A Peculiar New Pampatheriidae (Mammalia: Xenarthra: Cingulata) from the Pleistocene of Argentina and Comments on Pampatheriidae Diversity

Abstract

Pampatheriidae are a group of cingulates native to South American that are known from the middle Miocene to the lower Holocene. Two genera have been recognized between the lower Pleistocene and the lower Holocene: Pampatherium Gervais and Ameghino (Ensenadan, Bonaerian and Lujanian, lower Pleistocene–lower Holocene) and Holmesina Simpson (Blancan, Irvingtonian, upper Pliocene–lower Holocene). They have been mainly differentiated by their osteoderm morphology and cranio-dental characters. These taxa had a wide latitudinal distribution, extending from the southern part of South America (Península Valdés, Argentina) to North America (Florida, USA). In this contribution, we describe a new genus and species of Pampatheriidae for the lower and middle Pleistocene of Buenos Aires Province and for the upper Pleistocene of Santa Fe Province (Argentina).The new taxon is represented by disarticulated osteoderms, one skull element, two thoracic vertebrae and a right femur and patella. It has extremely complex osteoderm ornamentations and particular morphological characters of the cranial element and femur that are not found in any other species of the family. This new taxon, recorded in the lower–middle Pleistocene (Ensenadan Stage/Age) and in the upper Pleistocene–early Holocene (Lujanian Stage/Age), is incorporated to the Pleistocene mammal assemblage of South America. Finally, the Pampatheriidae diversity is greater during the Lujanian Stage/Age than the Ensenadan Stage/Age.

Ancient DNA from the extinct South American giant glyptodont Doedicurus sp. (Xenarthra: Glyptodontidae) reveals that glyptodonts evolved from Eocene armadillos

“…The latter were intermediate in size (up to 200 kg) and carapace flexibility between armadillos and glyptodonts (see Góis et al . ) and appear to have had a separate evolutionary history since at least the Miocene (Gaudin & Croft ). Unlike the armadillos, glyptodonts and pampatheres both became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene‐early Holocene along with a large proportion of the world's megafauna (Barnosky et al .…”

Systematic revision and redefinition of the genus Scirrotherium Edmund and Theodor, 1997 (Cingulata, Pampatheriidae): Implications for the origin of pampatheriids and the evolution of the South American lineage including Holmesina

“…The osteological morphology of the selected species was revised from direct observations on specimens previously studied in other works, as well as through published/unpublished descriptions (Simpson 1930, Castellanos 1937; Edmund 1985, 1987; Edmund & Theodor 1997; Góis 2013; Góis et al 2013; Laurito & Valerio 2013; Scillato-Yané et al 2013; Góis et al 2015; Gaudin & Lyon 2017). Naturally, according to the objectives of this research, during the revision of material I focused on the species S. antelucanus , S. carinatum and S. hondaensis , and, additionally, species of genera considered closely allied to Scirrotherium , i.e.…”

“…The pampatheriids (Pampatheriidae) are a morphologically conservative extinct clade of glyptodontoid cingulates or highly armored xenartrans (Glyptodontoidea sensu McKenna & Bell 1997) with medium-to-large body sizes (Edmund 1985; Góis et al 2013). They were distributed from the Neogene to the Early Holocene in numerous localities of South America (their native range), Central America, Mexico and the United States (Edmund 1985; Vizcaíno et al 1998; Rincón et al 2014; Góis et al 2015 and references there). As the modern armadillos (Dasypodidae), pampatheriids have a flexible carapace by the presence of three transverse bands of imbricated osteoderms which conform a kind of “articulation” between the scapular and pelvic shields (Edmund 1985).…”

Nova ocorrência de megafauna pleistocênica em Mato Grosso do Sul

“…Ordem CINGULATA Illiger, 1811 Família PAMPATHERIIDAE Paula Couto, 1954 Gênero Holmesina Simpson, 1930 Material: Dois osteodermos dorsais, CAP/1B-338A e CAP/1B-338B. Descrição e comentários: A família Pampatheriidae caracteriza-se por seus osteodermos diferenciados (GÓIS et al 2015). Nota-se que suas placas osteodérmicas são alongadas, quadrangulares, podendo ser penta ou hexagonais, de face externa rugosa e ornamentações com fossetas (PAULA COUTO 1979).…”

“…Nota-se que suas placas osteodérmicas são alongadas, quadrangulares, podendo ser penta ou hexagonais, de face externa rugosa e ornamentações com fossetas (PAULA COUTO 1979). Foram observados osteodermos típicos de pampaterídeos, com ornamentações diferenciadas, margens lateral e anterior mais amplas e robustas, com depressões longitudinais e elevação por todo o perímetro central (GÓIS et al 2015 …”