The primitive giant panda Kretzoiarctos beatrix (Carnivora, Ursidae) from the hominid locality of Hammerschmiede: dietary implications

Extant giant pandas are among the most herbivorous forms of the order Carnivora, feeding mainly on hard plant material. The first steps of their evolutionary lineage are of particular interest for our understanding of the factors that led to this specialized niche. The present work deals with newly discovered dental material of the primitive ailuropodine bear Kretzoiarctos beatrix from the Late Miocene locality of Hammerschmiede (Germany). This is the first report of the genus Kretzoiarctos outside the Iberian Peninsula, expanding its spatial range to Central Europe. All of the currently known localities with K. beatrix, from both Spain and Germany, are very similar in age (c. 11.9–11.4 Ma). The present material has distinct features that enable its taxonomic discrimination from other Miocene ursids of Europe, such as Ballusia, Ursavus, Miomaci, Agriarctos and Indarctos. A thorough comparison is conducted of all of these forms. The new specimens were used in a dental microwear texture analysis in combination with ecomorphological comparisons, to investigate the dietary habits of this primitive ailuropodine. The results suggest that Kretzoiarctos was not an eater of tough plant material like the extant giant panda but was more similar to the extant Tremarctos, exhibiting opportunistic behaviour with occasional consumption of meat.