The Mammal Dental Metrics Database: a compilation of fossil and extant mammal tooth measurements
Data files
May 30, 2023 version files 12.79 MB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Ages.csv
30.13 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Biblio-Ages.csv
16.18 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Biblio-Metrics.csv
30.76 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Metrics.csv
12.70 MB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Variables-Ages.csv
1.25 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Variables-Metrics.csv
3.20 KB
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README.md
1.53 KB
Oct 15, 2025 version files 16.05 MB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Ages.csv
31.24 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Biblio-Ages.csv
19.35 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Biblio-Metrics.csv
34.15 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Metrics.csv
15.96 MB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Variables-Ages.csv
1.25 KB
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Mammal_Dental_Metrics_Database_-_Variables-Metrics.csv
4.27 KB
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README.md
1.68 KB
Abstract
Fossil relative abundance data in combination with specimen-level measurements can reveal community-level changes underpinning long-term ecological and evolutionary dynamics. However relative abundance data is not consistently reported in the paleontological literature, and measurement data is presented in individual studies in varying formats. Here, we compiled dental measurements (tooth crown length, width, and height) from the paleontological literature (or otherwise available sources) in a single database, simultaneously permitting analyses of size and relative abundance for the fossil record. This first version of the database focuses on large mammals and on the African and Arabian Neogene fossil record. Measurements of teeth of extant species were also collected. Each row gives the available measurements for a single tooth. Specimens with multiple teeth reported are divided among several rows. Taxonomic information was entered largely as given in the original source, without standardization or revision of taxonomic identifications. Geographic, stratigraphic, and assemblage information was also collected for fossil specimens, and specimens were assigned to individual 'computational localities' (normally combinations of geological unit and location) that can be treated as paleo-communities (metacommunities). Numeric ages and geographic and geological information for these localities are given in a corresponding spreadsheet. Sources are given for all measurement and age data. This dataset provides a powerful new resource for investigations of changes in relative abundance, body mass, or mass-abundance distributions in the fossil record.
Description of the data
This is a compilation of published or otherwise available dental measurements of extant and fossil mammals specimens focused on Neogene large mammals from Africa and Arabia. This dataset provides dental abundance and measurement data that can be analyzed to reveal long-term ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Dental metrics (tooth length, width, height) of African and Arabian fossil and extant large mammals were compiled from the literature and by measuring specimens at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. Information on the ages of fossil sites was also compiled from the literature.
File structure
Data consist of the following spreadsheets (in csv format):
- Metrics: specimen-level taxonomic, measurement, location, and reference data.
- Ages: Age and other contextual information for fossil localities.
The localities in Ages and the specimens in Metrics can be matched on the 'ComLoc' column (=computational locality). - Variables-Metrics: Explanation of column names and abbreviations used in the Metrics spreadsheet
- Variables-Ages: Explanation of column names and abbreviations used in the Ages spreadsheet
- Biblio-Metrics: bibliography for references cited in Metrics
- Biblio-Ages: bibliography for references cited in Ages
Dataset Contributors:
- Creator: Faysal Bibi
- Data entry: Faysal Bibi, Dima Dahrouj, Nicola Heckeberg, Lisa Janzen, Lucille Rose.
All spreadsheets are in csv format and can be opened by a wide range of easily available programs such as Microsoft Excel, Apple Numbers, and Google Sheets.
Changes after May 30, 2023: New version includes additional data as well as numerous fixes. 'ComLoc' variable now divided into two variables: ComLoc1 and ComLoc2 to allow for uncertainty in locality assignment for some specimens.