which diets were exclusively based in C4 plants to others with mixed feeder C3/C4, but with a large consumption of C3 plants as well, which was independent from the inhabited locality. Such a locality was generally an open vegetation area, with some degree of three covering, all of that inferred from the δ¹⁸O values.