Late Pleistocene biota from Pubenza, Colombia; turtles, mammals, birds, invertebrates and plant remains

Abstract

Pubenza is a remarkable palaeontological site of Colombia, and a place that could hold some of the potentially oldest evidence of humans in northern South America. Previous palaeontological research at this site has mainly focused on the megafauna. Here we describe and establish the systematic palaeontology for the small fauna that inhabited this ancient lacustrine ecosystem, including the first report of birds, tortoises and vipers for the Late Pleistocene in Colombia. Furthermore, exceptionally well preserved fossilised wasp nests are morphologically and elementally characterised, which is the first report of an ichnofossil of this kind in northern South America. In addition, new material of kinosternid turtles, armadillos and rodents is also described. Our results reveal that the Bogotá River Basin, where Pubenza is located, was a rich ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene and a region of great interest for future articulated palaeontological and archaeological studies.

The timing and ecological consequences of Pleistocene megafaunal decline in the eastern Andes of Colombia

“…Here, bones of gomphotheres ( Notiomastodon platensis ) and bone fragments of giant ground sloths ( Eremotherium ) have been recovered. These faunal remains and records of other gomphotheres ( Cuvieronius and Stegomastodon ) from Tibitó (~2500 m asl) provide evidence for a diverse Late-Pleistocene megafaunal presence in Colombia (Correal Urrego, 1981; Prado et al, 2005; Borrero, 2009; Alfonso-Rojas et al, 2021). However, at higher elevations, such as Monquentiva, no macrofaunal remains have been reported in the literature.…”

“…In Colombia, macrofaunal remains are limited (Barnosky and Lindsey, 2010) but have been dated back to 40,000 14 C age BP (van der Hammen and Correal Urrego, 1978). Faunal remains have been found in Tocaima (Correal Urrego, 1993; Correal Urrego et al, 2005; Alfonso-Rojas et al, 2021) and at Tibitó (Correal Urrego, 1981; Borrero, 2009). Megafaunal presence has also been inferred from rock shelter cave paintings from Serranía de la Lindosa (~500 km from Monquentiva) that date back to ca.…”

“…40,000–15,000 years BP (van der Hammen and Correal Urrego, 1978). Megafaunal remains have also been found in Tocaima, an archaeological site at 340 m asl (Correal Urrego, 1993; Correal Urrego et al, 2005; Alfonso-Rojas et al, 2021). Here, bones of gomphotheres ( Notiomastodon platensis ) and bone fragments of giant ground sloths ( Eremotherium ) have been recovered.…”

“…Hunter-gatherer groups are reported since the Guantiva interstadial ca. 12,500 BP in the Bogotá highlands (2600 m asl) and downslope from Monquentiva at 340 m asl since 11,740 BP (van der Hammen and Correal Urrego, 1978;Correal Urrego, 1993;Triana-Vega et al, 2019;Alfonso-Rojas et al, 2021). Megafaunal extinctions have been linked to overhunting by humans worldwide (Martin and Klein, 1984;MacPhee and Sues, 1999) and suggested as a major driver of extinction in North America and Australia (Martin and Klein, 1984;Stuart, 1999;Rule et al, 2012).…”