Dental enamel hypoplasia and intra‐tooth isotope records as indicators of physiological stress and environmental variability in Early Pleistocene hippopotamids from Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia)

Researchers uncovered distinct links between physiological stress and environmental variability in Early Pleistocene hippopotamids from Melka Kunture, Ethiopia. By analyzing dental enamel hypoplasia (LEH) alongside stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes in sequential enamel samples, the study revealed contrasting patterns in two specimens dated to ~1.4 and ~1.0 million years ago. One specimen exhibited broad isotopic variation and discrete stress episodes tied to changing hydrological conditions, while the other showed prolonged or recurrent stress under relatively stable but water-limited conditions. These findings suggest that LEH combined with intra-tooth isotope analysis can provide insights into individual life histories, physiological stress, and environmental dynamics in fossil mammals.

Briatico, G., Geraads, D., Melis, R. T., & Mussi, M. (2026). Dental enamel hypoplasia and intra‐tooth isotope records as indicators of physiological stress and environmental variability in Early Pleistocene hippopotamids from Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia). Journal of Quaternary Science. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.70113