2026-03-12 北海道大学
ヨウスコウワニ（札幌市円山動物園にて撮影）
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/news/2026/03/post-2219.html
- https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/news/pdf/260312_pr.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352409X26000775?via%3Dihub
中国田螺山考古遺跡における東アジアワニ類のコラーゲンによる同定 Identification of East Asian Crocodylian Collagen from the Tianluoshan Archaeological Site of China
Miu Tanaka, Masaki Eda, Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Hiroe Izumi, Hiroki Kikuchi, Guoping Sun
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports Available online: 19 February 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105642
Highlights
- ZooMS enables taxonomic identification of Neolithic crocodylian bones with limited morphological diversity.
- TOF-MS and LC-MS/MS reveal collagen biomarkers in modern East Asian crocodylians.
- Specific peptide markers demonstrate ZooMS potential for crocodylian archaeology.
- This study expands reference datasets for archaeological proteomics.
Abstract
Crocodylia, a group of semi-aquatic predators, comprises approximately 30 extant species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions. Despite significant ecological diversity, the group’s limited morphological variation poses challenges for species identification in archaeological research, particularly when dealing with fragmentary remains. Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), a method utilizing collagen peptide fingerprinting, has emerged as a powerful tool for species identification. This study introduces the first application of ZooMS to crocodylian bones. Modern references included three specimens of Alligator sinensis, two of Tomistoma schlegelii, and two of Crocodylus porosus. Among these, Alligator sinensis is the only extant alligator species outside the Americas, coexisting in East Asia with Tomistoma schlegelii and Crocodylus porosus. Collagen extraction protocols tailored for ZooMS were implemented, followed by analysis using time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Collagen peptide fingerprinting via TOF-MS and LC-MS/MS provided detailed taxonomic resolution for modern and ancient crocodylian specimens. Species-specific biomarkers were identified, with considerations for post-translational modifications and diagenetic alterations. The results highlight the potential of ZooMS for resolving the diversity of crocodiles in East Asia and analyzing archaeological specimens’ relationship with humans. Future efforts should focus on expanding the ZooMS reference database, exploring diagenetic mechanisms, and applying the approach to older samples. By refining this methodology, ZooMS can offer new insights into the evolutionary and paleoecological history of Crocodylia.
