Modern guanaco (Lama guanicoe, Camelidae) bezoars: An approach towards identification in the fossil record

ConclusionsMorphometry, along with external and internal features and mineral composition, are useful tools for the identification and interpretation of bezoars in the fossil record.SignificanceThis study offers new information on the etiology, mechanisms of formation, and means of interpreting the presence of bezoars, a common pathology in South American camelids, in the fossil record.LimitationsThe features of fossil bezoars do not provide accurate identification of the animal that produced them.Suggestions for Further ResearchFurther analyses on modern bezoars belonging to other species of mammals are needed in order to enhance the interpretation of bezoars in the fossil record.

Source: International Journal of Paleopathology - July 25, 2019 Category: Pathology Source Type: research